Narratives on the Impact of Colonialism on the Lives of Modern-Day Filipino-Americans

323 Pages·2009·4.04 MB·English

NARRATIVES ON THE IMPACT OF COLONIALISM ON THE LIVES
OF MODERN-DAY FILIPINO AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE
by
Fatima Bustos-Choy
A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of
the California Institute of Integral Studies
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in Transformative Leaning and Change
California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco, CA
2009
UMI Number: 3354490
Copyright 2009 by
Bustos-Choy, Fatima
All rights reserved.
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CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
I certify that I have read NARRATIVES ON THE IMPACT OF COLONIALISM
ON THE LIVES OF MODERN-DAY FILIPINO AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE
WORKPLACE by Fatima Bustos-Choy, and that in my opinion this work meets
the criteria for approving a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Transformative Learning and
Change at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Joanne Gozawa, Ph.D., Chair
Faculty, Transformative Inquiry Department
Urusa Fahim, Ph.D.
Faculty, Transformative Inquiry Department
L.M. San Pablo Burns, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Asian American Studies
University of California Los Angeles
on-leave 2008-2009
2008-2009 Andrew Mellon/Woodrow Wilson
Career Enhancement Fellow
© 2009 Fatima Bustos-Choy
Fatima Bustos-Choy
California Institute of Integral Studies, 2009
Joanne Gozawa Ph.D., Committee Chair
NARRATIVES ON THE IMPACT OF COLONIALISM ON THE LIVES OF
MODERN-DAY FILIPINO AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE
ABSTRACT
This qualitative dissertation offers an investigation of the impact on and
implications of colonialism for modern-day Filipino American women.
Centuries of Philippine colonization by Spain and the United States have
produced colonial beliefs and behaviors called colonial mentality, which as a
specific form of internalized oppression among Filipinos is characterized by
unconscious rejection of anything Filipino and uncritical preference for anything
American (David & Okazaki, 2006; Pheterson, 1986). Filipino Americans, the
third largest Asian ethnic group in the United States, continue to be invisible and
underrepresented in significant social positions and to lag behind other Asian
American groups in attaining management positions in organizations (Cordova,
1983; Root, 1997; de Jesus, 2005).
Filipino American women were selected as the focus for this dissertation
because there have been few studies about them and their careers. A narrative
approach to the study was appropriate, as the research objectives concerned
gaining an understanding of the participants' lived experiences shaped by a
colonized culture (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). Six Filipino American women
who immigrated to the United States and are working in corporate organizations
iv
participated in the research. The research method was Narrative Inquiry, which
involved in-person interviews with the participants about their childhood in the
Philippines, their challenges living and working in the United States, and their
visions for the future. Findings from the narratives revealed beliefs and behaviors
of colonial mentality, such as inferiority, of which participants were not aware,
nor did they recognize the career-limiting implications on their lives.
Given changing workforce demographics, the presence of colonial
mentality in the workplace is inevitable, as more employees come from colonized
cultures such as the Philippines. Unrecognized, colonial mentality can have
significant implications for employees and leaders alike. This study is significant
to corporate executives and managers, as well as human resources, organizational
development, and diversity practitioners, as it raises awareness and understanding
of colonial mentality and provides ideas to minimize the negative effects and
thereby release employee potential.
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Acknowledgments
This doctoral program was more than an academic undertaking; it was
also a journey into the depths of my colonial heritage, into the forgotten chapters
of Filipino history. The journey was long and arduous, the path strewn with
unexpected twists and some demons along the way, until finally the clearing was
in sight. I emerged from the experience a more enlightened and compassionate
human—one who now sees with an open heart and mind the impact of our
colonial past. The doctoral program was indeed a transformative learning and life-
changing experience. I thank the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) for
providing a doctoral curriculum that allows students to explore subjects holding
passion and personal connection for them, such as mine, while maintaining
academic rigor and high standards of learning. Looking back on my journey, I see
that I was not alone; in fact, I could not have traveled on my own.
I am deeply grateful to my Chair, Dr. Joanne Gozawa, who has been a
guide, teacher, and sage from my first day of setting foot at CIIS for the interview
meeting. I am blessed for having been under Joanne's tutelage for the full doctoral
program. Her calm, reassuring, and sensitive presence has been my anchor in
times of confusion and doubt. The depth of her knowledge and understanding of
my research topic supported by her cultural sensitivity provided me with insights,
questions, and solid grounding. I hope to emulate her sense of equanimity and
unpretentious wisdom.
To my committee members, Dr. Urusa Fahim and Dr. Lucy Mae San
Pablo Burns, my sincerest gratitude and appreciation for agreeing to be on my
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committee and for your genuine support, encouragement, and guidance as I
moved from the proposal phase to completion of my dissertation. You have
challenged me in very positive and enlightening ways with your feedback and
comments; at the same time, you have been most responsive and caring. Having
you both and Joanne as my dissertation committee was a gift.
I could not have completed this narrative inquiry without the six Filipino
American women who graciously and whole-heartedly agreed to be research
participants for my study—it has been a privilege to meet and interview each of
you. I am grateful for opening your hearts and minds during the interviews, for
sharing your personal stories, and for being so easy to work with. I have learned
much from you and look forward to our continued friendships.
I am thankful to the CIIS faculty members who have been my teachers and
guides on various courses of the doctoral program—you have contributed
immensely to my learning. To the CIIS staff, in particular Dr. Martha Brumbaugh,
thank you for your genuine support throughout the program. I could not have
arrived at this juncture without your help.
To my cohorts, it has been a privilege to travel with you on this incredible
journey!
vii
Dedication
To my family, my country, and my soul
This dissertation is dedicated to my family, whose unconditional love,
support, and encouragement made it possible for me to dream, to embark on, and
finally to complete this doctoral journey.
To my country, may I be a positive force for other Filipinos and Filipino
Americans in raising awareness and understanding of our colonial heritage, and in
the process find the courage to re-create an integral, postcolonial consciousness.
This doctoral journey would not have begun had I not listened to my
soul's yearning for something profound and meaningful at this stage in my life.
I dedicate this work to my soul in gratitude for awakening and reconnecting me to
a hidden part of my Filipino history.
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract iv
Acknowledgments vi
Dedication vi
List of Tables xiv
Chapter One: Introduction to the Inquiry 1
Research Topic and Problem Statement 3
Purpose Statement 5
Research Question and Subquestions 5
Purpose and Significance of the Study 7
Definitions 9
Personal Relationship to the Study 1
Chapter Two: Literature Review 12
Colonialism and Imperialism 13
Filipinos Under Colonial Rule 17
The Filipino People 23
Filipino Cultural Values 26
Filipinos in the United States 29
Role of Christian Religion 34
Catholicism as colonial strategy 36
Catholicism as a means of effecting Western ideas of
gender 38
The role of confesion 42
Colonial Mentality 4
Filipino Feminism 50
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