The Wandering Nation -- A Research on the Discursive Construction of Filipino Identity

Abstract: The Philippines is a unique case to study national identity as it’s a post-colonial, highly Americanized country constituted by quantities of ethnic groups. Filipino identity emerged from the revolution against Spanish colonization and developed as an anti-colonial movement along with its struggles for independence. However, after independence, the Philippines has been facing a dilemma that, on one hand, it urges to pursue a national identity through post-colonial discourses, especially through de-Americanization, and on the other hand, her deep Americanization underlies her national pride, which results in the lack and confusion of Filipino identity nowadays. In the process of constructing a national identity, a common history, the feeling of national pride and the combination of “the Other” and “fear” are underlying themes. Also, high standard of living ensures the national pride and identity. In this thesis, the author uses Critical Discourse Analysis developed by Fairclough to reveal how the Filipino identity has been constructed and changed, especially how the Filipino history is changed and taught, the national pride and the fear are produced, by the dominant group. Texts produced by important people and institutions are included, and also comments from ordinary people as complementary.