SU to host national social science congress
Silliman University (SU) will host the 10th National Social Science Congress (NSSC X) of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) on July 27-29, 2023, where the country’s leading social scientists and policymakers will gather to share research findings for public health improvement.
With the theme “Centering Social Sciences in Future-Proof Health and Well-Being,” the congress invited social science experts, researchers, academics, government officials, donor agencies, civil society organizations, and private companies to explore challenges and possible solutions to pressing public health issues in the country and in Asia.
The congress aims to promote the use of a social science lens in post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts.
Dr. Lourdes M. Portus, PSSC executive director, said in a press release: “Medical science has been at the front and center of the country’s collective response to the pandemic; now social scientists must take center stage in planning and facilitating our post-pandemic recovery.”
PSSC said on its website that insights from the “full range of social disciplines, including global health, are needed now more than ever” especially in using the social science view to “prevent and control future pandemics.
“Faced with pressing challenges and limited resources, governments urgently need robust evidence to inform critical policy decisions,” said PSSC.
Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, environmental scientist and adjunct professor at SU, is one of the five plenary speakers for the congress with his lecture titled “The Role of Social Sciences in Respecting Planetary Boundaries and Protecting Planetary Health.”
Other plenary speakers include Dr. Jaime Z. Galvez Tan, former Department of Health secretary; Dennis Anthony Uy, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. CEO; Dr. Miwako Hosoda, Seisa University professor; and Dr. Ramir Anthony T. Blanco, a public health specialist focusing on equity in health.
Research papers on the following themes will be presented at the congress: Social Scientists’ Diverse Perspectives on Public Health; COVID-19 Studies; Researching Health and Well-being; Health Issues and Discourses; Economic Well-being; Health and Communication; Governing Health and Well-being; Geographies of Care; and Social Construction of Health and Well-being.
SU students Jerrydith B. Alpuerto, Larry V. Villarin, Lance Howell Y. Lagunay, and Meljoe S. Loreto, who are taking up Master of Arts in Sociology, will present their individual research papers.
SU faculty members Dr. Dave E. Marcial, Estela Q. Catacutan, Novem Catherine E. Joseph, Dr. Enrique G. Oracion, Mylah R. Bomediano, and Yushabel M. Romagos will also present their papers.
SU will also host a training seminar on publishing social science research on July 26, 2023 with Dr. Jonalou S. Labor, director for research and publication at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication, as the resource speaker.
Through the seminar, Labor will guide participants on how to transform their research papers into an academic manuscript that can be published in research journals.
The seminar is part of the preparation for the NSSC X.
NSSC is the flagship program of PSSC that serves as a platform for social scientists to interact and forge ties, share their latest research, and discuss socially significant issues with other sectors of society.
The congress was first held in 1983 when Filipino social scientists envisioned a more active role for PSSC in nation-building.
Established in 1968, PSSC is a non-profit organization committed to scientific, cultural, and educational purposes with a mission to advance Philippine social sciences and serve as a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and activities.
