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6th ESEA Conference
KEYNOTE ADDRESS

The Politics of Teaching English: A Case Study Of The Impact Of English On Filipino Women Writers

Edna Manlapaz

Dr. Edna Z. Manlapaz
Ateneo de Manila University
Manila, Philippines

Since its colonization by the United States at the turn of the 19th century, the Philippines has produced a substantial body of literature written in the English language. Unlike those who write in the vernacular language, Filipino writers in English are compelled to agonize over and rationalize their choice of medium: Why write a national literature in the language of a former colonial master? The debate for and against the use of English as a literary medium by Filipino writers continues unabated. This paper reviews the debate from a gender-specific perspective: What has been the impact of the English language on Filipino women writers? Is that impact significantly different from that on male writers? This historical case study provides insights into the politics of teaching English to women of the Third World.


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