CLAIMING BIRTHRIGHT: JAPANESE-FILIPINO CHILDREN AND THE MOBILIZATION OF DESCENT

Abstract

THIS THESIS EXAMINES THE MATERIAL DIMENSIONS OF ETHNIC IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS AND IDENTITY CLAIMS THROUGH THE STUDY OF JAPANESE-FILIPINO CHILDREN IN THE PHILIPPINES AND OF THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) ADVOCATING ON THEIR BEHALF. IN THIS STUDY, I EXAMINE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ¿JFC¿, THE JAPANESE-FILIPINO CHILD, THROUGH NGO DISCOURSES AS WELL AS THE UTILIZATION OF JAPANESE-FILIPINO CHILDREN¿S JAPANESE DESCENT IN CLAIMS-MAKING AND IN STRUGGLES OVER RESOURCES. I ARGUE THAT FILIATION CAN BE LEVERAGED ON TO GAIN ACCESS TO RESOURCES NOT ONLY THROUGH THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY BIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE SYMBOLICALLY SALIENT CLAIMS FOR BELONGING TO A NATION OR PEOPLE, BY VIRTUE OF DESCENT. I EMPLOY THE CONCEPT OF CONSANGUINAL CAPITAL WHICH I CONSIDER AS A FORM OF CAPITAL, DRAWING UPON BOURDIEUSIAN ARGUMENTS. CONSANGUINAL CAPITAL SHOULD PRIMARILY BE UNDERSTOOD IN POLITICALLY SYMBOLIC TERMS, MOBILIZED IN PROCESSES OF CLAIMS-MAKING AND BASED ON