A Reading: “David Barrows and Perceptions of Historical Consciousness in the Colonial Philippines”

This reading explores American efforts in the colonial Philippines to instill a consciousness of history and modernity among Filipinos through a carefully crafted philosophy of time. It focuses primarily on David Barrow’s work, History of the Philippine Islands (1905), as the embodiment of a broad discourse permeating notions of superiority and inferiority, historicity and ahistoricity, and civilizational development — notions which shaped colonialism in the Philippines. This reading argues that Americans were able to develop a sense of fundamental temporal difference with their colonial subjects — a fundamental difference that could be effectively employed to overcome shortcomings or inconsistencies in other discourses of colonial power. We need your support for more episodes, consider giving to our GoFundMe: ⁠https://gofund.me/2ec80f54⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557270533439⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.