The Socio-Political Phenomena Approach: In the Midst of Change

The Socio-Political Phenomena Approach: In the Midst of Change
Mendiola Underground

The Socio-Political Phenomena Approach is the study of change in the dynamics of the relationship between man and society. So, we ask the question: what are the causes of a significant change in the relationship? When the government through the Department of Agrarian Reform asserts the distribution of land properties within Hacienda Luisita to its tenants, the status quo is threatened by change.

Materials that are oriented towards interpreting change in an arena with defined parameters always make use of the principle of cause and effect. Change by its nature is a collection of events that gain momentum over time until finally it gathers enough speed to enact a sudden shift or movement that eventually erodes the status quo.

The status quo is the benchmark in any story construction using this approach. It is the back-story. It provides the rules from which characters use in order to operate within the parameters of a well-defined domain. Studying change, therefore, requires a writer to be historically accurate in terms of context and content in describing the status quo.

The clear nemesis of the status quo is the catalyst of change. It is a disturbance that injects deep within the status quo a radical agent that ignites other events that have a cause and effect orientation. This radical agent, by its nature, may resemble several forms. An agent may take the form of a character, an event, a space or a point in time. Whatever form it chooses to take, it is a disturbance that seeks to enact the process of change.

The relationship between the status quo and the catalyst of change defines the quality of the process of change. The status quo is an immovable agent. It is the framework from which we define the roles of the characters in a story. So, as a collective, the status quo is a character that has characteristics, characterization and emotional baggage. It is an organism whose nature is geared towards self-perpetuation and self-preservation. In this regard, it has created defense mechanisms that seek to fortify its armor. But like in any Greek tragedies, an armor is always subject to inherent weaknesses.

These inherent weaknesses are the very thing that the catalyst of change tries to exploit. As an irresistible force, it is smaller in terms of resources compared to the status quo. But this inherent disadvantage is often compensated with legitimate influence.

Often, the status quo exercises full monopoly over power. Power rooted on its authority to resist change. On the other hand, the catalyst of change relies on influence that is legitimized by the need for change. Attitudes on the subject of change, in this case, define the arena of the conflict. Two forces, equalized by inherent strengths and weaknesses, fight it out for the sake of personal interest.

Again, ideology determines the writer's position regarding the material. Some writers, conservative in ideology, will always highlight the good all days and how change misdirected the society towards eminent destruction. Liberals will argue otherwise and will make several counterpoints that reflect development in marginalized sectors in society. Whatever position you take, you use the process of change as a means to solidify your position regarding the outcome of change.

Materials in this approach draw its power from the clever construction of the progression of change within a given conflict. One way or the other, as writers, we already plotted the end game of the material. But what makes the whole storytelling exciting is the manner from which a writer is able to present a compelling material regarding the process of change to the audience.

In determining the process of change, one must understand the factors that affects it. Change, as a series of events, has direction, speed and time duration. Direction refers to the vision that guides change towards its eminent destination. Speed covers the rate of the movement of change and time duration reflects the number of events necessary to reach the eminent destination. Given these parameters, we ask the following questions. What is the direction of the process of change? What are obstacles that the process of change will encounter? And how many events will it take in order for the process of change to reach its eminent destination?

In explaining the change within Hacienda Luisita, we are required to understand the actors that reinforce the status quo and the characters that forces change. It is really an interesting exercise because the more we study it, the more we understand that in the end, some of the actors who claims to be sponsors of change are actually vanguards of the status quo and vise versa.

This makes you wonder, as a writer, what is the attitude of the second-generation actors from both sides as they try to understand the situation and the arena of conflict? Childhood friendships, one way or the other, are affected when rival parties begin to draw the line. The concept of social classes often diminishes or disappears inside a playground. So what happens when children become adults? Do they forget about their childhood ties?

This is an example on how one is able to inject human emotions within the process of change. Friendships ends when loyalty begins. And loyalty is often a victim of deceit and betrayal. The collective effect of these actions induces escalating emotions of apathy, anger and hate. In the midst of change in Hacienda Luisita, people are forced to choose a position for or against change. In the process, human ties are broken.

The Socio-Political Phenomena Approach is a useful tool if we are studying change in the relationship of man and society. It provides guidelines on how to construct a material the tries to explain the process of change and the inherent conflict that fuels this process. Hacienda Luisita as a material is a potent exploration of human tolerance and acceptance. It is an arena where human ties are tested by greed, pride, tolerance and acceptance.

-Mendiola Underground