In the ever-evolving fields of modern Southeast Asian history and gender studies, Dr. Mina Roces stands as a transformative scholar who has reshaped the narratives of Filipino migration and women’s movements. As a professor of history at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney’s School of Humanities and Languages, her scholarship not only illuminates the complex intersections of migration, culture, and gender but also inspires both her students and fellow academics. Her work, which spans several groundbreaking books and ongoing research projects, challenges conventional paradigms by positioning Filipino migrants as radical agents of change rather than mere economic actors.
Her academic journey is deeply interwoven with her own personal history. As a 1.5 generation Filipina migrant to Australia, she experienced firsthand the trials and triumphs of adapting to a new culture, a new educational system, and a life away from familiar familial networks. This lived experience provided her with a unique lens through which she views the broader tapestry of migration.
“I know a little bit about what it is like to go to a new country without friends and extended family,” she reflects—an insight that resonates throughout her scholarly work.
She observed that much of the existing scholarship focused primarily on Filipino migrants as laborers. But the stories of Filipino migrants themselves reveal that migration was much more than an economic project.
In the popular blockbuster Tagalog film It Takes a Man and a Woman (2013), the character of Laida Magtalas (played by actress Sarah Geronimo) returned to Manila after a two-year stint in Canada. Laida claimed to have undergone a personal transformation from her experience abroad, presenting herself to her work colleagues as “Laida 2.0,” adapting the linguistic marker for updated computer software. The combined transformations of ten percent of the country’s population had the potential to alter Filipino culture.
Change was at the epicenter of the lives of Filipino migrants from the day they decided to leave the homeland. Like Laida, they reinvented themselves as new subjects. Each one had their own Filipino Migrant 2.0 story.
By focusing on the narratives compiled by Filipino migrants themselves, she emphasized that migration is a multidimensional process—one that involves profound personal transformation, cultural reinvention, and political activism.
Her latest book, The Filipino Migration Experience: Global Agents of Change (Cornell University Press, 2021), is emblematic of her innovative approach to migration studies. This work stands apart by presenting a global perspective on migration that does not confine itself to the experiences of laborers alone. Instead, it brings into focus the radical changes Filipino migrants have effected both in their host countries and back home.
This bold and groundbreaking perspective earned the book the New South Wales Premier’s General History Prize for 2022.
The award’s judging panel lauded The Filipino Migration Experience as a “model of transnational history” and “comparative history at its best” for its rich, immersive storytelling and rigorous research, with one judge describing it as:
“A work that superbly balances shrewdness, empathy, and generosity, The Filipino Migration Experience is a history of our present, in that it helps us see current patterns of social life in a new light, illuminating their full complexity.”
The judge further praised the book’s comparative, multi-sited approach, which blends historical analysis with sociological insight, oral testimony, memoirs, and archival research to provide a vivid portrait of Filipino migrants across the world:
“She combines historical narrative with sociological insight, showing how Filipinos ventured into the wider world and adapted to their new, often trying, situations—sometimes languishing, sometimes thriving. This is multi-sited, comparative history at its best, where social history meets human geography.”
This recognition underscores the transformative impact of her scholarship—her ability to contribute to migration studies by shifting the perception of migrants from disenfranchised laborers to agents of change.
Instead, she reveals them as community-builders, consumers, investors, philanthropists, advocates for change, and pioneers of new identities. They also reshape social institutions such as the family and gender norms.
Her impact in Philippine history and migration studies extends beyond her latest book. In 2019, she received the Grant Goodman Prize for Excellence in Philippine Historical Studies from the Philippine Studies Group of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in the United States.
This recognition affirms her role as a leading voice in global Filipino scholarship, shaping the way Philippine history is written and understood on the world stage.
In 2016, she was elected to the Australian Academy of the Humanities, an honor reserved for scholars who have demonstrated distinguished achievement in the humanities. This election further solidifies her standing as a leading historian, not only in Filipino migration and gender studies but in the broader academic landscape of Southeast Asian history.
Beyond her extensive research, she is also a highly decorated teacher. At the University of New South Wales (UNSW), she has received two teaching awards: the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2012) and the UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2013).
Her teaching philosophy is deeply influenced by her Filipino heritage and lived migration experience. As a minority woman teaching in Australia, she is particularly attuned to the importance of cultural diversity in education.
She incorporates engaging films, readings, and even elements of Filipino humor—screening popular films like Etiquette for Mistresses—to bring history to life in the classroom. This approach makes complex topics more accessible and relatable while also showcasing Filipino narratives in global academic discussions.
Her body of work has redefined our understanding of both migration and gender in Southeast Asia. By highlighting the transformative power of migration and the dynamic nature of Filipino feminist movements, her scholarship offers a fresh perspective on global change.
Her latest book, Gender in Southeast Asia (Cambridge University Press, Politics and Society in Southeast Asia Series, 2022), expands our understanding of gender dynamics in a rapidly evolving region.
For young Filipino scholars aspiring to make a global impact, she offers this advice:
- Passion and persistence – Facing rejection from publishers and journals is inevitable, but revising and improving one’s work is key.
- Find a mentor – Having a generous and successful mentor can provide valuable support and guidance in navigating academia.
- Embrace revision and rewriting – The path to publication is long, but every revision strengthens the work.
Her own journey—from overcoming rejections and long publishing delays to winning a prestigious history award—is a testament to the power of perseverance in academic research.
