BINI as Philosophy

Calling all BLOOMs and deep thinkers! Aletheia Publishing is thrilled to announce another upcoming title:

PINOY POP CULTURE AS PHILOSOPHY, a spin-off series under the Aletheia Philosophy Series, is a project that seeks to make philosophy more understandable, relatable, and enjoyable to Filipino audiences. By engaging philosophically with local, beloved works, whether in music, film, literature, or television, deeper truths resonate – proving that philosophy is not just for scholars but for everyone.

For this second volume, we invite fans of the phenomenal Pinoy pop group BINI to dive deep into their songs, and if you've got a unique take on how their lyrics connect to feminism, ethics, metaphysics, or any other philosophical theme, send us your chapter proposals!

The series aims to make philosophy more accessible to people by philosophizing about Filipino popular culture. It supports the claim that numerous works in Filipino popular culture are philosophical and, thus, worthy of philosophical investigation. Following the "as philosophy" approach, it treats popular culture as works of philosophy. In this perspective, creators are "not only inspired by philosophy, or use ideas they learned in philosophy class, but they can convey philosophical points, raise philosophical questions, and even make philosophical arguments t.. [thus] the works they produce can be philosophy, and as a result are worth philosophical examination" (Johnson, 2023, xiii). An important aspect of ensuring that readers enjoy reading philosophy is that chapter contributions should be written in a clear and engaging style that welcomes both beginners and experts in philosophy, ensuring that complex ideas remain approachable without compromising depth. In short, they must not be written like research papers.

Coinciding with the kick-off of the BINIverse World Tour, we invite chapter proposals from anyone who would like to discuss the songs of BINI as philosophical works (instead of merely relating their songs with philosophical theories).

Sample titles and topics include, but are not limited to:

Buhay ay 'di Karera: What Makes Life Worth Living?
Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi: Propriety as a Filipino Virtue
I'm on Strings, Just Hanging On: The Universality of Mental Health as a Value
Walo Hanggang Dulo: The Role of Community in Advancing the Self
I Feel Good: On the Concept of Love


The Pinoy Popular Culture as Philosophy Series will be edited by Leander Penaso Marquez. He is a faculty member of the University of the Philippines - Diliman and has authored / co-authored several articles on pop culture and philosophy. His works have been included in the volumes The Palgrave Handbook of Popular Culture as Philosophy (published by Springer Nature) and Black Mirror and Philosophy: Dark Reflections (published by Wiley).

You may send inquiries and submissions to: ppopxphilosophy@gmail.com


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1.) Proposal
    a. Working title following the format: [Title: Subtitle];
    (BINI Song: Focus of the Chapter)
    b. Abstract (250-350 words)
    c. Keywords (5 max.)

2.) Bionote
    a. Institutional affiliation
    b. Contact information (email)
    c. Brief bio (200 words max)

3.) Deadline
    a. Abstracts (15 March 2025)
    b. First draft of accepted proposals (15 June 2025)
    c. Send inquiries or submissions to: ppopxphilosophy@gmail.com