Volume 1 Issue No.

1 January-March 2010

IFSSO holds 18th General Conference in Chiang Mai

President Teruyuki Komatsu (right) and Secretary General
Kanchana Ngourungsi (left) opens the
18th General Conference of IFSSO
FEATURE
The International Federation of Social Science
Organizations (IFSSO) held its 18th General Conference last
November 22-23, 2009 at the Pornping Tower Hotel in Chiang
Mai, Thailand. The theme of the conference was “Global
and International Migration: Realities of Labor Movements
and International Marriages.” Participants from Hungary,
Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand
attended the conference.
A total of 14 papers on the various topics related to the
theme were presented in the conference. Four papers focused
on issues related to multiculturalism: Dr. Hidasi Judit of the
Budapest Business School presented a paper on “Current
Issues on Migration and Multiculturalism in Europe.” Dr. I
Ketut Ardhana of Udayana University and Dr. Yekti Maunati
of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences co-presented a paper
entitled “Bugis Diaspora in Tawau District of Sabah, East
see back page...

IFSSO Board Reorganized; Secretariat Transfers to the Philippines

The International Federation of Social Science Organizations (IFSSO) convened its General Assembly in
Chiang Mai, Thailand last November 23, 2009. The assembly was called to order immediately after the closing
of the 18th IFSSO General Conference. The General Assembly elected the members of the IFSSO Executive
Board.
Prof. Teruyuki Komatsu of Japan was re-elected as IFSSO President while Dr. Yekti Maunati of Indonesia
was re-elected as Treasurer. Dr. I Ketut Ardhana, also of Indonesia, was elected as First Vice President,
replacing Dr. Josef Blahoz of the Czech Republic. The Secretary General of the National Research Council of
Thailand (NRCT) was elected as the organization’s Second Vice President. Dr. Nestor T. Castro of the Philippines
was elected as Secretary General, replacing Dr. Kanchana Ngourungsi of Thailand. Dr. Leon Ramos, also of the
Philippines, was elected as Executive Board Member.
see back page...
MORE NEWS

Focus on IFSSO Member Organizations:

SCIENCE COUNCIL OF JAPAN
The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) was established in January 1949 as a “special organization” under the jurisdiction of
the Japanese Prime Minister for the purpose of promoting and enhancing the field of science, and having science reflected
in and permeated into administration, industries and people’s lives. The two functions of SCJ are: 1) to deliberate on
important issues concerning science and help solve such issues; and 2) to make coordination among scientific studies to
achieve higher efficiency.
The SCJ consists of 210 council members and some 2,000 members. The SCJ organization comprises a General
Assembly, an Executive Board, three Section Meetings (Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences
and Engineering), 30 committees based on fields of specialties, five Administrative Committees for operation, and issue-
oriented ad hoc committees.
Dr. Ichiro Kanazawa was elected as the new SCJ President at the organization’s General Assembly held in October 2006,
succeeding former President Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa. Dr. Kanazawa is also a Professor Emeritus of Tokyo University and
the Chief Doctor of Imperial Family.
The SCJ hosted the 9th General Conference of IFSSO in 1989 in Tokyo, Japan. IFSSO had three Presidents representing
the SCJ: Dr. Takashi Fujii, Dr. Hiromi Yokoi, and the current President Prof. Teruyuki Komatsu.
— Dr. Nestor T. Castro
IFSSO holds 18th General Conference in Chiang Mai
cont...
Malaysia: Challenge and Trend in the University of
Context of Managing Multicultural Kitakyushu shared
Society.” Dr. Nestor T. Castro of the her research entitled
University of the Philippines read his “Nurses on the
paper on “Overseas Workers and the Move: Singapore’s
Formation of Multi-ethnic Policy on Foreign
Communities in New Caledonia.” Nurses and its
Mr. Jihoon Choi of Kyung Hee Implication for
University read a paper that he co- Japan.” Dr. Norma
authored with Ziyeon Chae and Sook L. Menez and Ms.
Young Kwon entitled “Situating Cecilia M. Pring,
Multiculturalism and the Politics of both of the Lyceum
Identity in Contemporary South of the Philippines Participants intently listening to papers read during the
Korea through Discourse Analysis of U n i v e r s i t y , General Conference
Main Intellectual Views.” presented their
Three papers dealt about the research on “Nursing Migration in The other papers presented in the
plight of overseas workers: Mr. Singapore: The Filipino Experiences.” conference were those of Dr. Leslie
Joseph P. Lalo of the Anthropological Two papers discussed the issue Bauzon, formerly of the University
Studies, Inc. shared to the participants of studying abroad. Dr. Mark Irvin of Tsukuba, read a paper on “The
his research on “The Philippine C. Celis and Ms. Sevilla Felicen Phenomenon of Filipino-Japanese
Overseas Contract Workers’ presented their paper “Singapore Marriages;” Prof. Darlene Machell
Migration: A Continuing Experience of HRM and Tourism Espeña of the Ateneo de Manila
Phenomenon.” Dr. Leon R. Ramos Students of Lyceum of the University presented a paper entitled
of the Lyceum University of the Philippines University in the “Bumbay, Kulambo, and Five-Six:
Philippines presented a paper on Context of Cross-cultural Narratives on the Formation of a
“International Migration of Filipino Orientation Initiatives.” On the Sikh Community in the Philippines;”
Seafarers and its Impact to National other hand, Ms. Hyein Park of and Prof. Rattana Sangsawang of
Development.” Dr. Supang Kyung Hee University presented a Loei Rajabhat University spoke on
Chantavanich of Chulalangkorn paper that she co-authored with the “Loei Elderly Library.”
University read a paper on “The Eunjeong Namgung and Yoonjung The General Conference of
Impact of the Economic Crisis in Jeong entitled “The Effect of Trust IFSSO is held biennially. The 17th
2009 on Migrant Workers in toward Korean and Social Supports General Conference was held in
Thailand.” on Acculturative Stress: A Case Bali, Indonesia.
There were two papers on the export Study of Eastern Asian — Dr. Nestor T. Castro
of nurses: Dr. Keiko T. Tamura of the International Students.”

IFSSO Board Reorganized

cont...
With the election of Dr. Castro
as the new Secretary General, the
IFSSO Secretariat was moved from
Bangkok, Thailand to Manila,
Philippines. The IFSSO Secretariat
headquarters is now based at the
University of the Philippines. Prof.
Joseph P. Lalo was designated as the
Acting Deputy Secretary General of
IFSSO. The other members of the
Philippine-based Secretariat are
Prof. Carlos P. Tatel, Jr., Prof. Edwin
Winston A. Valientes, and Ms. Ma.
Elena B. Bragais, all of the
University of the Philippines. To
comply with Philippine laws, the
Secretariat office was registered with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission of the Philippines.
One of the first projects of the
IFSSO Secretariat is the revival of
the IFSSO Newsletter as a means
to update IFSSO member
organizations and individuals about
the activities of the organization.
The IFSSO Newsletter was last
published in 1993. The new IFSSO
Newsletter will be published
quarterly. The publication of the
Proceedings of the 18 th IFSSO
General Conference is also under
way.
The first organizational meeting
of the IFSSO Executive Board is
scheduled for May 1-2, 2010 at the
Puri Dalem Hotel in Sanur, Bali,
Indonesia. The main agenda of the
meeting is the identification of the
theme, date, and venue of the 19th
IFSSO General Conference. The
Lyceum of the Philippines
University (LPU), an associate
member organization of IFSSO, is
bidding as the 2011 conference host.
— Dr. Nestor T. Castro
IFSSO Newsletter is published by the
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF S OCIAL
S CIENCE ORGANIZA TIONS
For inquiries,
visit us at Room 209, Palma Hall,
UP Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
telefax no. +6329262511,
UP Trunkline 981-8500 loc 2427
email at ifsso_secretariat@yahoo.com
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