Understanding each other’s language across the political divide

CRISTINA MONTIEL’S interest in political psychology began with her work as an activist during the Martial Law era in the 1970s and 1980s. This tumultuous time left her with many questions about the personal and collective mind  in relation to political engagement. Now Professor Emeritus, she has been with the Ateneo De Manila’s Department of Psychology for the last 45 years. A world-renowned scholar, Montiel was elected Academician by her peers to the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2021. In 2010, the American Psychological Association’s Peace Psychology Division honored her with the Ralph White Lifetime Achievement Award.

Her latest work draws on computational social science to understand the deep societal divides that continue to linger since her activist days. By analyzing discourse on social media, Montiel has been able to unpack the contested meanings which fuel political and cultural conflict in Philippine society and abroad. 

“Culture for me is shared meaning. And the division comes when groups have different meanings  of an event or episode, or a reality that’s very very important, maybe even central to a society,” she says.

Her research has analyzed discourse related to the People Power Revolution of 1986, the Duterte administration’s push for federalism, leadership and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022 Philippine presidential elections.

Given the many lines that divide society, Montiel’s work seeks to strengthen democracy by providing tools that facilitate listening and relating to those with differing views in their own language. 

It is this kind of research that Ateneo wishes to foster, through mentorship and collaboration with different departments and generations of researchers. “I love working with young faculty members and graduate students because they are not boxed in,” she discloses. 

Amid her accomplishments and contributions to political psychology, Montiel is not done yet, as she hopes to collaborate with fellow researchers from the Global South, and to continue working with young researchers and students.

To read more of Montiel’s work, visit works.bepress.com/cristina-montiel.