Each year, Rice University’s Chao Center for Asian Studies hosts the Transnational Asia Speaker Series, which, with the support of the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation, allows scholars of high regard to give guest lectures to the greater Houston area on topics pertinent to Asia and Asian life.

Neferti X. M. Tadiar was one such speaker who gave her lecture on March 8th in Herring Hall. Professor Alden Sajor Marte-Wood introduced Tadiar with her esteemed credentials—as a Professor of Woman’s Studies at Barnard College who has authored several books centering Philippine identity, and who is the winner of the Philippine National Book Award for such work.

Tadiar’s talk primarily focused on the author’s forthcoming book, Remaindered Life (2022). Within this talk, Tadiar delved into Filipino/a identity and how it intersects with notions of work, labor and value. Tadiar brought forth data, information and analysis on migrant workers, on their quality of life and on the perceptions and treatments of these workers by people who benefit from their labor. She connected this to notions of disposability using two primary frameworks: Serviceable life and absolutely expendable life. Tadiar focused explicitly on reproductive work within these frameworks. Tadiar’s lecture worked to break down these structures of labor in ways that her more public audience could understand readily. She focused heavily on extrajudicial killings and what it means when life isn’t valued.

Tadiar is the 24th speaker in this series. The next lecture is on April 8th at 4:00PM (CDT) in Kraft Hall (110) with guest speaker Stephen F. Teiser.