Encyclopedia Rizaliana

The Encyclopedia Rizaliana is one of the more recent subject-specific encyclopedias in the English language. As the name suggests, it is published mainly for those who would like to know and learn more about the Philippines' foremost patriot, Dr. Jose Protasio Rizal: his life, his works, and his continuing influences. The contributors' entries were subjected to the scrutiny of others who are experts in the somewhat narrowly defined field of Rizaline Studies, nevertheless the peer review process involved an international community of Rizaliana experts who are qualified and able to perform impartial review.^[1][2]

The maiden one-volume edition (2008) of the encyclopedia has about 700 articles, many of them of the short-entry variety (100 words or less) but some running to considerable length (the "comics by and about Rizal" article is over 300 words long with illustrations). The work's coverage of Philippine and World geography and history may be considered too short and pales in comparison to the works of Ambeth Ocampo. Written by nine contributors, the Rizaliana includes over 900 index entries, 150 cross-references, tables, maps, and black-and-white line art and color images. The contributors feel that they need not sign their specific contributions, and the references were incorporated within the articles.

General Editor and Publisher

The general editor, Prof. Jose Fadul, a U.P. Diliman graduate but currently based at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, was responsible for the general format of the work. He has also contributed substantially to the project itself. A review made mention that "the contributors, except for two or three, as virtually unknown in the academic field." A number of other Rizal scholars and Rizalists were earlier invited and agreed to contribute, but they have died just months before the Encyclopedia Rizaliana project formally commenced.^[3][4]

The earlier online version of the Encyclopedia Rizaliana, first introduced in June 1998 through Homestead Technologies, has ceased to exist in 2002.^[5] This online version, like the latter print, is designed for high school and first-year college students along with public library users in Metro-Manila. It was once available to some libraries as CD-ROM intended for college students, with an accompanying workbook for the Course in Rizal.

Currently, Encyclopedia Rizaliana is printed and bound by the Lulu Press,^[6] (a transnational company offering print-on-demand publishing and online order fulfillment) in paperback student edition and in casewrap-hardcover binding (i.e., a coffee-table edition). Copies of the two editions of the book were out as early December, 2007^[7] but they were post-dated 2008. The cover is a photo-mosaic of a popular portrait of Rizal.^[8] The two said editions are also sold as downloadable PDF files.

Contributors to Encyclopedia Rizaliana maiden edition (2008)

• Rolando G. Talampas, Professor, University of the Philippines-Manila
• Ishmail Mohd. Hussin, Professor, Universiti Sains Malaysia
• Marcelino G. Catahan, Instructor, AMA Computer University
• Rolando Elan Maningas, Professor, Far Eastern University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
• Ma. Teresa G. Limson, Professor, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
• Sylvestre Maslang, Professor, Philippine Christian University
• John N. Posaran, Professor, University of the Philippines-Manila
• Juergen Schoener, Order of the Knights of Rizal, Wilhelmsfeld-Heildelberg Chapter, Germany.
• Shimizu Ueda, Professor, Hiroshima University.

Notes

References

• Collison, Robert, Encyclopedias: Their History throughout the Ages (New York: Hafner, 1964).
• Walsh, S. Padraig, Anglo-American General Encyclopedias: A Historical Bibliography, 1703-1967 (New York: Bowker, 1968).

See also

• Lists of encyclopedias
• Jose Rizal