The Center for Socio-Cultural Research and Heritage Studies (CSCRHS) of Visayas State University is a facilitative and collaborative center dedicated to advancing sociocultural research and heritage preservation in the Visayas. It integrates sociocultural and social science perspectives into interdisciplinary research across agriculture, science, technology, and allied fields, recognizing the importance of culture, community experiences, and indigenous perspectives in sustainable development.
The Center focuses on documenting, preserving, and promoting the rich indigenous knowledge systems, cultural practices, and heritage of the Visayas. Through its research, extension, and innovation initiatives, CSCRHS supports community-based and interdisciplinary studies, develops innovative approaches such as digital archiving, participatory research, oral history, and storytelling, and promotes the application of research findings to community development and cultural and environmental conservation.
CSCRHS also serves as a platform for collaboration among VSU faculty, students, communities, government and non-government organizations, educational institutions, and other partners. Through its Social Science Research, Indigenous Knowledge Documentation and Preservation, and Heritage Studies and Conservation divisions, the Center seeks to strengthen research excellence, cultural resilience, sustainable development, social justice, and meaningful community engagement.
The Center for Socio-Cultural Research and Heritage Studies (CSCRHS) focuses its R&D thrust on generating and applying sociocultural knowledge that supports inclusive development, cultural preservation, and sustainable management of the Visayas’ cultural and natural resources.
Its research and development initiatives are anchored on three complementary areas:
1.Sociocultural and Social Science Research – Conduct interdisciplinary research on social, cultural, and economic dynamics, with emphasis on peace and social justice, cultural identity, gender equity, community resilience, and the experiences of rural and marginalized communities. The Center integrates social science perspectives into research in agriculture, science, technology, and allied fields.
2.Indigenous Knowledge and AANR Research – Document, study, preserve, and promote indigenous knowledge and traditional practices related to Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR), including traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, fisheries management, and natural resource management. Research is undertaken through participatory and community-based approaches that respect cultural protocols and recognize communities as partners in knowledge generation.
3.Heritage Studies, Conservation, and Knowledge Innovation – Undertake research on the tangible and intangible heritage of the Visayas, including historical knowledge, cultural practices, landscapes, artifacts, arts, language, and literature. The Center develops innovative approaches such as digital archiving, oral history, storytelling, participatory research, and other creative and technological methods to preserve, communicate, and sustain cultural and ecological knowledge.
