Primitivo III Cabanes Ragandang
Department of Political Science
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
I am a Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, with a PhD from The Australian National University (2023). My research focuses on youth-led peacebuilding, memory, transgenerational resilience, and inclusive decision-making in post-conflict contexts, particularly in the Bangsamoro region and broader Asia-Pacific.
Education
2023
Doctor of Philosophy
International, Political and Strategic Studies
The Australian National University
Thesis: When we remember: peacebuilding and transgenerational resilience in the Southern Philippines
2018
Doctor in Sustainable Development Studies
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Thesis: Sustainability of two youth-led peacebuilding organisations (Best Dissertation awardee)
2013
Master in Public Administration
Mindanao University of Science and Technology
2009
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Research Experience
2026
Folke Bernadotte Academy
Lead investigator
Project on reintegration of former youth combatants in Southern Philippines and Bosnia and Herzegovina
2025
The Australian National University Philippines Institute
Lead investigator
Project on mentoring early career researchers in Mindanao (with Bina D'Costa and Nicolas Lemay Herbert)
2024
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Project Leader
Project on 'memory from the margins, tracing Mindanao history within Philippine history'
2024
Deakin University
Project collaborator
Project on appropriate international development responses to address violent and hateful extremism in the Bangsamoro region
2023
Human Security Collective
Commissioned Researcher
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Evaluating a four-year project on youth-based inclusive leadership program in Mindanao
2023
Global Network on Extremism and Technology
Principal Investigator
King's College London
Project on youth-led online initiatives on challenging violent extremism
2023
UNIDO - Bangsamoro Agri-Enterprise Programme
Commissioned Researcher
Human Security Risk Assessment for the Bangsamoro's Halal Industry
2023
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Project Leader
Project on indigenous women and the use of ballads for conflict resolution
2022
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Project Leader
Project on young women's participation in Bangsamoro peace process
2022
Mensen met een Missie
Principal investigator
The Hague, The Netherlands ($12,410 AUD)
Research on inclusive decision-making: tri-peoples participation in local decision-making
2022
University of New South Wales
Research Assistant
Project on national illicit drug monitoring by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (June and July 2022)
2021
Hiroshima University
Research Assistant
Project on urban peacebuilding in post-conflict city of Marawi (September 2021 to January 2022)
2021
US Mission to ASEAN
Project Leader
Research on young peacebuilders sustainability through online support system (April to December 2021) ($20,556 AUD)
2021
UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect
Research Assistant
Project on atrocity prevention through education (April to May 2021)
2021
The University of Melbourne
Research Assistant
Project on the correlation of music and peacebuilding (April to June 2021)
2021
The Asia Foundation
Research Assistant and Translator
Project on drug war in the Philippines (June to July 2021)
2020
Mindanao State University-Iligan
Co-Project Leader
Project on mental health and youth peacebuilding agency: the case of young Muslim M'ranao
2020
The University of Sydney
Research Assistant
Project on hate speech in the Philippines (January to October 2020)
2018
Mindanao State University-Iligan
Project Leader
Research on addressing young men and women's vulnerability to conflict: a youth rights' approach of challenging violent extremism (January to December 2018) ($18,450 AUD)
2018
The Australian National University-Philippines Project
Research Assistant
Project on civil society-military engagement during the Marawi siege (April to December 2018)
2017
Mindanao State University-Iligan
Co-project Leader
Research on Madrasah education and child soldiers in Lanao provinces ($18,450 AUD)
Publications
Books
2025
Peacebuilding and Memory in the Philippines: Transgenerational Resilience
Ragandang, Primitivo III • Palgrave MacMillan
2024
Tagoloan: short stories on the history and life in Tagoloan
Ragandang, Primitivo III • Tourism Office, Municipal government of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
Edited Books
2026
Development responses in challenging violent extremism in Southern Philippines
Kelly, L.; Ware, A.; Barton, G.; Ragandang, P.; and Moner, Y. • Routledge
2022
Youth peacebuilding: from theory to practice
Ragandang, Primitivo III and Acuesa, Mary Koren • United States Mission to ASEAN: Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative
2020
Mga hinaw-as sa kalisud (Taken out from poverty)
Ragandang, Primitivo III, Escabarte, Shimev, Acuesa, Mary Koren, Micabalo, Annaly, Arcbus, Muvaluma • Misamis Oriental: Bridging Hopes and Opportunities Linkages Initiative
Peer-Reviewed Articles
2026
Decolonizing knowledge and the transformative worldview in research
Primitivo III Ragandang • Development in Practice
2026
Resilience as remembering: temporality, memory and compounding crises in Mindanao
Ragandang, Primitivo III • Conflict, Security, and Development
2025
Voices from Mindanao: Addressing extremism in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
Leanne M. Kelly, Greg Barton, Anthony Ware, Primitivo III Ragandang, Yasmira Moner • Journal for Deradicalization
Read Article 2024
Historical injustices, memory, and intergenerationality in the Philippines' Bangsamoro region
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Journal of Peacebuilding and Development
2024
Interview with Volker Boege
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice
2024
Interview with Miriam Coronel Ferrer
Iglupas, J.; Delos Santos, J.; Ragandang, P. • Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice
2024
In honor of Johan Galtung, the father of peace studies
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice
2022
Youth inclusion in peace processes: the case of the Bangsamoro transition authority in Mindanao, Philippines
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. and Podder, Sukanya • Conflict, Security & Development
2022
Suicide, shocks, and resilience in (post)conflict Bangsamoro (Philippines)
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice
2021
What are they writing for? Peace research as an impermeable metropolis
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Peacebuilding
2021
Formal peacebuilding and youth inclusion in the 21st century: the case of Muslim Mindanao
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice
2020
Social media and youth peacebuilding agency: a case from Muslim Mindanao
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Journal of Peacebuilding and Development
2020
Youth as conflict managers: peacebuilding of two youth-led Non-profit organizations in Mindanao, Philippines
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Conflict Studies Quarterly
2019
The role of bae in resolving conflict and maintaining tribal peace and order
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. and Ponce, Sulpecia L. • Conflict Studies Quarterly
2018
Beyond development aid: sustainability of youth-led organizations advocating on arts-based peacebuilding in Mindanao, Philippines
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. and Viloria, Livayway • Journal of Asian Review of Public Affairs and Policy
2018
In search for self-determination: the political history and armed struggle of the Moro National Liberation Front in Mindanao
Galarinao, Imma Conception F. and Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Conflict Studies Quarterly
2018
Factors of century-old conflict and current violent extremism in the South
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Conflict Studies Quarterly
2018
A review of the traditional conflict resolution practices among indigenous cultural communities
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Conflict Studies Quarterly
2017
Indigenous Conflict Resolution Practices of the Higaunon Tribe in Bukidnon Province
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Conflict Studies Quarterly
Book Chapters
2026
Politics of memory: Marcos regime in Muslim Mindanao
Iglupas, J.; Santos, J.; and Ragandang, P. • Memories of Marcos Martial Law (Routledge)
2026
Reintegration of former combatants in Lanao del Norte
Ragandang, P. et al. • Development responses in challenging violent extremism in Southern Philippines (Routledge)
2026
Youth at the Roots of Peace: Education, Environment, and Gender as an Approach to Peacebuilding
Ragandang, P. et al. • Frameworks and Practices Towards a Sustainable and Peaceful Future (Palgrave)
2023
Through the ballads: peace formation as remembering the past
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • The art of peace (Edinburg University Press)
2022
Mindanao, Moros, and violent conflict in the Philippines' south
Ragandang, Primitivo III and Genara Trinidad • Young Meranao in post-conflict and COVID-19 environments (Iligan City: Mindanao State University-Iligan)
2021
Fish love? youth inclusion in formal (post) conflict structures
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Youth peacebuilding: from theory to practice (US Mission to ASEAN: Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative)
2019
Retracing the journey of child soldiers and looking for the path to return them home: a report from southern Philippines
Almarez, D.; Malawani, A.; Ali, S.; Chua, P. and Ragandang, P. • Research Handbook on Child Soldiers (Edward Elgar Publishing)
Reports & Essays
2024
Young People Challenging Violent Extremism Online: Insights from Asia
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Global Network on Extremism and Technology
Read 2023
Youths challenging violent extremism through digital platforms in the Philippines
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Global Network on Extremism and Technology, King's College London
Read 2022
Für wen oder was schreiben sie? Wissenschaft & Frieden 2022/4
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. •
Read 2021
Resilience and young M'ranao evacuees at times of pandemic
Martin, Neil; Primitivo III C. Ragandang; and Trinidad, Genara • New Mandala
Read 2020
Filipino students use 'padungog-dungog' to resist educational inequality
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • New Mandala
Read 2020
Soda and pork intestines: When COVID-19 relief operations miss the mark
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership
Read 2019
Gender and Development: Book of Abstracts
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology-Gender and Development Focal Point System
2019
Vibrant desire and century-old struggles: young peace builders in Mindanao
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • The Monsoon Project
Read 2018
Dula-dula ug Pakigasundagat: An arts-based approach of addressing young women and men's vulnerability in conflict
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Mindanao State University, Iligan City, Philippines
2018
Crafting local peace agenda: an executive guide
Manubay, Darwin; Sitie Pasandalan, Marilou Nanaman, Primitivo III Ragandang, Neil Martin, Irish Fernandez • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Germany
2017
Higaonons as Weavers of Peace
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • Peace and Security, Oxford: Oxford Research Group
Read 2014
Empathy-based Character Education Program Workbook for Bullying Prevention of Pre-K-12
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. and Potter Sara, Lam, Katherine • Cagayan de Oro City: Move This World, Inc.
2012
Dutch Government to NGOs: It's a Hard-Earned Euro!
Ragandang, Primitivo III C. • One World Online
Read Presentations & Talks
2025
Young people, the arts, and peacebuilding for current and future generations
Australian Political Science Association
University of Melbourne, Australia • 24-27 November
2025
Women, peace, and knowledge production in Mindanao
Oceanic Conference on International Studies
University of New South Wales, Australia • 9-11 July
2025
Peacebuilding and Memory: Transgenerational Resilience
Bonn Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies Seminar
Bonn, Germany • 5 May
2025
The Role of Memory in Mindanao Peacemaking
Mensen met een Missie
Hague, The Netherlands • 7 May
2025
Self-made spaces: youth, inclusion, and peace (Best Paper Presentation Awardee)
Hiroshima University Conference 2025
Manila, Philippines • 5-7 March
2024
Can the subaltern drink? Quarrying and water crisis in Northern Mindanao
Deakin University Symposium on Peace and Climate
Bangkok, Thailand • 12 November
2024
Does Peace Projects Integrate Healing of the Past? Women, Ballads, and the Politics of Memory.
Conflict Research Society Conference
University of Edinburgh Scotland • 4-6 September
2024
Role of young people in countering violent extremism online: examples from Southeast Asia
AVERT International Research Symposium 2024
Melbourne, Australia • 29-31 October
2024
Peacebuilding and transgenerational resilience in the Southern Philippines
Alfred Deakin Institute Seminar
Deakin University, Melbourne • 15 May
2024
Memory from the margins? Mindanao in Philippine history
Philippine Political Science Association International Conference
Mindanao State University-Iligan • 2-4 May
2024
Peacebuilding in Mindanao in the Philippines
University of Hamburg Peace and Conflict Class
Hamburg, Germany • 28 May
2024
Terrorism and extremism in the Philippines: seven elements to reflect on
Office of National Intelligence and AVERT Research Network
Canberra, Australia • 20 June
2023
When we remember: memory and peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro (Best Paper awardee)
Bangsamoro Legal Research Network
Cotabato City, Philippines • 2-4 December
2023
Youth, peacebuilding, and hybrid political orders: the case of the new Bangsamoro autonomous region
Oceanic Conference on International Studies
University of Melbourne • 5-7 July
Teaching Experience
2016-present
Associate Professor
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Supervised 16 graduate and eight undergraduate theses in Political Science and peace studies. Handled courses on Issues in the Contemporary World, Gender and Development, Third World Political Theories, Contemporary Political Thoughts, Ancient and Medieval Political Thought, Foundations of Sustainable Development, and Introduction to Political Science; served as Project Adviser of Team Pakigasundugat, a youth-based global digital campaign of challenging violent extremism through positive messaging, impacting over 22,500 youth and with over 1 million impressions online, funded by Facebook, and recipient of Best Project Award in Georgetown University, United States of America; spearheaded an 18-month research on addressing young men and women's vulnerability in times of conflict, using an arts-based intervention programming with 35 public schools teachers from all over Mindanao, Philippines, resulting to the publication of the first copyright book on game-based peacebuilding in the institute's Political Science Department; assisted in the crafting of the institute's new curriculum Political Science for undergraduate and masters degrees; managed the 54-hour internship course of 38 Political Science graduating students to different industries across the Philippines
2021-2022
Tutor and Guest Lecturer
The Australian National University
Tutor to undergraduate courses on Theory in International Relations and Emotions in International Relations; served as guest lecturer for graduate and undergraduate courses on Understanding Peace and Conflict, and Gender, War and Justice in South and Southeast Asia; provided marking support to the undergraduate course on Human Security: Conflict, Displacement and Peace Building
2014-2016
Lecturer
Liceo de Cagayan University
Handled undergraduate courses on Comparative International Systems, Introduction to IR theories and issues, Contemporary Political Thoughts, and Philippine history; co-managed the 54-hour internship course of 12 International Relations students to different industries across Mindanao
2012-2013
Lecturer
Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan University
Handled undergraduate courses on Political Science and Philippine Constitution, Life and Works of Dr Jose Rizal, and Philippine history
2010-2012
Instructor
Tagoloan Community College
Supervised eight undergraduate theses in AB Sociology and Community Development, focused on traditional conflict transformation strategies, Filipino traditional health practices, and indigenous cultural communities; handled undergraduate courses on Qualitative Research, Political Science and Philippine Constitution, Gender and Development, Industrial Psychology, and Philippine history; pioneered qualitative research in Tagoloan Community College with Sociology and Community Development programs; organized 1st college-wide colloquium on 'Research Dichotomy: Understanding Qualitative and Quantitative Research Designs'; organized 1st School-wide Lecture Series on the 'relationship of religion and peace: a tri-people forum on Islam, Christianity, and Indigenous Religion in Mindanao' in partnership with the Rizzal-I Nur Institute; organized at least 300 university students in the making of photo exhibits, emphasizing the reasons why the Americans colonized the Philippines
2009-2011
Lecturer
Mindanao University of Science and Technology
Handled undergraduate courses on Political Science and Philippine Constitution, Industrial Psychology, Philippine history, Personality Development; spearheaded a week-long university photo exhibit on human rights protection, Philippine history and constitution; coached four university scholars to a Mindanao-wide quiz bowl on Philippine history, constitution, and culture, making it to the top ten
Honours & Awards
- Best Global South Scholar Book Award, ISA Peace Studies Section, March 2026
- Chancellor's Award for Social Science Research at Mindanao State University-Iligan, July 2025
- Erasmus Visiting Fellowship in Marburg University, May 2025
- Best Paper (Poster), Annual In-House Review of MSU-Iligan, The Philippines, October 2024
- Best Paper, Bangsamoro Legal Research Network Conference, Cotabato City, Philippines December 2023
- 2022 Student Volunteer of the Year, conferred by The Australian National University, November 2022
- Best Zine Award for the book, 'Hinaw-as sa Kalisud' (Taken out from Poverty) by the Philippine National Book Development Board, November 2021
- Winner, YSEALI Seeds for the Future Project by the US Mission to ASEAN, awarded $20,556 for a project on developing support programs for young peacebuilders in Mindanao, February to December 2021
- Best Presenter, Humanities and Social Sciences in the 21st Century Conference at University of New South Wales in ADFA, Canberra, September 2019
- Top 3 Best Project, Challenging Violent Extremism through Positive Messaging, given by Facebook, Inc. in Georgetown University, United States of America, January 2019
- Best Paper, Annual In-house Review of MSU-Iligan, The Philippines, September 2018
- Grand National Winner, Youth CSR Awards by Deloitte Philippines and Benita & C. Yap Foundation, August 2017
- Finalist, 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Award by National Economic Development Authority-Northern Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, December 2017
- Best Dissertation Awardee, given by MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, the Philippines, January 2018
- Finalist, 2017 ABS-CBN and Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Filipino Hero Award-Young Peace-builder category, May 2017
- Youth Ambassador, 2016 Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange Students and Youths by the Japanese Government-Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo, Japan, February 2016
- National Winner, 2015 Ten Accomplished Youth Organization Award, given by the Philippines' Youth Commission for the project 'Empathy-based Programming through Games and Creative Expression,' February 2015
- Recipient, 2016 Fellowship on Building of Safer Spaces, New York, United States of America, September 2016
- Philippine Delegate, 2013 Empathy Education Summit in New York, United States of America, September 2013
- Philippine Delegate, 2012 Peace Education Summit in West Virginia, United States of America, September 2012
- Youth Ambassador, Peace Summit, by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Netherlands, September 2010
- Recipient, 3rd Best Paper in the In-House Review in Mindanao State University, Philippines, September 2010
- Youth Ambassador, Youth in Millennium Development Goals Summit in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, sponsored by the Netherlands Committee on Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, Kingdom of Netherlands, October 2009
- Recipient, Best Undergraduate Thesis Award, by MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, the Philippines, April 2009
- Academic Scholar, Japan Overseas Missionaries Assistance Society, Tokyo, Japan, 2006-2009
Community Engagement
2025
Convenor, Mentoring Emerging Peace and Conflict Scholars in Mindanao
Funded by The Australian National University's Philippine Institute, AUD 10,000 (with Nicolas Lemay Herbert and Bina D'Costa)
2025
Partner Investigator, Article Writing Workshop for Peace and Conflict Scholars in Mindanao
Funded by the British Academy, UK Pounds 29,000 (with Sukanya Podder)
2024
Co-convenor, Project PULONG: A Community-based Reading Program
Funded by USAID, The Asia Foundation, and Asian Institute of Management, December 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025, AUD 5,000
2022-present
Member, Gender and Development Technical Working Group
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
2022
Co-convenor, Southeast Asian hub of the 2022 international hybrid conference by the International Feminist Journal of Politics - Asian Center for Women's Studies
Ewha Womans University, 21-23 July 2022
2020-present
Executive Director, Seeds for Mindanao's Advocacy and Youth Leadership (SMAYL)
A youth-led non-profit which provides hybridized short courses for young peacebuilders, geared towards the development of action agendas on the intersection of youth, peace, and conflict
2018-present
Founder and Director, Bridging Hopes and Opportunities Linkages Initiative
A community-based, youth-led non-profit which offers afterschool programs to students Grade 4 to 12. Our three hallmark programs include Very Academic Monday (VAM), Meditative Wednesday (MedWed), and Story Telling and Reading (STAR) Friday
2021
Honorary Fellow, Policy Research and Legal Services of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Provides scholarly reviews on legislative measures for the transitorygovernment in the Bangsamoro region
2012-2016
Philippine Director, Move This World
Authored the first iteration and two revisions of Pre-K-12 Empathy-based Character Education Workbook for School-based Violence and Bullying Prevention used by 8,500 kids all over Mindanao in the Philippines. Responsible for organizing five international conferences on integrating peace education, building safer spaces, and enhancing social, emotional learning in schools, which gathered 2,953 educators, and peace advocates from the Philippines, Spain, Nepal, Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Facilitated 52 training-workshops in Mindanao schools and Philippine government agencies on conflict management and youth civic engagement, benefiting a total of 6,900 youths, teachers, and school administrators. Led in the implementation of interfaith youth exchange camp with 50 young leaders of Mindanao in partnership with the United States Embassy in Manila. Spearheaded six (6) university-based colloquia to at least 5,000 freshmen students in dissecting the ethnographic diversity and understanding the century-old political conflict in the southern Philippines
2011-2012
Executive Director, MasterPeace Club – The Philippines
Managed the year-long peacebuilding activities with college students in northern Mindanao, impacting over 5,300 youth and teachers in an annual celebration of the International Day of Peace (21st September). Initiated three innovative ways of raising youths' awareness on UN-mandated International Day of Peace, viz: Peaceture (peace photo exhibit), ReciPeace (peace-inspired pastries), and Rockalunaw (peace concert with youth performers). Pioneered the Muslim-Christian dialogue in the village through a community peace fora