[New from the Press] Conflict’s Long Game: A Decade of Violence in the Bangsamoro

New Book Conflict’s Long Game: A Decade of Violence in the Bangsamoro intertwines data and narrative to promote peace

What does it take to achieve long-lasting peace? Nine years have passed since the Philippine government and Moro separatists signed a peace treaty that settled decades of conflict. However, many obstacles remain and continually rise throughout this process. Conflict’s Long Game: A Decade of Violence in the Bangsamoro, edited by Francisco J. Lara, Jr. and Nikki Philline C. de la Rosa is an anthology of vital insights on interconnected kinds of violence experienced by the region, as well as peace-oriented solutions. 

Utilizing data and narratives, Conflict’s Long Game consists of ten chapters that delve into the patterns of violence occurring in the Bangsamoro, relating to land and resources, identity, gender, extremism, crime, and clan politics. Another type of violence that is discussed occurs beyond the Bangsamoro—the “othering” of Moros and Muslims in the social media arena. A product of a partnership with peacebuilding organization, International Alert, this book applies data from their conflict monitoring system, Conflict Alert. It stresses the urgency of collaborative and context-sensitive responses from policy makers, development workers, and peacebuilders. 

Patricio N. Abinales, the author of Making Mindanao: Cotabato and Davao in the Formation of the Philippine Nation-State, further highlights the inclusive viewpoints present within this anthology: “The essays here cover Moro-Lumad tensions as well as the role of gender in these conflicts. The fact also that several authors are women is an important corrective to a study of political violence in Moro Mindanao, a field dominated by male scholars and public intellectuals.” 

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven J. Robinson summarizes one of the most crucial lessons to be learned from this book, in that while the region currently faces “a period of great transition and vulnerability (that) could also be an opportunity to develop more inclusive approaches to justice to help disrupt cycles of violence.” 

Conflict’s Long Game is a robust contribution to Mindanao studies, shining a light on perspectives and information that have long been silenced or distorted. It is a crucial read not only for students and scholars, but also for individuals who want a more nuanced understanding of violent conflict and its consequences on the Moro and non- Moro people of Mindanao.

About the Editors

Francisco J. Lara Jr. is a Professor at the University of the Philippines and Senior Peace and Conflict Adviser to International Alert UK. He has written many works regarding agrarian reform, food security, violent conflict, and political settlements, becoming a chief editor to Out of the Shadows: Violent Conflict and the Real Economy of Mindanao which won the National Book Award in the Social Sciences in 2017. 

Nikki Philline C. de la Rosa has done significant work in the fields of politico-economic research and program management, as well as academia for decades.  She was the Country Director for International Alert Philippines before it became the Council for Climate and Conflict Action Asia. She was a contributing author in Out of the shadows: Violent conflict and the real economy of Mindanao (2013), which won the 2017 National Book Award for social science. 

Conflict’s Long Game: A Decade of Violence in the Bangsamoro edited by Francisco J. Lara, Jr. and Nikki Philline C. de la Rosa is published by Bughaw, an imprint of Ateneo de Manila University Press. Get your copy in paperback at the Ateneo University Press Bookshop or through our Shopee and Lazada stores.

Category: Politics & Society

Language: English

Price: P450.00