By Mohammad Fayeez A. Gampong and Jalani Arato
Faculty members, researchers, and academic professionals from various colleges and departments convened at the ICTC Conference Room on the MSU-Main Campus, Marawi City today, July 7, 2026, for the opening of the Research Capacity-Building Workshop titled “Understanding Religion and Public Life in the Philippines.” As the flagship initiative of the 2026 Religion and Public Life in the Philippines (RPLP) Mentoring Program, this event was organized by Mindanao State University–Marawi Campus through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Extension, and Development (OVCRED), in partnership with the University of Leeds and the British Academy. Marking a significant milestone as the first RPLP mentoring program hosted in Muslim Mindanao, the initiative promotes inclusive, regionally grounded scholarship. It reframes Mindanao not merely as a subject of study, but as a vital source of ideas and perspectives capable of generating evidence-based insights to address contemporary social issues in the social sciences and humanities.
The three-day intensive workshop combines expert lectures, research presentations, peer discussions, and collaborative learning activities to equip emerging scholars with the networks and skills needed to produce internationally publishable, policy-relevant research. During the opening sessions, participants received constructive feedback from local and international experts to refine their research questions, methodological approaches, and academic writing. The diverse cohort featured faculty and research representatives from various colleges, including the College of Education (CED), the King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic, and Asian Studies (KFCIAAS), the Department of Sociology under the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH), and the College of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (CSPEAR).
The academic sessions commenced with a lecture by Prof. Emma Tomalin, Ph.D., from the University of Leeds, titled “Religion and Public Life: Concepts, Debates, and the State of the Field,” which introduced foundational concepts such as secular and confessional sociology, pluralism, and transitional justice to explore how religion influences governance and peacebuilding. This was followed by Dr. Jayeel Cornelio of the Department of Science and Technology–Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), who delivered a lecture titled “How Do We Theorize the Relationship Between Religion and Public Life?” Dr. Cornelio explored the dynamics of the public sphere as a space for solidarity and contestation, differentiating between “religion in public life”—such as public acts of faith like the Black Nazarene procession—and “religion on public life,” which examines the broader influence of faith on public discourse and contemporary social issues.
The workshop will continue tomorrow, with more expert lectures, research presentations, and collaborative breakout sessions expected to further enrich the participants’ academic writing and research methodologies.
