Joseph Franco specialises in countering violent extremism (CVE) and counterinsurgency.  As Research Fellow with the Centre of Excellence for National Security at RSIS, Joseph examines terrorist networks in maritime Southeast Asia and best practices in CVE. He obtained his MSc in International Relations at RSIS through an ASEAN Graduate Scholarship. He is a frequent resource person for international media such as the BBC, Channel News Asia, Deutsche Welle, and TIME.

Joseph previously worked for the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the J3, AFP. He provided consulting services for the enhancement of internal security operations; deployment of peacekeeping forces; and the employment of special operations forces.
Joseph was also the lead writer of the AFP Peace and Development Team Manual—a novel, community-based approach to counterinsurgency.

• Radicalisation
• Counter-terrorism
• Counter-insurgency
• Asia Pacific Security

• Member, Crisis Mappers
• Contributing Analyst, Wikistrat
• RESOLVE Network Research Advisory Council (2020– Present) Member
• Verve Research (2019 – Present) Fellow
• CSIS Pacific Forum Young Leaders Program (2013 – Present) Young Leader

Policy Reports

• CENS Expert Survey on Extremism Report: Current and Emerging Threats

  08 July, 2021

Commentaries

• Global Health Security: COVID-19 and Its Impacts - Rising Islamophobia in India: Exploiting the Pandemic?

  03 June, 2020

• Global Health Security - COVID-19: What Changes – and What Doesn’t

  17 April, 2020

• Breakthrough for Bangsamoro: Can They Overcome the Odds?

  11 April, 2019

• CO18156 | After Marawi: Time For Broader ASEAN Approach?

  26 September, 2018

• CO17107 | The Maute Group: New Vanguard of IS in Southeast Asia?

  31 May, 2017

• CO15027 | Complex Terrorist Threats: Singapore’s Response

  10 February, 2015

• CO14221 | Pledges to Islamic State: Weak and Strong Alliances

  12 November, 2014

• CO14197 | Terrorist Threats from the Maritime Domain: Singapore’s Response

  10 October, 2014

• CO14181 | Islamic State and Southern Philippines: Tenuous links with militants

  12 September, 2014

• CO14134 | A new "caliphate" in the Middle East: Is there an Abu Sayyaf-ISIS Link?

  09 July, 2014

• CO14091 | Security of Sports Venues: Protecting Events from Terrorism

  16 May, 2014

• CO14041 | Peace in Mindanao: The Challenge of Disarming Rebels

  27 February, 2014

• CO13168 | The Zamboanga Standoff: Role of the Nur Misuari Group

  17 September, 2013

• CO13149 | Attacks in Central Mindanao: Overestimating the Bangsamoro Splinter Group

  13 August, 2013

• CO13044 | The Sabah-Sulu Crisis: Time to revisit the Sulu Zone?

  12 March, 2013

• CO13033 | Trading Swords for Ploughshares: How Sajahatra Bangsamoro could bring peace to Mindanao

  18 February, 2013

• CO12189 | The 2012 Bangsamoro Framework Agreement: Lessons Learned?

  09 October, 2012

• CO12133 | A new political entity in Mindanao? Challenges of election-related dysfunction and violence

  23 July, 2012

• CO12119 | Involving Indonesia in the Philippine Peace Process: Clearing Away "Inclement Weather"?

  09 July, 2012

Commemorative / Event Reports

• Religious Nationalism and Extremism in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and India: Assessing the Impact of Structural Conditions

  17 May, 2022

• CENS Countering Extremism Workshop

  15 December, 2021

• GNET-CENS Online Workshop on Right Wing Extremism: East and West

  07 May, 2021

• GNET-CENS Workshop: The Fusion of Offline and Online Interventions against Extremism in the Philippines

  13 January, 2021

• Countering Extremism: Now What?

  17 December, 2018

• The 2018 Southeast Asia Counter-Terrorism Symposium: A Collective Approach

  05 December, 2018

Journal Articles

• “Detecting Future ‘Marawis’: Considering Alternative Indicators for Assessing the Potential for New Manifestations of Violent Extremism in Mindanao” in Perspecives in Terrorism, 14, 1, 2020, 3-12
• “Migration, Transnational Crime and Terrorism: Exploring the Nexus in Europe and Southeast Asia” (with Cameron Sumpter) in Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 12, Issue 5, 2018. pp. 36-50
• “Preventing Other “Marawis” in the Southern Philippines” in Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, Vol. 5, Issue 2, 2018, pp. 362-369
• Franco, Joseph. “Malaysia: Unsung Hero of the Philippine Peace Process.” Asian Security, Vol. 9 No.3 (2013): 211–230. doi: 10.1080/14799855.2013.832210
• Franco, Joseph. "Examining the Extraordinary: A Proposal for Strategic-Level Analysis of the AFP SOF". OSS Digest No. 3 (2010): 3-11. Accessed on June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/5482357/Examining_the_Extraordinary_A_Proposal_for_Strategic_Level_Analyses_of_the_AFP_SOF_3rd_Quarter2010_
• Franco, Joseph. "Uncertain Seas and Wider Horizons: Rationale for Future Philippine Submarine Warfare Capability". OSS Digest No. 3 (2010): 18-25. Accessed on June 06, 2014 at ttps://www.academia.edu/6755880/Uncertain_Seas_and_Wider_Horizons_Rationale_for_Future_Philippine_Submarine_Warfare_Capability
• Franco, Joseph. "Fighting By, With and Through the People: Reverting the SFR(A) to Unconventional Warfare". OSS Digest No. 1 (2010): 2-11, Accessed on June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/5482354/Fighting_By_With_and_Through_the_People-Reverting_the_SFR_A_to_Unconventional_Warfare_1st_Quarter2010_
• Franco, Joseph. "Addressing Capability Gaps for International Military Intervention". OSS Digest No. 1 (2009): 22-27. Accessed on June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/5482356/Addressing_Capability_Gaps_for_International_Military_Intervention_1st-2nd_Quarter2009_
• Franco, Joseph. "Eyes in the Sky: Enhancing the AFP's Capbilities with UAVs". OSS Digest No. 4 (2008): 10-14. Accessed on June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/5482353/Eyes_in_the_Sky_Enhancing_the_AFPs_Capabilities_with_UAVs_4th_Quarter2008_
• Franco, Joseph. "Beyond Counter-Terrorism: Expanding Military Cooperation Between the Philippines and Australia.". OSS Digest No. 4 (2007): 15-19. Accessed on June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/5482355/Beyond_Counter-Terrorism_Expanding_Philippine-Australia_Relations_4th_Quarter_2007_
• Franco, Joseph. "Military Assistance: Bane or Boon?". OSS Digest No. 2 (2007): 9-13. Accessed on June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/5482360/Military_Assistance_Bane_or_Boon_2nd-3rd_Quarter2007_

Chapters in Edited Books

• “Fighting Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Continuing Beyond ISIS” in Dr. Rashid Al-Khayoun, Prof. Mohammad ALHADDAD, Omar al-Bashir al-Turabi, Dr. Rita Faraj, Ibrahim Amin Nimer, Combating ISIS: Examples from Southeast Asian Nations. United Arab Emirates: Al-Masbar Center for Studies and Research, 2019, 16
• “Confronting the Threat of an ISIS Province in Mindanao” in Khader Majeed, Learning from Violent Extremist Attacks: Behavioural Sciences Insights for Practitioners and Policymakers. New Jersey, USA: World Scientific , 2019, pp. 175-201
• Franco, Joseph. “The Philippines: The Moro Islamic Liberation Front – A Pragmatic Power Structure” Impunity: Countering Illicit Power in War and Transition (Washington D.C., National Defense University Press, 2016), 170-189. Accessed June 2, 2016. http://cco.ndu.edu/Portals/96/Documents/Impunity/Impunity%20FINAL%20for%20Web.pdf
• Franco, Joseph. "Self-Reliant Defense and People-Centered Security" in Security Sector Reform: Modern Defense Force Philippines, Quezon City: Ateneo De Manila University and Armed Forces of the Philippines, 2014. Accessed June 06, 2014 at https://www.academia.edu/6970220/Self-Reliant_Defense_and_People-Centred_Security
• Franco, Joseph. "Enhancing Synergy within the Defense Establishment" in Peace and Development Towards Ending Insurgency Quezon City. Armed Forces of the Philippines, 2007.

Working Papers

• Unpacking Violent Extremism: Dynamics in the Philippines, RESOLVE Network, The United States of America, 24 March 2020

Op-Eds

• “Islamic State-linked Groups in the Philippines: Fragmented and Weakened”, GW Program on Extremism, 11 April 2022
• “Examining the Military’s Soft Power Challenge in the Southern Philippines”, United States Institute of Peace, 16 February 2022
• “Islamist Militancy in Indonesia and the Philippines: Domestic Lineage and Sporadic Foreign Influence” (with Cameron Sumpter), International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), The Hague, 15 September 2021
• “Current and Emerging Threats by Violent Extremists: Results of the Online CENS Expert Survey”, Insights-GNET, 8 July 2021
• “Cross-Border Trade in the Southern Philippines Amidst Covid-19”, The Asia Foundation, 30 March 2021
• “Old methods, new platforms: The Philippine military on social media”, Rappler, 2 October 2020
• “Terrorism Legislation in the Social Media Age”, Global Network on Extremism & Techonology, 3 August 2020
• “Preempting Incel-Inspired Violent Extremism in Asia”, Australian Institute of International Affairs, 30 July 2020
• “Joseph Franco. “Preventing other ‘Marawis'” Policy Forum (19 April 2018)”, Policy Forum, 19 April 2019
• “Joseph Franco. “Building the Bangsamoro in the Shadow of Marawi and Jolo” East Asia Forum (21 February 2019)”, East Asia Forum, 21 February 2019
• “Transnational Security in the Sulu Sea: Something New or Something Old?”, SOUTHEAST ASIA OBSERVATORY, 4 January 2019
• “Joseph Franco. “ASEAN must adapt its approach to Marawi”, East Asia Forum (23 October 2018)”, East Asia Forum, 23 October 2018
• “Franco, Joseph. “Philippines: Addressing Islamist Militancy after the Battle for Marawi” International Crisis Group, 17 July 2018”, International Crisis Group, 17 July 2018
• “Joseph Franco. “Philippines: Addressing Islamist Militancy after the Battle for Marawi” International Crisis Group (17 July 2018)”, International Crisis Group, 17 July 2018
• “Franco, Joseph. “Preventing Other ‘Marawis’” Policy Forum, 19 April 2018.”, Policy Forum, 19 April 2018
• Franco, Joseph "Violence and Peace Spoilers in the Southern Philippines" Middle East-Asia Project Essay Series, Middle East Institute, July 15, 2014. Accessed on September 01, 2014 at http://www.mei.edu/content/map/violence-and-peace-spoilers-southern-philippines
• Franco, Joseph. "Why Beijing Shouldn't Worry About Manila's Military Upgrades". East Asia Forum, April 19, 2014. Accessed June 06, 2014 at http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2014/04/19/why-beijing-shouldnt-worry-about-manilas-military-upgrades/
• “Positive Signs for a Southern Philippine Peace” (with Joseph Liow Chin Yong), Global Brief, 17 June 2013
• Franco, Joseph. "Taming 'Lone Wolves': Diminishing the Appeal of 'Self-Radicalisation'". Eurasia Review, May 13, 2013. Accessed June 06, 2014 at http://www.eurasiareview.com/03052013-taming-lone-wolves-diminishing-the-appeal-af-self-radicalisation-analysis/
• Franco, Joseph and Joseph Liow Chin Yong. "Air of Optimism as Peace Takes Root in Mindanao." The Straits Times, February 25, 2013.
• Franco, Joseph. "Mobs Versus Militias: A Constructive Role for the "Angry Masses" in Post-Conflict Libya?". Albany Tribune, November 27, 2012. Accessed June 06, 2014 at http://www.albanytribune.com/26112012-mobs-versus-militias-a-constructive-role-for-the-angry-masses-in-post-conflict-libya-analysis/#.ULQz7oFz0Sh
• Franco, Joseph and Yeap Su Yin. "President Aquino and the 2012 Cybercrime Prevention Act". East Asia Forum, October 31, 2012. Accessed June 06, 2014 at http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2012/10/31/president-aquino-and-the-2012-cybercrime-prevention-act/
• Franco, Joseph and Yeap Su Yin. "President Aquino and the 2012 Cybercrime Prevention Act". East Asia Forum, 31 October 2012. Accessed June 6, 2014. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2012/10/31/president-aquino-and-the-2012-cybercrime-prevention-act/

• Speaker, RESOLVE’s 6th Annual Global Forum series on “Conflict and Violent Extremism in Southeast Asia: Examining Trends in Malaysia and the Philippines”, 11 February 2022 [via Zoom].
• Guest speaker, National Security Studies Program on “Terrorism in Southeast Asia” by the National Defence College of the Philippines, 07 January 2021 [via WebEx]
• Panel member/speaker, CENS-GNET Online Workshop on “The Fusion of Offline and Online Interventions against Extremism in the Philippines” by CENS, 16 December 2020 [via Zoom]
• Panel member/speaker “The Future of Counter-Terrorism: National Security or Criminal Behaviour?” by Network of ASEAN-Russian Think Tanks Online Roundtable, 20 November 2020 [via ZOOM]
• Panel member/speaker, ICWA Webinar on “ASEAN’s Regional Security Vision and the Sabah Dispute” by the Indian Council of World Affairs, 12 October 2020 [via Zoom]