Cleve Kevin Robert V. Arguelles is a prominent Filipino political scientist, academic, and public opinion researcher known for his expertise in Southeast Asian politics, democratization, populism, and youth political participation. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila and went on to earn his Master of Arts in Political Science with highest honors (summa cum laude) from the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, Hungary, where his qualitative work on populist publics won the Best Thesis prize. He is also a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate in International, Political, and Strategic Studies at the Australian National University (ANU) Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs under an Australian Government Research Training Program fellowship. He was mentored by notable scholars like Dr. Clarita Carlos.

Arguelles has built a robust career spanning university instruction, institutional leadership, and public policy consulting. He currently serves as an Assistant Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Development Studies at De La Salle University (DLSU) Manila, and has previously held positions as an Assistant Professor and the youngest Chair of the Political Science Program at UP Manila, as well as lecturing at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. Beyond the classroom, he is the President and CEO of WR Numero Research (part of the WR Advisory Group), a cutting-edge public opinion and public affairs research firm where he leads a large network of researchers utilizing quantitative, qualitative, and computational methods to track socio-political trends in the Philippines.

Highly regarded in his field, Arguelles has been consistently recognized by the AD Scientific Index as one of the top political and social scientists in the Philippines based on his research citations. He has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and public reports, contributing to acclaimed works such as Rethinking Filipino Millennials, which won the Best Book in the Social Sciences at the 39th National Book Awards. In recognition of his impact on the country’s public policy landscape, he was named a UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellow in 2023, providing critical policy recommendations to the Second Congressional Education Commission (EDCOM II). He also serves as a resident political analyst for major national media networks, including ABS-CBN’s election coverage, successfully bridging the gap between rigorous academic scholarship and accessible public discourse.