"[U]shers the reader into the complexities of the categorical ambiguity of Cyprus [and]... concentrates... on the Dead Zone of the divided society, in the cultural space where those who refuse to go to the poles gather." -- Anastasia Karakasidou, Wellesley College The volatile recent past of Cyprus has turned this island from the idyllic "island of Aphrodite" of tourist literature into a place renowned for hostile confrontations. Cyprus challenges familiar binary divisions, between Christianity and Islam, Greeks and Turks, Europe and the East, tradition and modernity. Anti-colonial struggles, the divisive effects of ethnic nationalism, war, invasion, territorial division, and population displacements are all facets of the notorious Cyprus Problem. Incorporating the most up-to-date social and cultural research on Cyprus, these essays examine nationalism and interethnic relations, Cyprus and the European Union, the impact of immigration, and the effects of tourism and international environmental movements, among other topics.
H. Ibrahim Salih earned his Ph.D in International Studies in 1967 at the American University School of International Service in Washington, D.C. He was born in Kyrenia, Cyprus and became an American citizen in 1969. He has been a professor of Political Science at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth since 1968. He was chair of the department of Political Science for many years, and has been director of the study abroad programs in Mexico and the Holy Land. His past publications include three books: Cyprus: An Analysis of Cypriot Discord (1968), Cyprus: The Impact of Diverse Nationalism on a State (1978), and Cyprus: Ethnic Political Counterpoints (2004). His previous articles of the Middle East and Cyprus have appeared in many newspapers and journals nationally..
The British faced two serious problems the first, the Greek Cypriots desire for Enosis and second, the intense rivalry and antipathy between the Greek and Turkish communities.In 1955 the former resulted in a bitter EOKA terrorist campaign led by Colonel George Grivas. This resulted in the deaths of over 100 British servicemen. Nicosias Murder Mile was the scene of many shootings. The Governor Field Marshal Harding narrowly escaped assassination in his residence. The next phase was the Turkish Governments military intervention in 1974 to prevent what they saw as the Greek takeover. In a bloody invasion which saw widespread ethnic cleansing and displacement of communities, the Island was divided into two sectors policed by the United Nations. This exists today, as do the British Sovereign Base areas at Dhekalia and Atrokiri/Episkopi.This book describes the most troubled years of this beautiful island which is so well known to British servicemen, their families and vacationers.
Yakinthou throws light on the challenges of adopting political settlements in frozen conflicts and divided societies by focusing on the conflict in Cyprus, the resolution of which has for years been held up, in large part by elite intransigence. The book offers answers for why elites in Cyprus are so unwilling to adopt a power-sharing solution.
This book explores the basic dynamics that shaped the Cyprus problem, with a focus on recent decades. The author deals with the periods, nodal points and fields that produced the conditions for the normalisation of partition and also presents the Cyprus problem as viewed from the outside. The chapters approach Cyprus’ division in light of power relations in society, the interaction between the political elite and society, and discuss the political and ideological dynamics as manifested in the public sphere. While analysing primarily the Greek Cypriot community, the book also refers to parallel developments in the Turkish Cypriot and international communities, arguing that the normalisation of Cyprus’ partition is rooted in the political economy and political culture of Greek Cypriots. At the same time, from the perspective of the peace and reunification movement, this is an inherently contradictory and potentially unstable process that can be overturned. ‘Α remarkably thorough study focusing on nationalist narratives, political and media discourses and socio-economic structures in Cyprus and their impact on the formation and transformation of political identities since the 1950s. Unlike many other books on the issue, Ioannou analyses social and political developments in both the Greek-Cypriot and the Turkish-Cypriot communities. This approach sheds light on the internal reasons of the perpetuation of the island’s division, which the geopolitical and international relations approaches alone miss to grasp. Combining the analytical skills of a political scientist and his personal experience as an engaged citizen in favour of unification, Ioannou offers significant insight on a complex and traumatic conflict that remains one of Europe’s black spots.’ –Athena Skoulariki, Assistant Professor in Sociology of Communication, Discourse Analysis and Social Representations, University of Crete, Greece ‘The basic argument of the book is that the consolidation of partition was neither automatic nor happened behind the backs of Greek Cypriots. The very interesting and demythologising work of Gregoris Ioannou brings to light a hidden, but common secret of the Greek Cypriots.’ –Alexis Heraklides, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, Panteion University, Greece ‘Ioannou projects a multi-focal spotlight on the Cyprus problem, so as, at least for the careful reader, this becomes not only an interesting topic in itself, but, also a cognitive springboard from which to understand broader pathogenies of our common social and political life.’ –Seraphim Seferiades, Associate Professor in Political Science, Panteion University, Greece
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is the site of enduring political, military, and economic conflict. This interdisciplinary collection takes Cyprus as a geographical, cultural and political point of reference for understanding how conflict is mediated, represented, reconstructed, experienced, and transformed. Through methodologically diverse case studies of a wide range of topics—including public art, urban spaces, and print, broadcast and digital media—it assembles an impressively multifaceted perspective, one that provides broad insights into the complex interplay of culture, conflict, and identity.
The island of Cyprus has been bitterly divided for more than four decades. One of the most divisive elements of the Cyprus conflict is the writing of its history, a history called on by both communities to justify and explain their own notions of justice. While for Greek Cypriots the history of Cyprus begins with ancient Greece, for the Turkish Cypriot community the history of the island begins with the Ottoman conquest of 1571. The singular narratives both sides often employ to tell the story of the island are, as this volume argues, a means of continuing the battle which has torn the island apart, and an obstacle to resolution. Cyprus and the Politics of Memory re-orientates history-writing on Cyprus from a tool of division to a form of dialogue, and explores a way forward for the future of conflict resolution in the region.
Designing Peace examines how institutional innovation impacts peace building in divided societies. Drawing on examples from Bosnia, South Africa, and Northern Ireland, the book demonstrates how institutional lessons from elsewhere could be applied to future negotiations in Cyprus and its broader region.
For nearly 60 years, the tiny Mediterranean nation of Cyprus has taken a disproportionate share of the international spotlight. In The Cyprus Problem, James Ker-Lindsay--recently appointed as expert advisor to the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Cyprus--offers an incisive, even-handed account of the conflict. Ker-Lindsay covers all aspects of the Cyprus problem, placing it in historical context, addressing the situation as it now stands, and looking toward its possible resolution.
