The Normalisation of Cyprus’ Partition Among Greek Cypriots: Political Economy and Political Culture in a Divided Society

‘This book is simultaneously a socio-political analysis of the new generation of the Cyprus problem and an activist / personal account. It constitutes an important contribution, a clear, understandable and comprehensive study that correlates the terms of international relations with the sociology of class and party dynamics.’
–Olga Demetriou, Associate Professor in Post-Conflict Reconstruction and State Building, Durham University, UK

‘From a social movement perspective that is skilfully combined with reflexivity, this book aptly posits the socio-political and class dimensions of this shift, dissolving the worn-out notions about the “romanticism” of the national narrative. Despite the pessimism of the current situation, the author insists that the Cyprus problem remains foremost an issue of social and political struggle.’

–Nicos Trimikliniotis, Professor of Sociology, University of Nicosia, Cyprus

‘With a bold and innovative analysis, Gregoris Ioannou dissects some of the most difficult aspects of the political culture of the Greek Cypriot community, and the Cyprus problem itself, in contemporary times.’

–Theodoros Rakopoulos, Associate Professor in Anthropology, University of Oslo, Norway

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.

Gregoris Ioannou is a research fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK. He previously taught at the University of Cyprus and Frederick University. His research focuses on class conflicts and social movements, contentious politics and the South European crisis, and his work has been published widely, including articles in journals such as Mobilization: An International Quarterly, Capital and Class, and Mediterranean Politics.