Cypriotism in the 21st century Republic of Cyprus

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Abstract

The thesis analyses Cypriotism in the 21st century Republic of Cyprus, an ideological position which opposes Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot nationalism, aspiring instead for a common Cypriot identity that aims to transcend the historical and existing ethnic divisions connected to the island. Employing qualitative thematic analysis to assess political documents produced from 1999 to 2020, limited participant observation, as well as qualitative surveys carried out with individuals active in the grassroots politics of the Republic, the thesis explores key Cypriotist ideological claims, positions, and perceptions, critically exploring the ideology through the employment of concepts and theoretical insights developed primarily within the field of nationalism studies. By examining perceptions surrounding Cypriot identity, representations of native and non-native ethnic/cultural groups, claims surrounding the local Cypriot language varieties, re-narrations of historical events, and positions relating to the potential reunification of Cyprus, the thesis argues that Cypriotism is an alternative form of nationalism, formulating its own particular imagined community, with its corresponding limited membership, attachment to topography and desired form for the state, in opposition to the hegemonic nationalisms existing in Cyprus. Nonetheless, contrary to the dominant interpretation found in the academic literature, the thesis argues that Cypriotism does not correspond to a civic version of nationalism. Recognising that nationalism, in its multiple expressions, entails a universal, as well as a contextual component, the thesis moves on to discuss Cypriotism in relation to the concepts of ‘ethnic nationalism’, ‘liberal nationalism’, and ‘multicultural nationalism’. Arguing that the ideological elements characterising Cypriotism cannot be subsumed adequately under these three concepts, the thesis concludes with the introduction of a new concept, that of ‘multicommunal nationalism’, as a new sub-category of nationalism.

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