EC EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PROGRAMS: The Cypriot Situation

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

The Cypriot Situation

Background we know: Cyprus was invaded by the Turkish military in response to an attempted Coup de ta by the Greek Military Junta, which resulted in the collapse of the Junta and the establishment on a Faux-turkish state taking up half the island of Crete.

What particularly struck me about our time in Cyprus was the intensity of Ethno-nationalism on both sides of the fence, when neither side is actually the territory of the nation they are representing. The vast majority of the flags we saw were either Greek flags or Turkish flags, but the whole time we were on the island of Cyprus. While I understand that it is both the Turkish state attempting to establish their dominance on the island, and the ethnically greek-cypriots attempting to combat that dominance by over-representing a heritage they take pride in, it was very odd to be in a country that seemed like it did not have an precise identity of its over except for the identity formed while trying to figure out their identity ie the EOKA worship at the museum.

While I know that that is an oversimplification of a very complicated issue, to me it sort of boiled down to an identity formed through resistance, which I cannot blame them for as I probably would have done the same thing. It is just sad to see an island with so much history and potential get annexed and driven apart, partially evacuated and permanently scarred just because it was an unfortunate pawn in a game of geopolitical chess. It begs the question of what would a sovereign and whole Cyprus have looked like, where would it be and how powerful could it have been?

I am not sure.
Devin

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EC Eastern Security Studies Program

In the summer of 2011, as the "Arab Spring" was unfolding and the "Eurozone Crisis" was entering its second year, the Emmanuel College Eastern Mediterranean Security Studies Program was established in Crete, as a way to make the location the classroom. Beyond the grand theoretical, historical and political understanding that can be achieved through reading and classroom discussion and exchange, a more immediate, intimate and truer appreciation of the complexities can only achieved by experiencing the cultures, languages of personal interaction.

Since 2012 students have been able to combine an intensive curricular study, with the experience of immersion and living in a local setting. The geopolitical and geoeconomic forces that have acted in the region for centuries, can be identified in the classroom, but they can only be understood by being there. This year's EC EMSS Program will add a fourth week of study, experience and exploration and will also travel to the islands of Rhodes, and Cyprus. In Rhodes we will be partnering with the Prefecture of Southern Aegean and the Aegean University, while in Cyprus we will be hosted by the University of Nicosia.