Title: “Beyond the Deadlock: Youth Perspectives on Peace in Divided Cyprus”
Date and Time: December 4, 12:30
Venue: A130 Seminar Room, FEASS
Speakers: Cihan Dizdaroğlu, Başkent University
Abstract: The long-lasting separation of Greek and Turkish Cypriots on the small island of Cyprus has been a contentious issue in the Eastern Mediterranean. The prolonged yet “comfortable” nature of the Cyprus conflict continues to have a profound effect on both Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities as it is inevitably intertwined with their daily lives. Although their views and voices are often concealed and neglected, Cypriot youth continue to experience the legacy of their divided society’s past and present realities. Drawing on interviews with Greek and Turkish Cypriot youth, complemented by a youth survey, this study takes a bottom-up approach that highlights the everyday experiences, needs and aspirations of Cypriot youth. Rather than aligning with elite-level negotiation agendas shaped by technical issues such as governance, property, and security, youth articulate a vision of peace that diverges from elite priorities and is grounded in everyday peace. By focusing on the perspectives of young people, this research underscores the need for inclusive, everyday-oriented approaches that incorporate youth priorities and will enable Cyprus to move beyond negative peace towards a sustainable, socially cohesive future.
Bio: Dr Cihan Dizdaroğlu is associate professor and vice-chair in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Başkent University. Previously, he worked as a Marie-Curie fellow (2018-2020) at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) at Coventry University and as a lecturer (2018-2021) in the in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Kadir Has University. He also served as an associate fellow (2021-2024) at the Istanbul Political Research Institute (ISTANPOL), director (2017-2018) of the Center for Turkish Studies at Kadir Has University, and project coordinator (2009-2018) of the International Relations Council of Turkey. He still serves as the managing editor of the journal of Uluslararası Iliskiler (International Relations). Dr. Dizdaroğlu holds a PhD in International Relations from Kadir Has University. He is the author of Turkish-Greek Relations: Foreign Policy in a Securitisation Framework (Edinburgh University Press, 2023) and co-editor of Critical Peace Studies: Concepts, Actors and Processes [Eleştirel Barış Çalışmaları: Kavramlar, Aktörler ve Süreçler] (Imge, 2024).