Who are the people of Cyprus? The national identity building process in Cyprus from the late 19th to the early 20th century

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Cetiner N.

NATIONALITIES PAPERS-THE JOURNAL OF NATIONALISM AND ETHNICITY, 2024 (SSCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1017/nps.2024.88
  • Journal Name: NATIONALITIES PAPERS-THE JOURNAL OF NATIONALISM AND ETHNICITY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, American Bibliography of Slavic & Eastern European Studies (ABSEES), Educational research abstracts (ERA), Geobase, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Istanbul Kültür University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article offers a nuanced examination of the complex identity dynamics among the Christian and Muslim communities in Cyprus during the late 19(th) and early 20(th) century, particularly in the aftermath of British administration replacing Ottoman rule in 1878. The article draws attention to the profound impact of this historical transition on the identity formation processes of both communities. Despite the shared wartime experience of the First World War, the Christian and Muslim communities in Cyprus failed to construct a cohesive identity rooted in their common geographical space. Drawing on Zygmunt Bauman's concept of ambivalence, the article explores the complex process by which Cypriot communities sought to align their identity with larger nations, namely Greece and Turkey, rather than grounding it in their local context. The article contends that the genesis of their ambivalence can be traced back to 1878 when British administration replaced Ottoman rule on the island.