Investigating the roots of political disengagement of young Greek Cypriots

ABSTRACT

This study attempted to disentangle the issues underlying the marked drop recorded in political engagement of young Greek Cypriots. To reveal the dynamic processes through which people debate, disagree or convince each other towards the formation of political attitudes, eight focus-groups were carried out with a total of forty participants, equally distributed according to age and gender. The analysis showed that young Greek Cypriots appear uncertain for their future, pessimistic, cynical, and highly disillusioned with traditional politics. Contrary to what is observed in other European countries, young Greek Cypriots do not experiment with alternative forms of political action, remain inactive, and although the country's politicised culture of the past is still reflected in their theoretical discussions about social issues, they express embarrassment and confusion when asked to elaborate on how theory could be transformed into practice. They associate politics with corruption and economic interests, they are scornfully disillusioned with the European Union, and they emotionally distance themselves from important changes to come with the possible reunification of Cyprus. Young Greek Cypriots appear insecure, pessimistic, disoriented, uninspired, and in an urgent need to rediscover passion for ideas which they cannot any more find in traditional politics and forms of political action.

KEYWORDS:

• Youth
• Greek Cypriots
• political disengagement
• political action
• political disillusionment
• pessimism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Ioanna Christodoulou is Research Fellow at the Institute of Communication & Social Research, and Honorary Lecturer at the Department of Journalism, Communication & Media Studies, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Frederick University, Cyprus. She also works as a journalist for Dias Publishing House, and she is the editor-in-chief of the documentary TV series «Kyprion Erga» for Megaone TV and a radio producer at URADIO 99.6.

Charis Pashias is Research Fellow at the Institute of Communication & Social Research, Frederick University, Cyprus. He also works at the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) in Cyprus as Coordinator of the party’s Social Issues Bureau. In the past he has served as Head of the International Relations Bureau of United Democratic Youth Organization (EDON), and as Head of Press & Communication Bureau, and of the organization’s newspaper ‘Neolaia’ (Youth).

Sotiris Theocharides is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Department of Journalism, Communication & Media Studies, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Frederick University, and Director of the Institute of Communication & Social Research at Frederick University, Cyprus. His research interests focus on the interaction of social science, philosophy (and ethics) and social critique in the Postmodern Era, as well as on the national–cultural and political interaction in Cyprus.

Bettina Davou is Professor of Cognitive Psychology, and Director of the Laboratory for Psychological Applications & Communication Planning, at the Department of Communication & Media Studies, School of Economics & Political Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. She is Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Her research interests focus on the cognitive and emotional parameters of mediated and interpersonal communication, as well as on the impact of collective emotions to social and political behaviour.

Notes

1. Official results. Republic of Cyprus-Ministry of the Interior-Electoral Service-Department of Information Technology Services. http://results.elections.moi.gov.cy/English/EUROPEAN_ELECTIONS_2014/Islandwide.

2. Note that in Greek both words sound the same –politiki, although spelled differently –πολιτική vs. πολιτικοί.