Postage stamps as political transition and integration

Abstract

The importance of the postage stamps in promoting national identity and developments in integrating into the global world is noted in previous studies. Scholars in many different disciplines including geographers, historians and political scientists have used stamps to study how states display themselves not only to their own residents but to those beyond. Neglected in this literature are studies on Cyprus which provides the unique opportunity to evaluate its contemporary multi-ethnic actors and those in its past. Originally, postage stamps in the last half of the 19th century were accepted as evidence that the postage was paid to deliver an item. Gradually, postage stamps became widespread instruments marking the transformation of history. Beyond their symbolic values, stamps became the means of communication that depicted history, important figures and days and political messages as well. This study examines Europa postage stamps of Cyprus between 1975 and 1998. They are analyzed by using the code of the sixteen categories. A content-analysis revealed significant changes. After 1974, national identity, ideology and international themes were important. The stamps represent visual products of national identity which in Cyprus illustrates those of new states that were previously part of another. The two new states followed different paths in presenting the political transition and integration into Europe. The conceptual framework was based on integration and fragmentation theories that evaluate the Europa postage stamps of North Cyprus and explore both similar and different formations.