Turkish Cypriot Research Articles

Young Turkish Cypriots’ perceptions of non-standard varieties and their speakers: learning ‘Posh’ Turkish in complementary schools

ABSTRACT The current study aims to provide an understanding of how the relationships between standard and non-standard varieties of the Turkish language are perceived by young people of Turkish Cypriot descent within the context of Turkish complementary schools in London. These schools are set up by diasporic communities to fight/reverse language shift and loss. They are also political spaces where cultural and linguistic practices are legitimised and delegitimized to help create an imagined community. Hence they provide rich contexts to investigate young people’s perceptions of standard and non-standard varieties of languages. This study specifically draws on interview data of eight UK-born Turkish Cypriot young people, collected through a 13-month ethnographic study in a London-based Turkish complementary school. The results of the thematic analysis of the participants’ discourses showed that the participants thought that the role of the Turkish school was to teach the ‘proper’ variety, i.e. standard Turkish. Through the lens of Bourdieu’s capitals, the results indicated that the participants believed that acquiring this variety would make them become more ‘educated.’ However, some participants problematised the seemingly straightforward association between standard varieties and positive perceptions of their speakers, which raises important questions about rethinking the position of non-standard varieties in education.

‘Educating for peace’: conflict, division and social work education in Cyprus

ABSTRACT Social work practice and training in the context of political and ethnic conflict has seen renewed interest among scholars. Recent research has tried to shift focus away from simplistic interpretations of social work as an unshakably ‘benevolent’ profession. A recent emphasis on social work’s colonial legacies and the structural causes of political violence provide us with important new directions on how to rethink and reshape social work education and practice in these contexts. Cyprus presents a very interesting, yet under-explored, case study as it remains an island de facto divided, along ethnic lines. The division has resulted in the physical and political separation of the two most populous ethnic communities (Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots). United Nations (UN)-sponsored peace talks have gained momentum in recent years. This paper offers the first systematic exploration of the views of social work students across both sides of the divide. Through a mixed-method approach, students were able to express their thoughts and beliefs on ‘the other’ and on social work in the post-conflict realities. The study confirms the contradictory nature of social work education in Cyprus challenges the futility of nationalism and argues for the importance of bi-communal social work partnerships.

Those who control the narrative control the future: The teaching of History in Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot schools

History education in both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot educational systems in Cyprus is dominated by ethnocentric approaches. In the case of the former this is the idea of history education promoting a Hellenocentric narrative which aims to cultivate a Greek national identity, while in the case of the latter the promoted Turkocentric narrative seeks to cultivate a Turkish one. In the Greek Cypriot educational system this narrative tells the story of Cyprus as part of the Greek nation and the hardships that Greek Cypriots have suffered from their enemies and especially the Turks (Perikleous, 2015a). A similar narrative in many aspects exists in the Turkish Cypriot educational system; however in this the roles are reversed (Onurkan-Samani & Tarhan, 2017). In this sense one can argue that the teaching of history in both communities is utilised as a medium not only to create a collective memory but also to antagonise one community to another. These narratives are challenged by Cyprocentric ones in both communities which support the idea of promoting a Cypriot civic identity shared by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. This article discusses aspects of history education in Cyprus during and following the British colonial rule on the island. Despite the fact that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot educational systems evolved separately, especially after the decolonisation of the island, important similarities can be identified both in terms of their development and in terms of their current state.

Fear of crime perceptions of university students

In this research, university students’ perceptions of fear of crime are examined in terms of sex, nationality, living area, marital status, victimisation and disorder. The aim of the research is to observe fear of crime literature’s key parameters on university students. Data was obtained from 330 university students studying in one of the state universities through a survey. Bivariate and multivariate results show that female students experience a greater fear of crime compared to male students. Fear of crime is greater amongst Turkish students as opposed to Turkish Cypriot students. Also, it is found that a high perception of disorder factors has an impact on fear of crime among women. Lastly, this study found that neither direct nor indirect victimisation has an impact on fear of crime.

FOREIGNERS’ ACQUISITION OF IMMOVABLE PROPERTY IN THE FRAMEWORK OF LEGAL BASIS, SOCIOLOGICAL RISKS AND SUGGESTIONS

Persons are not subject to citizenship or, in other words, states that they consider to be foreigners are subject to the rules / restrictions imposed on them by the state concerned if they wish to acquire immovable property in the territory of their sovereignty and where immovable acquisition of foreigners is possible in the country of the immovable. In our work, the issue of foreigners' acquisition of foreigners in the North Cyprus, which is regarded as a national issue in terms of the Turkish world. The concepts of "foreign" and "immovable" shall be defined first and then by considering the rules / limitations on the immovable acquisition of foreigners in the North Cyprus, the method of acquisition in accordance with law and the method of acquisition which is frequently applied and the territories of the North Cyprus. Far beyond, the Turkish Cypriot people; we will propose solutions to overcome this serious issue and the other negativities that have been identified by evaluating the acquisition method by cheating against the blood which may lead to "assimilation" of the Turkish people in the island

EFL Program Management in Turkish Cypriot Educational Context

This study is carried out to examine EFL program managers’ working conditions, eliciting information on their views on EFL program management within the Turkish Cypriot context. This study also upholds that an understanding of their perceptions as EFL program managers will help create a better working condition and improve EFL programs and instruction, characterized by excessive proliferation of language centers that put profit-making as their utmost priority. Two research questions were utilized to investigate EFL program managers’ challenges and barriers while managing foreign language institutes and centers. The study adopted a qualitative research design approach; 45 EFL program managers and coordinators with international qualifications with over ten years of experience were purposefully sampled and recruited as participants for this study. A semi-structured interview was the instrument for data collection, which experts validated to ensure it measures what it purports to measure. Data collected were transcribed and analyzed through thematic analysis to uncover themes used to define and interpret findings. This study’s findings indicate that the absence of professional expertise, training/retraining programs, resource availability, and competition from other universities were the significant challenges EFL program managers face while carrying out their duties. It was also unveiled that over monetization of EFL programs within institutions brings about challenges in program management. Recommendations were given to bridge these gaps.

Heritage, Reconciliation and Cross-Border Cooperation in Cyprus

Cultural heritage in Cyprus has been a contentious issue throughout the island’s tumultuous history. The official partition of the island in 1974, after years of conflict between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, has resulted in the destruction and neglect of heritage sites on both sides of the Cypriot ‘border’. However, in recent years there has been an increase in organisations that aim to use heritage as a tool to unite both communities. This contribution examines the work of one such organisation, the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage in Cyprus (TCCH).

“Fraternal” Other: Negotiating Ethnic and Religious Identities at a Muslim Sacred Site in Northern Cyprus

AbstractThis article shows how everyday religious practices inform the processes of social identification, complicate presumed ethno-religious categories, and mediate local cultural differences in face of political and cultural hegemonic practices. In the context of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a de facto state recognized only by Turkey, Turkish Cypriots and Turks are considered to share an ethnicity and religion. This “overlap” has been employed to justify Turkey’s military intervention and its political, economic, and cultural domination over the island. Yet the cultural diversities and “perceived” differences between and among these groups are exacerbated by power dynamics, nationalist agendas, and mutual biases. The article explains subtle discussions around “genuine” Turkish and Muslim identities, as well as the enforced coexistence and constructed brotherhood of Cypriots and Turks on the island. The competing accounts of the “correct” interpretation of Islam at a Muslim tekke reflect intragroup power asymmetries and the conflict between institutionalized Sunni-Orthodox and “heterodox” local Islam. The article focuses on two overlooked issues in the scholarship on Northern Cyprus—the relations between Turkish Cypriots and settlers from Turkey, and the role of religion in the political processes—as well as on literature on shared sacred sites and an analysis of competitive intracommunal interactions.

Ordu Yerel Basınında Kıbrıs Barış Harekâtı

Domination struggles took place in various periods between the peoples of Cyprus, whose history dates back to the first era. One of these struggles took place in the 1900's, that is recently. In 1974, the Greek Government and the terrorist organization EOKA, which claimed rights on the island, provoked the Greek people living on the island in order to ensure the annexation of Cyprus to Greece within the framework of the idea of "Megali Idea", that is, the establishment of Great Greece. A peace operation was organized by the Turkish army to protect the Turkish Cypriots against the Greeks who were armed and tried to send the Turks from the island with the massacres they caused to survive, and to fulfill the duty of guarantors in accordance with the Zurich Treaty. The development named as 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation in world history; is the war that have most effective results which recently performed by Turkish Republic. It is also one of the most important developments which followed with interest in the world and all over the country. Newspapers are resources that can be used to read the public's viewpoints on developments and to be used in local history studies. News compiled from newspapers are materials that can be analyzed within the scope of the research subject, and the historical processes of developments. The local press, which has an important role in the formation of local public opinion, plays an important role as the national press and reveals the attitude of the city where it was published against the developments. On the one hand, it ensures that the people of the city where it was published are aware of the developments, on the other hand, it has been effective in forming public opinion. In this study one of the important developments in the history of the local press of Turkey, the two newspapers which were published with high circulation during the Cyprus Peace Operation in Ordu where the first village newspaper was published, were used as sources. Thus the approach of Ordu local press and Ordu public opinion towards Cyprus Peace Operation was tried to be revealed. It was aimed to contribute to local history studies as it was a work that had not been done before. As a result of the research, it was determined that the public opinion formed by Ordu local press in Ordu province was revealed and it was determined that the interest and support at the local level was very high on the Cyprus Peace Operation.

Journalism in conflict-affected societies: Professional roles and influences in Cyprus

Covering a conflict for journalists when they are members of one of the conflicting parties has some professional and moral dilemmas. It creates tensions between their professionalism and sense of belonging to their community. This article, focusing on journalism on both sides of Cyprus, explores how journalists think of their role in conflict-affected societies. Based on semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with journalists from the Turkish Cypriot media and Greek Cypriot media, it explores journalists’ self-reflection of their roles and the forces they believe that affect their work when reporting on the Cyprus conflict. The findings show journalists do not have a fixed identity but a changeable one. They renegotiate and reproduce the meaning and role of journalism in society, and move between professional and ethnic identities depending on the state of the conflict.

The Green Line in Cyprus: external border or internal discontinuity of the EU?

Defining the Cyprus Green Line is a contested issue. Since the accession to the European Union of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) in 2004, the EU has had to balance between two conflicting definitions of the Green Line. The first, set by international law and the United Nations (UN) resolutions, is that of a peace line that is only a temporary internal discontinuity within the RoC, separating both communities until a settlement is agreed. The second, championed by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots’ pseudo-state, is that of an international border between both independent communities. The EU has had to apply both definitions at the same time, legally and pragmatically, which has heavily hindered its own peacebuilding efforts in Cyprus and reduced its actorness in Eastern Mediterranean geopolitics.

Comparative Analysis of North and South Cyprus’ Teachers’ Perceptions of Teachers’ Unions

This study aims to examine the views of primary school teachers from North and South Cyprus on Teachers’ Unions. Qualitative research and a comparative case study method were used for the study. Thirty-seven primary school teachers from North and South Cyprus participated in this study. The data were obtained through interviews and analyzed by the content analysis method. The comparison of the findings of the research suggests that the functions of trade unions are related to the pressing issues of education, teachers, and the nation in both regions. Turkish Cypriots placed emphasis on education-related functions, while for Greek Cypriots teachers-related functions mattered more. Turkish Cypriot teachers assessed the functions of their unions to be more unsatisfactory than their Greek Cypriot counterparts’.

Metaphors of Higher Secondary Education Students’ in TRNC Regarding the Concept of Turkish Cypriot Literature

Metaphors of Higher Secondary Education Students’ in TRNC Regarding the Concept of Turkish Cypriot Literature

TURKEY’S STATE POLICY ON CYPRUS AFTER THE OCCUPATION OF THE NORTH OF THE ISLAND (1974-1983)

This article aims at revealing the foundations of Turkish policy on the island after the Occupation of the North of Cyprus, the consequences of which are extremely important for the future of Cyprus. The aim of the research is to study the policy of the Turkish authorities to change the population ratio on the island as well as to strengthen the Turkish element in the occupied territories, which has a solid basis for continuity in that part of Cyprus. The work was written by a combined study of facts using the principles of historical analysis. The study confirms that after the Occupation of North of Cyprus, the steps taken by Turkey to change the demographic picture of the island at the state level, which began in Turkey in relation to Cyprus in the 1960s, were a continuation of this aggressive policy. The goal was to divide Cyprus, to establish a Turkish presence in the north of the island, and on the way to this, Turkey was ready even to ignore the interests and wishes of the Turkish Cypriots on the island.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an Example of a Non-Recognized State

The issue of Cyprus remains one of the longest unregulated international dis­putes. For nearly half a century of the island’s de facto division, it has been one of the factors destabilizing the situation in the eastern Mediterranean. It has periodically led to tensions, not only between members of the two Cypriot communities, the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, but also between Greece and Turkey, and finally, Turkey and the European Union. The purpose of this article was to present the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an exam­ple of a so-called unrecognized state and to assign it to an appropriate type of unrecognized states. The selected case was examined on the basis of the attributes of an unrecognized state, formulated by a leading researcher of this issue, Nina Caspersen, and a selected typology of unrecognized states.

Risk factors for Turkish Cypriot patients with coronary artery disease.

IntroductionIschemic heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the risk factors for Turkish Cypriot ischemic heart disease patients.Material and methodsIn this study we examined 7017 patients, retrospectively. 5.9% of the patients had myocardial infarction coronary artery disease (MICAD) and 94.1% of the patients were control patients. The mean age of the study population was 52, and 39.2% were female. The risk factors considered were: age, sex, hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM), family history of coronary artery disease, smoking, high total cholesterol levels and obesity.ResultsConsistently with the presumed risk factors, there was a significant difference between MICAD and control groups in our study for smoking, HT, DM and obesity. However, our study revealed no significant difference for high total cholesterol levels in contrast to the current literature. Assessing the risk factors among male and female patient groups separately, both men and women have the highest risk prevalence for hypertension. Smoking is the second most common risk factor among males, whereas it is the family history of coronary heart disease in the female group. HT, DM and obesity were found to be significant risk factors for both males and females in our study group, while family history was revealed to be significant only in women.ConclusionsModifiable risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity may be controlled by lifestyle changes and medical therapies, and should be approached with caution for preventing cardiac events. Non-modifiable risk factors such as age, gender, family history and ethnicity should be taken into account for disease prediction.

Hikmet Afif Mapolar: About The Octopus Hunt

Hikmet Afif Mapolar (1919–1989) was a Turkish Cypriot writer and journal­ist who contributed immensely to the development of Turkish-language prose, journalism, and the press in Cyprus. Tied to his native country all his life, and especially to his place of birth (the port city of Kyrenia on the Mediterranean Sea), he set most of his stories in coastal towns in the vicinity of Kyrenia, and his characters are inhabitants of this region: villagers and fishermen. This arti­cle discusses a short story by Mapolar, Ahtapot Avı [The Octopus Hunt], pub­lished in 1943, i.e., during the colonial period. The realism of the descriptions, which is typical of this writer, combined with the fast-paced and engrossing storytelling bring to mind scenes from a movie drama where the sea plays the lead role. Many plot elements in The Octopus Hunt evoke associations with Hemingway’s short story, The Old Man and the Sea, which leads me to formu­late a universal truth that sea people have similar desires and a similar fate no matter where they live, and that “their” sea is not a peripheral place, but a cen­tral one. For the inhabitants of the coastal region, the sea is the center of their world, the center of life, the meaning of life, and the determinant of fate.

Beyond secular? AKP’s religious policies and societal polarization in North Cyprus

ABSTRACT This article addresses the religious policies of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) targeted at promoting Islam among the Turkish Cypriot community. For the secular circles of the Turkish Cypriot community, the AKP’s imposed religious policies constitute a threat to its fundamental features and social fabric. Islamisation policies are regarded as cultural imperialism of the AKP government, with the aim of generating a religious youth, a conservative mentality, and more widespread religious practice in North Cyprus. Within this context, this article analyzes the historical account of the secularization experience of the Turkish Cypriot community, the politicization of religion with reference to education, and the penetration of AKP’s religious policies in North Cyprus.

OSMANLI’DAN İNGİLİZ DÖNEMİNE KIBRIS TÜRK EĞİTİMİ VE TÜRK İŞLERİ KOMİSYONU RAPORU (1878-1960)

Osmanlı Devleti, Kıbrıs’taki yönetimi boyunca kendi eğitim sistemini burada da tesis etmiştir. Kıbrıs, Osmanlı Devleti’nin içinde bulunduğu koşulların da etkisiyle 1878’de İngiltere’ye kiralanmıştır. İngiltere, Kıbrıs’da yürürlükte olan eğitim sistemine zaman zaman müdahalelerde bulunmuştur. Kıbrıs Türkleri, İngiliz yönetimi boyunca milli eğitim sisteminin kendi kontrollerinde olması için çabalamışsa da çok başarılı olamamıştır. İngiliz Sömürge Yönetimi, İkinci Dünya Savaşı sonrasında oluşan şartların da etkisiyle Kıbrıs Türklerinin milli kimliklerinin gelişimini de içeren bir girişimde bulunmuş ve 1948’te Türk İşleri Komisyonu’nu kurmuştur. Komisyon, bir yıla yakın yaptığı çalışmalarından sonra Kıbrıs Türk toplum sorunlarını içeren kapsamlı bir Ara Rapor hazırlamıştır. Bu çalışmada, tarama metoduyla Kıbrıs Türk eğitim tarihinin gelişimi tartışılmış, İngiliz yönetiminin Türk Eğitimine müdahaleleri incelenmiş, Türk İşleri Komisyonu Ara Raporu’ndaki eğitimle ilgili hususlar değerlendirilmiştir.

Eşzamanlılık, Soyut Sembolizm ve Ayhan Menteş’in Görsel Çalışmasında Varyasyonların Kullanımı

The paper offers a monographic account on Turkish Cypriot artist Ayhan Menteş’ experimentation with abstraction, developed parallel to his ideas on creativity, which reinterprets and appropriates ancient and Anatolian symbols through contemporary techniques and compositions. Over 60 years, Menteş accumulated a range of mythologems, collected from ancient myths and symbols, which are cleverly integrated into a distinct form of abstract symbolism based on the notions of repetition, variation and synchronicity. Among the sea of repeated subjects and symbols, the symbol of the fish is highlighted as indicative of the close affinities between Menteş’ life-long interest in and exploration of the unconscious and his visual artistic production. The concept of synchronicity as discoursed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl G. Jung, also defined as ‘meaningful coincidences’, frames the paper’s theoretical approach. Taking up Jung’s emphasis on the significance of the simultaneity of events that are not causally linked; themes of chance, and the power of creative thought, are considered integral to Menteş’ approach to life and creative processes. Menteş’ work also reveals the wider reception of abstraction during the artist’s student years in Turkey and later life in Cyprus.