Power through attraction: british, greek and turkish cultural diplomacy in cyprus, 1945-1974
CuDiCy will investigate the cultural diplomacy (CD) of three states: the UK, Greece and Turkey, as it was practiced in Cyprus between 1945 and 1974. The action will be conducted by Dr. Maria Hadjiathanasiou, at the University of Nicosia (Cyprus), under the supervision of Hubert Faustmann, Professor of History and Political Science at the Department of Politics and Governance. Τhe action includes Secondments at the Embassy of Greece in Nicosia and, at the British Council in London. Timely and relevant, CuDiCy aspires to set a new paradigm in the growing field of CD, by becoming the study model for an innovative approach towards the exploration of external cultural influence in countries which accommodate ethnically diverse populations, for example Syria and Lebanon. It will contribute to the discussion about the conceptualisation of power, politics, authority and governance and, on the formation and transformation of identity. CuDiCy will achieve this by tracing and analysing the ways state and non-state cultural actors influenced the progress of events in Cyprus, from the end of the Second World War to the Turkish invasion. Time, location, concept and structure will be used as critical determinants to consider CD’s role. The methodology is crucial to CuDiCy’s main objective which is to expose the diverse and complicated functions, actions, visions and interpretations of what constituted CD during this period, to understand what its aim was, and to investigate how and if it accomplished its tasks. CuDiCy has a strong cross-sectoral multidisciplinary focus, involving the fields of History, IR, Political Science and the Humanities. It includes both the transfer of knowledge to the host institution and the training of the candidate in new methodologies and theoretical concepts. CuDiCy’s results will enrich and expand the discussion on global CD significantly, shedding light on a little researched region, with implications on what constitutes successful CD today.