The Europeanisation of Contested Statehood: The EU in northern Cyprus acts as a case study of the impact of the EU on institutions, political parties and civil society in 'contested states', self-declared states which remain unrecognised in world politics. Research drawn from qualitative analysis of official documents, public discourse and interviews with various officials and political and social elites within the EU and at a local level provides new insights as to the impact of the EU on northern Cyprus as well as a fresh understanding of the relevance of the EU to contested states in general. By doing so, the book reflects on what contested statehood means for Europeanisation and lays out a conceptual template for the study of contested states of the wider European periphery, such as those in the Caucasus, Transnistria, Kosovo or the occupied Palestinian territories, which continue to represent specific challenges to the international affairs of the EU.

About the Author
George Kyris is a lecturer in International Relations and European Politics at the University of Birmingham, UK. Previously, he was a research fellow at the LSE and has taught at Universities of Warwick and Manchester, where he also completed his doctoral research.

Reviews

This is an important book for everybody interested in issues of contested statehood and the EU's influence in the context of its enlargement policy. Kyris' work illuminates not only because of its excellent narrative on how the prospect of EU membership has reshaped the contours of Turkish Cypriot politics and society. It is also a significant conceptual contribution to the literature of Europeanisation, refining our understanding of the EU's opportunities (and limitations) to redefine conflicts both within its own territory and its near abroad.'
-- Dimitris Papadimitriou, University of Manchester, UK

'This book represents a major step forward in our understanding of how the international community has interacted with the Turkish Cypriot community despite the various legal and political limitations imposed on official contacts. As well as being a groundbreaking book for anyone interested in the Cyprus Problem, it also makes a significant contribution to the literature on the development of contested states and on the role of the European Union in conflict situations.'
-- James Ker-Lindsay, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

'The Europeanisation of Contested Statehood: The EU in Northern Cyprus is a noteworthy and invaluable contribution in many regards. The gap it fills in relation to Turkish Cypriots is of immense importance, because it is one of the rare studies that takes up the Turkish Cypriots not just as an 'insignificant' group of people who 'happened to live there'. Furthermore, it is the first coherent study that treats the impact and influence of the EU on northern Cyprus in a comparative manner, testing hypotheses and reaching interesting conclusions. The discussion Kyris employs in the conclusion of the book regarding future prospects and EU contributions to contested statehood will surely be useful for researchers as well as specialists and nonspecialists alike.' -- LSE Review of Books

Book Information
ISBN 9781472421593
Author George Kyris
Format Hardback
Page Count 168
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 470g