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Turkish-Greek relations are marked by a long trajectory of enmity and tension. This book sets out to explore the 'other side' of that history, focusing on initiatives that have promoted contact between the two societies and encouraged rapprochement. Presenting a new critical re-description of Turkish-Greek rapprochement processes over a lengthy time span (1974-2013), Turkish-Greek Relations offers innovative explanations for the emergence of the reconciliation movement.
Instead of lineal continuities, the book explores different routes that these efforts for rapprochement have followed, reflected in the divergent visions for a 'Turkish-Greek friendship' pursued by actors as distinct as radical leftists, civil society activists, local government representatives, artists and liberal intellectuals, as well as journalists, politicians and businessmen.
Drawing on political discourse theory and social anthropology, this book employs extensive archival research into Turkish and Greek sources, significant numbers of interviews with pioneers of the rapprochement movement, and an original ethnographic study, to examine the competing claims for 'Greek-Turkish friendship'. In doing so, it is possible to assess their successes and failures, prospects and predicaments. A valuable addition to existing literature, this book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of International Relations, Peace and Reconciliation Studies, and Politics.
List of contents
Preface Introduction Part I: Spectres of the Left 1 Comrades, Democrats, Friends...Shared Spectres 2 Radicalising Rapprochement: Friendship Through Struggles 3 Frontiers in Différance: Political and Spatial Proximities at the Aegean Coasts 4 An Uncanny Spectre? Haunting Friendship(s), Haunting Responsibilities Part II: Towards A 'Civil Society' of Friendship 5 Aspect Dawning, Cultural Extimacy and the (Anti) Politics of Friendship 6 'Friendship' as an Empty Signifier: (E)merging Political Grammars 7 A 'Civil Society' of Friendship: Between Excitement and Boredom
About the author
Leonidas Karakatsanis is assistant director at the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA). He holds a PhD in Ideology and Discourse Analysis from the University of Essex. He has researched and published on issues related to the politics of identity and reconciliation, civil society, minority rights, immigration and theories of qualitative methods in social and political sciences.
Summary
This book presents a new critical re-description of Turkish-Greek rapprochement processes over a lengthy time span (1974-2010), offering innovative explanations for the emergence of the reconciliation movement, examining its successes and failures, prospects and predicaments.
Additional text
'Using a discourse analysis framework, Karakatsanis makes an original contribution to the literature, which enhances our analytical leverage to understand politics and society in Turkey and Greece. It also draws potential challenges for future efforts to promote Turkish-Greek friendship that should go beyond existing discourses to make it a reality.'
- Orcun Selcuk, Insight Turkey
