'Different than us'? Reciprocal perceptions of the societies in Turkey and North Cyprus. Issue 3 (27th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ergul Jorgensen, F. Asli; Latİf, Dilek
• Is Part Of: Mediterranean politics. Volume 27:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 369
• Page End: 390
• Publication Date: 2022-05-27
• Subjects: Turkey -- North Cyprus -- societal perception -- national narrative -- discourse analysis; Mediterranean Region -- Politics and government -- 1945- -- Periodicals; 320.91822
• DOI: 10.1080/13629395.2020.1782667
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1362-9395

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study explores the reciprocal perceptions, main tendencies, prejudices and expectations of the societies in Turkey and North Cyprus. To this end, 160 participants from both societies were interviewed. The specific social processes that result in various judgements, thoughts and tendencies observed in the semi-structured interviews were evaluated by the discourse analysis method. Although the research findings and analyses are not representative of the whole populations, they still shed light on common perceptions. In fact, the results counterintuitively revealed that people from both societies exhibit increasing suspicion, if not negativity, about each other despite the widely accepted nationalist narrative of 'motherland-babyland', which is believed to be the main dynamic of the relations.