ΠΙΘ521: Aspects of Greek and Cypriot History

The Module ΠΙΘ521 “Aspects of Greek and Cypriot History” is one of the two required Modules of the second semester of the first year of the MA "PNYX: Political History, Theory and Practice". The aim of the Module ΠΙΘ521 is to acquaint students with selected aspects of Greek and Cypriot history, with a special focus in the realms of political history and foreign policy of the last two centuries. In this context, the course ΠΙΘ521 is not a conventional modern history course. Rather, it aims to emphasize those his­torical aspects that are related to present developments. A comprehensive under­standing of such historical aspects influences current politics, taking into account that deep knowledge of specific historical developments is a fundamental prereq­uisite of any constructive involvement in the political life of Greece and the Re­public of Cyprus. A learned study of specific and critical dimensions of the political history of the two countries in the last two centuries comprises an indisputable condition for the comprehension of the current political situation. Also, equally criti­cal is the systematic study regarding questions on the nature and historical development of essential foreign policy aspects, which explain the present status and action of Greece and Cyprus in the difficult geopolitical environment of the Eastern Mediterranean. The capability that the course offers to delve into the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus Question, particular topics that are used to reconstruct the chronological order, leads not only to a comprehensive under­standing of those issues, but also to the adoption of a responsible political stance, regardless of how this stance is expressed or will be expressed in the future (i.e. through active political participation, press or digital media writing, other forms of public involvement etc.).

The Course ΠΙΘ521 is divided into four Parts:

• 1st Part: The historical background of Greek-Turkish relations, from the Fall of Constantinople (1453) to the Asia Minor Catastrophe (1922). The Greek-Turkish relations from the Treaty of Lausanne to the end of the Sec­ond World War (1923-1945)
• 2nd Part: The Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus Question Ι (1945-1959)
• 3rd Part: The Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus Question ΙΙ (1960-1974)
• 4th Part: The Greek-Turkish relations and the Aegean dispute (1974-end of the 20th century)