From Colonialism to Neo-colonialism: The British Politics of Nationalist Violence in Cyprus

Abstract

One of the most complex and perilous geopolitical conflicts in the contemporary world is the Cyprus Problem. This conflict is directly tied to the impact of former colonial powers on newly independent postcolonial states. This thesis analyzes the relationship between nationalist violence, British colonial and neo-colonial policies, and Cyprus' geostrategic location within the imperialist world system. By contextualizing the Cyprus Conflict into the theories of decolonization and neo-colonialism, this research examines how Cyprus' geostrategic location motivated colonial powers to gain and maintain influence within this region. This case study of the Cyprus Conflict utilizes the process-tracing of archives, primary documents, and scholarly articles to emphasize the British colonial power as the catalyst and driver for the nationalist violence in Cyprus.