Exploring precarity in semi-enclave rural geographies: the case of Louroujina, Cyprus

Abstract

Territorial divisions and geopolitical conflicts have profoundly influenced the socio-spatial and economic landscapes of rural communities, often resulting in heightened precarity. This study examines the precarious living conditions in Louroujina, a semi-enclave village in Northern Cyprus, shaped by the island's enduring territorial division. Once a prosperous agricultural centre, the village has experienced decades of isolation and environmental degradation, making it a compelling case to explore how precarity unfolds in fragmented rural geographies. Drawing on site observations and in-depth interviews, the study identifies three interconnected dimensions of precarity: social, environmental, and latent (future-oriented) that together reveal how vulnerability is both produced and lived in conditions of prolonged division. The study argues that precarity in semienclave settings operates not as a static condition but as a relational process continuously negotiated through everyday life. Framed in this way, precarity moves beyond a merely descriptive notion, becoming a reflective and transformative lens that unveils how vulnerability is lived and reconfigured within divided rural geographies.