Identity fluctuations in the Turkish Cypriot community

Abstract

This paper investigates identity fluctuations in the 'Turkish-Cypriot' community and argues that identity descriptions do not necessarily overlap with ethno-cultural boundaries. Age and education-related identity fluctuations emerge as responses to variations in the socialization process. Although the notion of 'Turkish Cypriots' implies a unitary entity, a marked cleavage mainly between two identity categories is apparent. Self-descriptions based on civic conceptualizations of identity compete with ethno-national identity and transcend community boundaries. Therefore, despite an official 'ethno-national' identity being imposed, 'Cypriotness' suggests a model comprising individuals from various ethno-national backgrounds. Data come from a probabilistic sample of 415 Turkish Cypriots who ranked components of collective identity (Cypriot, Turkish, Moslem, and European) from the 'most important' to the 'least important'.