Being and Belonging: A Comparative Examination of the Greek and Cypriot Orthodox Churches’ Attitudes towards "Europeanization" in the 1 st Decade of the 21 st Century.
I am currently conducting a comparative research concerning the contemporary standpoints of Greek and Cypriot Orthodox Churches respectively to Europeanization as a political-cultural convergence process, given their traditional and historically confirmed Eastern Orthodox scepticism towards the West in general and Europe in particular. Both churches have on many historical instances proven to fulfil the role of socio-political actors more than adequately and, most importantly, they continue to do so, mainly by being vocal with their views and particularly on issues of culture, identity, even governance and national sovereignty; thus ultimately influencing decision-making procedures, either directly or via the laypeople. I will especially focus my research on the period between the year 2000 up until 2010; an era of monumental political changes regarding Greece, Cyprus and their European Union status and prospects, intense clerical political interventionism and archbishops’ enthronements in both states. Common characteristics aside, the two cases are rendered comparable due to their differences as well as similarities which emanate from their diverse historical, cultural and political backgrounds alike.
Main Research Question and Sub-questions:
How do the two churches compare in terms of conduct and rhetoric in relation to Europeanization and Westernization?
How is the culture-based European equivalent of state personification – as bloc actor – perceived by the Orthodox Churches of Greece and Cyprus?
How do the Greek and Cypriot Orthodox Churches self-articulate culturally, and how is ‘Europeanness’ and ‘Otherness’ perceived?