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"The Evolution of the Political, Social and Economic Life of Cyprus, 1191–1950" by Sakellaropoulos is a book that aims to fill a gap in historical accounts of Cyprus by examining the interplay between external and internal forces over a long period of time. The book takes a Marxist perspective and explores the political, social, and economic life of the island. While the book covers a lengthy period of nine centuries, it focuses more on the eight decades of British rule. The author argues that the transformation of Cypriot society is a result of the interplay between external and internal forces. The book is a work of synthesis and combines theoretical overviews with historical examples. It is an important and timely study that provides fresh perspectives on the history of Cyprus. [Extracted from the article]

As part of its growing imperial aspirations that were part of the so-called Mare Nostrum attempt, the Italian Empire sought to build up nationalist propaganda on Cyprus. The irredentist activities and propaganda coordinated by the Italian Embassy in Cyprus alarmed the British governors and the Foreign Office. By drawing upon archival documents, this article analyses the evolution of the strategic importance of Cyprus for the British Empire, which began in response to the perceived threat posed by the Italian Empire during the interwar period. The main argument put forward here is that under these new circumstances Cyprus became a significant geostrategic possession for the British Empire. The Italian Empire, having colonised the Dodecanese islands of the Aegean Sea, was gradually making its presence felt in Cyprus in the 1920s and went on to do so more vigorously in the 1930s. The Italian ambassador was perceived as persona non grata by the British government in Cyprus. It was therefore difficult for the British Empire under the actual, or at least the perceived, threat of Italian influence to permit Cypriots to exercise their right of self-determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author describes challenges faced in achieving peace in relation to the Arab Uprisings and the civil war in Libya. He examines the relationship between democratic transition and civil war based on the case of Libya. He also analyzes the nature of the Libyan state in order to understand the failure of the uprisings.