From Nation-Building to Europeanisation: The Influence of History on Greek-Cypriot Education.

The socio-historical context of Cyprus entails various consequences for Greek-Cypriot education. However, the distinctive character of Greek-Cypriot education does not only have historical credentials, but it is also bound to the contemporary situation that includes Cyprus' accession to the EU. This paper explores the ways in which history influences Greek-Cypriot education. Furthermore, it examines the types of interaction between European influences and national education policies by reporting on policy-document analysis and semi-structured interviews carried out with Greek-Cypriot policy-makers. As Greek-Cypriot education has been developed in a case characterised by both inter-communal and intra-communal conflict, it has been inextricably linked to the nation-building project. The Europeanisation of Greek-Cypriot education has been merely symbolic, indicating 'simulated' development and implementation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]