The Cyprus Conflict: Root Causes and Implications for Peacebuilding

A survey in 2000—02 in both the Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot communities examines the beliefs about the root causes of the Cyprus conflict, the political culture, social attitudes, and future solutions. This article shows that both external and internal factors, both psychological and contextual, have played an influential role in the creation and perpetuation of the conflict — a view that challenges the selective official positions that define the problem as either a problem of external factors or merely an internal discord between the majority and minority population. The article highlights the complexity that characterizes intractable conflicts. It promotes the view that internal, contextual, and psychological factors are equally significant, as are legal and political factors, to be taken into account when addressing peacebuilding and future solutions. Some generalizations will be made with regard to the value of micro-level (i.e. societal studies) research in the field of conflict resolution and political psychology.