Project Coordinator & Principal Researcher: Professor Charis Psaltis
Duration: March 2024 - February 2025
Overview
Natural resources have been gaining recognition for their potential in promoting sustainable peace and reconciliation (Ide et al., 2021). It is increasingly believed that these resources can be foundational in rebuilding trust between previously warring factions rather than merely instigating strife. This study aims to delve deeper into this theory by focusing on the perceptions of Greek Cypriots concerning a cooperative approach with Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot community in managing the natural gas reservoirs south of Cyprus.
Historically, armed conflict scholars (Le Billon, 2001; Matthew et al., 2002; Ross, 2004) identified natural resources primarily as conflict triggers. However, a paradigm shift towards considering these resources as possible peacebuilding tools can herald a transformative phase in the post-conflict reconstruction landscape. The central premise is simple yet profound: shared natural resources, especially those spanning across historically conflicted territories, demand cooperative management. When handled correctly, the joint management of these resources can facilitate dialogue, promote mutual trust, and establish shared responsibilities.
This study employs the conjoint analysis with a community sample exploring packages of solutions to the Cyprus problem linking variations of the Guterres package with arrangements on energy related arrangements on and around Cyprus.
Research Team
Project coordinator and Principal Researcher: Charis Psaltis, Professor of Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Cyprus
Researcher: Neophytos Loizides, Professor of International Conflict Analysis; Director of the Conflict Analysis Research Centre, University of Warwick
Researcher: Edward Morgan-Jones, Professor of Comparative Politics, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Kent
Researcher: Laura Sudulic, Reader in Politics, Department of Government, University of Essex
Researcher: Nikandros Ioannides, Post-doctoral researcher, Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cyprus
Researcher: Andreas Michael, PhD Candidate, Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus