Synopsis
Discord between Turkey and Greece over sovereign rights in the Aegean, which have serious implications for oil exploration, for rights of sea access for Turkey through the Aegean islands, and over the Cyprus issue has serious implications for settled peace in the Eastern Mediterranean. Greek hostility towards Turkey also negatively affects Turkey's application for full membership of the European Union. Underlying current disputes, important though they are in themselves, is a long history of unease, and sometimes, open enmity between Turks and Greeks, which stretches back to Byzantium. This book is a psychopolitical study of the relationships between these two peoples which seeks an understanding of the discord between them not in the details of the disputes, but in the ingrained psychopolitical attitudes behind their approaches to the problems at issue. Beginning with a theoretical discussion of the psychology of large group conflict, the book traces events leading up to the conquest of Byzantium by the Turks, and the traumatic impact this has had on the Greeks. A discussion follows of the relations between the subordinate Greek "nation" and their Ottoman rulers, and the role played by the Greeks in the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The psychological legacy of the open conflict which occurred during the Greek struggle for independence in the early-19th century is then examined, as well as during the Turkish War of Independence after World War I. This is followed by an analysis of the psychopolitical factors in the Cyprus issue, and a study of Turks' and Greeks' perceptions of each other as revealed in the media. Valmik Volkan is the author of "Cyprus - War and Adaptation: A Psychoanalytic History of Two Ethnic Groups in Conflict" and "The Need to Have Enemies and Allies: From Clinical Practice to International Relations". Norman Itzkowitz is the author of "Mebadele: An Ottoman-Russian Exchange of Ambassadors" (with Max Mote) and "Ottoman Empire and Islamic Tradition". Postage outside the UK is extra: for surface mail outside the UK and for airmail to Europe add #1.00 per book; for airmail outside Europe add #2.50 per book.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews   3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: A psychoanalysis of Turkish-Greek relations., 2 April 2002 By  Dr. E. Korusoy (London) - See all my reviews    This book is written by two US professors of psychology and is very academic in style. Historical facts are reviewed from the beginning of the Seljuk Turks, and the time of the ancient Greeks, through their evolution to the present day while explanations for their interactions and feelings towards each other are put forward in terms of modern psycological theories. Almost all the facts and theories are properly referenced allowing interested readers to trace them back to their original sources, making this an invaluable text for students and enthusiasts like. The formal and intensely factual academic style does make it heavy going, however the wealth of referenced information allows readers to make up their own minds about the events and hence it has the advantage of being, as far as possible, unbiassed.  Comment |