2023 Theses Master's

Lived and Imagined Experiences of Women in Nicosia, Cyprus: Perceiving United Nations Peacekeepers

Savva, Anna

This study explores how Greek-Cypriot women perceive the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) through shared narratives. Research was conducted in the Republic of Cyprus, where twelve Greek-Cypriot women were asked about their lived and imagined experiences with peacekeepers. Findings reveal the multifaceted ways in which women make sense of the nearly 60-year operation on the island.

Grappling with the meaning of the UN as both a protector and a divider, women displayed a wide range of attitudes towards the UN as a foreigner, as a colonizer, but also as a defender. Narratives revealed themes related to gender and militarism, patriarchy, ethnic conflict, but also genuine hope for a united Cyprus. This research provides a localized, cross-generational, gendered perspective to the UNFICYP mission, providing insight into the role peacekeepers play in what has become a frozen conflict.