"ONE LEG IN THE PAST, AND ONE LEG IN THE FUTURE": A SOCIETY IN TRANSITION

Abstract

Modernity is a contested topic in contemporary Cyprus. Against the backdrop of the accession course to the European Union and the impact of globalisation processes on economic, political and social life, public debates on the pace and direction of social change in Cyprus are intensifying today. Based on qualitative interviews with opinion leaders and decision makers from politics and the media, state institutions, academia, and non-governmental organisations, the article explores how historical legacies, the present political situation, and contemporary social experiences both strengthen and limit the ability of Greek-Cypriot society to define its own path to modernity. In this context, the article places special emphasis on the potential of civil society institutions to function as an arena of "moral communication".