Political Participation in Northern Cyprus

Based on a quantitative survey of a sample of 1000 participants, our research aims to shed light on the patterns of political participation (both conventional and non-conventional) of the electorate in the northern part of Cyprus and to show whether there is divergence(s) in participation patterns of different sub-groups, particularly native Turkish Cypriots and citizens with immigrant backgrounds i.e. Turkish migrants who have come to the northern part of Cyprus in various waves after 1974 and have gained the citizenship of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus -a de facto state. Our preliminary results show that there is certainly a divergence among the participation patterns of native Turkish Cypriots and Turkish migrants. While exploring these differences among different groups, the paper also seeks to reveal the role of socio-economic status and identity in explaining these variations. We use the work of Verba et al. (1995), which argues that education and income i.e. socioeconomic status (SES) are the main determinants of the level of political participation. Additionally, we make use of the studies of Maxwell (2009) and Quintelier (2009), who worked on participation patterns of migrants in France and Belgium respectively. Maxwell, for instance, argues that political incorporation and (electoral) participation of migrants depend on the socioeconomic status while other variables such as identity play an important role too. Similarly, Quintelier (2009) argues that socioeconomic status determines the participation while group consciousness is significant in the mode of participation too. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical research to be conducted on political participation patterns of Turkish Cypriots with a quantitative approach. Furthermore, the proposed paper not only focuses on the electoral behaviour as Hatay (2005) and Özekmekçi (2012) did, but also adopts a wider political participation and behaviour approach elaborating on both conventional and unconventional ways of participation (such as party and NGO membership, participation in political demonstrations and other civil society activities). Political behaviour and preferences are also explored, in conjunction with socioeconomic-status, group identity, political efficacy and social capital. Selected bibliography: - Verba, S., Schlozman, K.L. and Brady, H.E. (1995) Voice and Equality: Civic Voluntarism in American Politics. Harvard University Press: Cambridge. - Quintelier, E. (2009) The Political Participation of Immigrant Youth in Belgium, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 35:6, 919-937. - Maxwell, Rahsaan (2010) 'Political Participation in France among Non-European-Origin Migrants: Segregation or Integration?', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 36: 3, 425 — 443. - Özekmekçi, M.İ. (2012) KKTC’de Türkiyeli Göçmenlerin Siyasal Entegrasyon Sorunları (1974-2002) (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Istanbul, Turkey. - Hatay, M. (2005) ‘Beyond Numbers, an Inquiry into the Political Integration of the Turkish “Settlers” in North Cyprus’. PRIO Report 4/2005.