CONTACT AND ETHNIC PREJUDICE IN A MIXED VILLAGE

CONTACT AND ETHNIC PREJUDICE IN A MIXED VILLAGE

What is Prejudice? Ingroup bias cognition (stereotyping) attitude (prejudice) behavior (discrimination) (Hewstone, Rubin and Willis, 2002)

What is Prejudice? n “An antipathy based upon a faulty and inflexible generalization. It may be felt or expressed. It may be directed toward a group as a whole, or an individual because he is a member of that group”. (Allport: 1954)

What is Prejudice? n Race prejudice is a composite feeling of group position toward the members of the out-group and includes claims of superiority and proprietary over the subordinate groups as well as certain advantages presupposing that subordinate group is involved in some kind of hostile long term plans over those advantages (Blumer, 1958)

What is Prejudice? n Negative emotions and evaluation or bias towards the members of the outgroup. (Stephan and Stephan, 2004)

What is Prejudice? a. it is explicitly inter-group which involves b. in-group favouritism (Brown and Zagefka, 2005)

Earlier Forms It is the embodiment of n social distance between the races, n beliefs in the biological inferiority of those belong to other races (Sears and Henry, 2003)

Expression of Prejudice Claim of superiority over the outgroup members (Blumer, 1958) n Considering oneself & one’s own group virtuous (Le. Vine and Campbell, 1972) n

Expression of Prejudice Seeing one’s group’s values as universal and original and the outgroup members as contemptible, immoral and inferior. n Non-cooperation with the outgroup members and showing social distance towards them. (Le Vine and Campbell, 1972) n

What’s wrong with it? It is an “interpretative judgment” of the person (s) or situations and it is not based on factual information. As such it is unjust, illegitimate and unjustifiable. (Hewstone, Rubin and Willis, 2002) n

Recent Developments n n “old and overt forms” of racism and prejudice have been diminishing, a total eradication of it has not been possible and ethnic based prejudice has gone undercover. ( Kleinpenning and Hagendoorn, 1993)

Subtle versus Blatant Prejudice n n Blatant prejudice: “hot, close, and direct” (Pettigrew and Meertens, 1995) Subtle prejudice: indirect or covert expression of bias and antipathy (Brown, 1995)

Subtle Prejudice n n n The perceived threat of the minority to traditional values The exaggeration of cultural differences with the minority The absence of positive feelings toward the minority group members (Pettigrew, 1998 b)

Why symbolic or aversive or subtle prejudice? n n Changing legal framework (Franco and Mass, 1999 in Akrami et el. 2000) Desire to appear egalitarian and non-prejudiced (Dovidio, Kawakami and Gaertner, 2004)

Theoretical Background n intergroup contact reduces ethnic prejudice and everyday civic engagement at the village level is an important condition of non-violent coexistence when two or more ethnic groups share the same space.

The Intergroup Contact Theory n under certain conditions inter-group contact reduces ethnic prejudice. (Allport (1954: 1979 )

What are these conditions? a. b. c. d. Equal status of the groups Cooperation in the achievement of superordinate goals Institutional support i. e. laws, regulations Local atmosphere (Pettigrew, 1998)

Recent “Facilitating” Factors n n opportunity for establishing personal relationships (Amir, 1969) inter-group friendship (Pettigrew, 1998)

The role of anxiety n n “Affective ties” Mixed neighborhood conditions

contact anxiety (Pettigrew, 1998; Ihlanfeldt & Scafidi, 2000; Hewstone, 2003. prejudice

Civic Engagement Approach the impact of contact on prejudice and ethnic violence Varshney (2002) compares pairs of multiethnic (Hindu-Muslim) cities in northern India and suggests: n

Exogenous Shocks Tensions Rumors Intracommunal Engagement Communal Violence Intercommunal Engagement Communal Peace (Varshney, 2002: p. 12)

Civic Engagement Approach two primary forms of contact n everyday engagement associational engagements (Varshney, 2002) n

Everyday engagement n n family visiting, eating together, participating in public events such as festivals letting children play together with children from outgroup

Associational Engagement n n business or professional associations political parties, reading rooms, sports clubs and similar organizations

When and Where n n Everyday Engagement: at village level where everybody knows each other Associational Engagement: in ethnically segregated urban settings where daily contact is limited

WHAT ABOUT CYPRUS? In 1946 Almost 70 % of the villages were mixed (Tauber, 1955) n In 1960 this decreased to 20% (Attalides, 1978) n

Changes in the number of mixed villages Year 1891 Number of Mixed Villages 346 1931 252 1960 114 1970 48 (Loizos, 1987/2001)

Pre-1974 Cyprus n n Clear separation of two ethnic groups both in social and economic life No form of ethnic engagement (except violent conflict) No supporting atmosphere Decreasing level of knowledge of the outgroup’s language (Loizos, 1972/2002

Partial end to the division: 2003 the opening of the green-line Increased contact opp: n Crossings n Bi-communal activities n Increasing number of Turkish commuter workers in the south

The Research n 1. What is the level of contact between two communities and is there a relationship between mixed neighbourhood and intergroup friendship and ethnic prejudice in Pyla?

The Research n n 2. Is there support for peaceful coexistence? And How does this support effect people in their expression of ethnic prejudice? Do people express their dislike or negative feelings toward the outgroup members overtly or covertly?

The Research n 3. What made peaceful coexistence in the village possible in the face of island-wide violence and tension?

To analyze the present conditions of ethnic prejudice and contact in the village n A questionnaire: which has five sections: a. quantity and the quality of mixed neighbourhood b. quantity and the quality of intergroup friendship c. Blatant Prejudice d. Subtle Prejudice e. Anxiety

The level of contact: individual/public n n Interviews: 12 GCs and 12 TCs were interviewed (aged 60 and/or older) To analyze the historical process that gave way to the present conditions Observations: 2 Coffee Shops and 3 Grocery shops were observed to see if there were cross-ethnic customers

n Prior to the piloting, the questionnaire was (back) translated to and from Turkish and Greek languages and proof-read for conceptual and cultural equivalence by independent native Greek and Turkish translators (Mc. Gorry, 2000).

SAMPLE n non-probability convenience sample of 42 Greek Cypriots and 42 Turkish Cypriots

DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS

Path Diagram showing the interrelations between contact variables, anxiety and prejudice. * p <. 05, **p <. 01, *** p <. 001

interviews n In order to analyze the processes that produce the present conditions and the impact of exogenous shocks on the interethnic social life in the village 12 TC and 12 GC (60 or older) were asked to comment on

Their perception of the Cyprus Problem and Turkish-Greek relations in Pyla n in the pre-1960 period n in the 1963 -1974 period n during 1974 n in the 1974 -2003 period n on the “Women walk home” n on the Paralimni clashes n on the opening of the green-line n after 2003 relations with GC/TC neighbours and friends in Pyla n

1 final question n “Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have been living in Pyla together for a very long time without any problems. Why? ”

Data from the interviews Cyprus Problem n Majority of the GC : invasion n Majority of the TC: ethnic and nationalistic Pre-1960 n TC: normal/comfortable got worse after 1950 tense n GC: very good /tense

1963 n Both groups : “tense, suspicious, very bad, insecure, precarious and threatening” 1974 n TC: “intensely tense” Stelios n GC: tense but help from TC when they were away

1974 -2003 n n GC: precarious and unstable TC: calm with some uneasiness “Women walk home” and Paralimni clashes and the murder of two Greek Cypriots n n GC: necessary move for the peace / peaceful demonstrations TC: wrong and did not contribute towards peace/the arrest was necessary

n n GC: demonstrations normal and rightful and the assassination of the two GCs “barbarity”. TC: the killings were unnecessary and the problem could have been solved through other ways

the opening of the borders and relations after 2003 n GC: wrong-no effect on the relations n TC: good-decreased the economic activity-no effect on the relations/made life more difficult

Peaceful coexistence: n lived side by side n sustained friendship and long term neighbourhood relations n the location of the British Bases n the efforts of the old people n no foreigners in the village n GC: TCs do not pay taxes so they want this to continue n TC: GCs are afraid of the soldiers on the hill

Observations n n n No significant amount of contact at the coffee shops TC grocery shops: Greeks buy the cheaper items i. e cigarettes GC grocery shop: Turks ask the price and buy later

n The data from the observations suggests the same pattern mentioned earlier by Papadakis (1997&2006) that economic convenience has a significant positive impact on interethnic shopping behaviour.

DISCUSSION n MIXED NEIGHBOURHOOD provides ample opportunities for interpersonal inter-ethnic contact but how far these opportunities are utilized and expanded to other aspects of social life depends on a number of other factors.

DISCUSSION n n individual interethnic contact is not generalized to the community level and when it does, it does so for the sake of economic convenience. the opening of the Green Line decreased the level of functional relations in the village

DISCUSSION n Exogenous shocks (Women walk home, Paralimni Clashes) have a strong negative effect on the social relations in the village

DISCUSSION constant effort from both sides to preserve the stability. n as a result of this constant effort some people are perhaps reluctant to express their discontent/negative feelings which is understandable from what surfaced during the interviews such as GC remarks on the opening of the borders or the TC attributing the stability in the village to the Turkish troops on the hill. n

GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS n n It is hard to specify the direction of causality in research on contactprejudice Often such an effect is a combination of psychological, socio-psychological factors and other factors, factors of ephemeral and geographical nature as Pyla case shows.

GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS n n supportive environment is an important factor in predicting prejudice although it may not always eradicate it. it is possible to investigate prejudice and the different forms it assumes under changing conditions even though those conditions are not always permanent.

LOCAL IMPLICATIONS n the current conditions in Pyla are the product of a long process which incorporated many factors, both controllable and uncontrollable.

LOCAL IMPLICATIONS n n Both communities took active part in the peace-building process in Pyla The location of the village is an important factor in creating the current conditions

LOCAL IMPLICATIONS n n The opening of the green-line increased the bureaucracy that the villagers have to deal with and in a way it partly destroyed the functional relations which have been considered as one of the factors that have kept the village as a peaceful place Moreover it caused resentment and negativity

n n Policies are needed to underline the common benefits of living in a united Cyprus where economic cooperation or other functional relations are strong. Moreover, a legal environment which would minimize the competition between the two communities should be seen as conducive to a pluralist society.

n n Such attempts should also emphasize the fact that people can live together provided they show the minimum respect and tolerance necessary for a conflict free environment. toward each other it is essential that conscious and active parts should be taken by the authorities to promote tolerance and understanding toward the other community

Acknowledgements n n n A number of people must be thanked for their active contribution and support: Peter Loizos Irene Efthyimou, Kyriacos Tsimillis and George Hristodoulles Monica Andreu People of Pyla