Thomael M. Joannidis, MSUA ’06, recently published an article, Identity in Conflict: An Exploration of Gender across Ethnicity in Cyprus, in The Cyprus Review. As detailed in the abstract, the protracted ethnic conflict in Cyprus has meant that life on the island is typically framed in terms of ethnicity, putting the main communities – Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot – before all other communities and identities, including gender. As society focuses on the conflict, social and human rights issues, such as the discrimination and abuses experienced by women are often viewed as being unique to their economic standing and not reflecting Cypriot society or gender and social dynamics. Through an analysis of interviews and observations, this article contributes to current scholarship by using a holistic approach and providing an opportunity to redefine notions of community in Cyprus.
Thomael graduated from Hunter with her MS in Urban Affairs in 2006. In 2009, she was awarded a Fulbright grant to research gender and ethnic identity in post-conflict Cyprus. She currently works at New York’s Office of Management and Budget analyzing the fiscal and policy impacts of city, state, and federal legislation on the City of New York.