The development of the Cypriot Disability Movement: A preliminary theoretical model Simoni Symeonidou PhD Candidate University of Cambridge

The development of the The development of the Cypriot Disability Cypriot Disability

Movement:Movement:A preliminary A preliminary

theoretical modeltheoretical model

Simoni SymeonidouSimoni Symeonidou

PhD CandidatePhD Candidate

University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge

CyprusCyprus Geographical informationGeographical information

Mediterranean island, Population: 775,000Mediterranean island, Population: 775,000 85% Greek-Cypriots, 12% Turkish-Cypriots 85% Greek-Cypriots, 12% Turkish-Cypriots

and 3% foreign residentsand 3% foreign residents

Political informationPolitical information Long period of foreign sovereigntyLong period of foreign sovereignty 1960: Cyprus Republic1960: Cyprus Republic 1974: Turkish invasion, occupation of 38% 1974: Turkish invasion, occupation of 38%

of the island, two communities live of the island, two communities live separatelyseparately

2004: Cyprus becomes a member of the 2004: Cyprus becomes a member of the European UnionEuropean Union

My inspirations…My inspirations…

Cambell, J. and Oliver, M. Cambell, J. and Oliver, M. (1996) (1996) Disability Politics. Disability Politics. Understanding our past Understanding our past changing our future.changing our future. London: RoutledgeLondon: Routledge

Lack of research about Lack of research about disability issues in Cyprusdisability issues in Cyprus

British Literature on British Literature on Disability StudiesDisability Studies

Goals of the StudyGoals of the Study

Conceptualise the development of the Conceptualise the development of the Cypriot Disability Movement by Cypriot Disability Movement by

locating it in a changing locating it in a changing historical context historical context

and and

by interpreting disabled activists’ by interpreting disabled activists’ understanding of their experiences, both understanding of their experiences, both

as disabled people and as disabled as disabled people and as disabled activists within the disability movementactivists within the disability movement

History and Disability History and Disability StudiesStudies

The Historian aims to reconstruct the past The Historian aims to reconstruct the past Understanding the past gives a sense of Understanding the past gives a sense of

self-appreciation,self-appreciation, Past illuminates the present and helps Past illuminates the present and helps

planning the futureplanning the future Past reveals events that acted as ‘turning Past reveals events that acted as ‘turning

points’ points’ The Disability Studies Researcher aims to The Disability Studies Researcher aims to

research topics of interest within the fieldresearch topics of interest within the field The development & role of disability The development & role of disability

movementsmovements The personal experience of disabilityThe personal experience of disability Issues of culture, identity and genderIssues of culture, identity and gender

Hermeneutics as a Hermeneutics as a useful tooluseful tool

Ontology and EpistemologyOntology and Epistemology There is no real and objective truthThere is no real and objective truth The aim is to understand what is being The aim is to understand what is being researched by providing the best researched by providing the best possible interpretationpossible interpretation

Methods of data collectionMethods of data collection Oral history interviews as the primary Oral history interviews as the primary source source

Respondents construct their personal storiesRespondents construct their personal stories Researcher interprets respondents’ Researcher interprets respondents’

interpretations interpretations Documents as a complementary sourceDocuments as a complementary source

MethodologyMethodology Population: All Greek-Cypriot disabled activists Population: All Greek-Cypriot disabled activists

who have been members of the movement any who have been members of the movement any time during the period 1966-2003time during the period 1966-2003

Sample: 16 key-disabled activists who met the Sample: 16 key-disabled activists who met the criteriacriteria

Sampling difficulties: Including women in the Sampling difficulties: Including women in the samplesample

Data CollectionData Collection 11stst phase: Documentary material phase: Documentary material 22ndnd phase: First round of oral history interviews phase: First round of oral history interviews 33rdrd phase: Preliminary analysis and new sample phase: Preliminary analysis and new sample 44thth phase: Second round of oral history phase: Second round of oral history

interviewsinterviews Democratic character of the researchDemocratic character of the research

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Cultural and Materialist Cultural and Materialist understanding of the Cypriot understanding of the Cypriot Context and disabled people’s Context and disabled people’s oppressionoppression

The personal experience of The personal experience of disabilitydisability

The development of the Cypriot The development of the Cypriot Disability Movement Disability Movement

The political experience of The political experience of disabilitydisability

Cultural context and Cultural context and disabled people’s disabled people’s

oppressionoppression Dominance of Greek IdealsDominance of Greek Ideals Impact of Greek ideals to Western culturesImpact of Greek ideals to Western cultures Impact of Greek ideals in Cyprus is strongerImpact of Greek ideals in Cyprus is stronger ‘‘A healthy body inhabits a healthy mind’A healthy body inhabits a healthy mind’

Power of Christian Values and ChurchPower of Christian Values and Church Importance of Religion as a means to maintain Importance of Religion as a means to maintain

national & cultural existence because of national & cultural existence because of sovereigntysovereignty

Bible examples showing that disabled people Bible examples showing that disabled people were cured disabled person should be were cured disabled person should be cured cured

Christian tradition of CharityChristian tradition of Charity State and Church did not separate their roles State and Church did not separate their roles

Unequal battle between Human Rights and Unequal battle between Human Rights and CharityCharity


oppressionoppression Dominance of charitable valuesDominance of charitable values

Charitable values have been cultivated over the Charitable values have been cultivated over the yearsyears

Fund-raising by companies, special schools’ Fund-raising by companies, special schools’ boards and disability organisationsboards and disability organisations

Power of familyPower of family Family: strong institution that undertook state’s Family: strong institution that undertook state’s

rolerole Family supports and demands support in exchangeFamily supports and demands support in exchange Families find it difficult to accept disabled Families find it difficult to accept disabled

child/adultchild/adult


oppressionoppression Power of national identityPower of national identity

A group of privileged disabled people – ‘heroes’A group of privileged disabled people – ‘heroes’ Disabled fighters (1955-1959 National Liberation Disabled fighters (1955-1959 National Liberation

Struggle)Struggle) Disabled of the war (1974 Turkish Invasion) Disabled of the war (1974 Turkish Invasion)

Impairment discourse Vs Disability Impairment discourse Vs Disability discoursediscourse Disabled people presented as passive and pitifulDisabled people presented as passive and pitiful Use of alternative terminology Use of alternative terminology Oppressive articles and photos published in the Oppressive articles and photos published in the

presspress

Materialist understandings Materialist understandings of disabled people’s of disabled people’s

oppressionoppression Impact of Western materialist thinkingImpact of Western materialist thinking

Disability was linked with inability to workDisability was linked with inability to work

Rise of ‘traditional’ professionsRise of ‘traditional’ professions

Rise of medical modelRise of medical model Normalising principlesNormalising principles Belief that impairment should be curedBelief that impairment should be cured InstitutionalisationInstitutionalisation

The personal experience of The personal experience of disability disability

Education Education Feeling ‘imprisoned’ in the boarding schoolFeeling ‘imprisoned’ in the boarding school

‘‘I wanted to leave from the first day. At the I wanted to leave from the first day. At the beginning, my mom stayed with me for a few days beginning, my mom stayed with me for a few days until I get used to the School. They were trying to until I get used to the School. They were trying to deceive me. My mother’s knotted hand was different deceive me. My mother’s knotted hand was different from my teacher’s hand. They couldn’t deceive me. from my teacher’s hand. They couldn’t deceive me. While my mother was holding my hand she would While my mother was holding my hand she would change with my teacher who was trying to talk to me change with my teacher who was trying to talk to me nicely. I felt imprisoned from the very first day. […] nicely. I felt imprisoned from the very first day. […] I always had disagreements and conflicts with the I always had disagreements and conflicts with the teachers and students, I used to talk students into teachers and students, I used to talk students into escaping (we both laugh). This shows how I felt. I escaping (we both laugh). This shows how I felt. I was organising movements and revolutions. That was organising movements and revolutions. That was natural. It was a restricting environment. I was natural. It was a restricting environment. I couldn’t do everything according to the schedule couldn’t do everything according to the schedule and I couldn’t accept others deciding what time I and I couldn’t accept others deciding what time I would eat, go to bed, or watch t.v. You can accept would eat, go to bed, or watch t.v. You can accept school, but you can’t accept to be there all the time’. school, but you can’t accept to be there all the time’. C.NicolaidesC.Nicolaides


EmploymentEmployment People with sensory impairments were People with sensory impairments were

usually trained for ‘traditional’ usually trained for ‘traditional’ professionsprofessions

Only a few managed to have Only a few managed to have University education (exceptions used University education (exceptions used as examples)as examples)

Difficulties in being employed Difficulties in being employed (employers’ bias)(employers’ bias)

People with acquired impairments People with acquired impairments employed in posts that help them employed in posts that help them come to terms with disabilitycome to terms with disability


Response to disabilityResponse to disability Accident as a turning point to life trajectory Accident as a turning point to life trajectory ‘‘I had just graduated and I had two scholarships for I had just graduated and I had two scholarships for Neurosurgery and Medicine. I did my military service in Neurosurgery and Medicine. I did my military service in the National Guard. Two months before finishing my the National Guard. Two months before finishing my military service, it was Wednesday after Easter and we were military service, it was Wednesday after Easter and we were in a lorry of the army, six persons, we returned from Dali to in a lorry of the army, six persons, we returned from Dali to Nicosia. A taxi tried to overtake, a car came from the Nicosia. A taxi tried to overtake, a car came from the opposite direction, the driver of the taxi was on a turninh opposite direction, the driver of the taxi was on a turninh and he had no visibility. We were six persons, fortunately, and he had no visibility. We were six persons, fortunately, only I ‘paid the bride’. I knew what happened because I only I ‘paid the bride’. I knew what happened because I used to read and I began to say that I was paralysed. used to read and I began to say that I was paralysed. Instead of entering the door as a doctor, I entered it from Instead of entering the door as a doctor, I entered it from the side of the patient’. A. Procopiouthe side of the patient’. A. Procopiou

Developing illnesses act as transitional Developing illnesses act as transitional periodsperiods

The person feels in the middle of two worldsThe person feels in the middle of two worlds


Family Family Supporting one’s family instead Supporting one’s family instead

of being supportedof being supported Importance of mother’s responseImportance of mother’s response

Access in social lifeAccess in social life Prior the 1980’s: disabled people Prior the 1980’s: disabled people

were ‘invisible’were ‘invisible’ Personal journeys to social Personal journeys to social

integrationintegration


Gendered experience of disabilityGendered experience of disability Women’s double oppression is related Women’s double oppression is related

with their difficulties in getting with their difficulties in getting marriedmarried

Intimate relationshipsIntimate relationships Only men referred to this dimensionOnly men referred to this dimension Being loved & accepted Vs Being Being loved & accepted Vs Being

loved & rejectedloved & rejected Belief that non-disabled women feel Belief that non-disabled women feel

pressure from their families to end pressure from their families to end relationshipsrelationships

Development of the Development of the Cypriot Disability Cypriot Disability

Movement Movement 1966: The first disability organisation1966: The first disability organisation‘‘We focussed in finding members for our We focussed in finding members for our organisation. It was very difficult. Now we have organisation. It was very difficult. Now we have telephone. Then it was different. We worked in telephone. Then it was different. We worked in regions. For example, the Regional Committee of regions. For example, the Regional Committee of Limassol would cover a few villages every Sunday. Limassol would cover a few villages every Sunday. We found disabled people and we registered them. We found disabled people and we registered them. We used to plough Cyprus to find disabled people. We used to plough Cyprus to find disabled people. This went on for a few years. We collected data. This went on for a few years. We collected data. We registered all the disabled people we could find We registered all the disabled people we could find and others who were pointed out by community and others who were pointed out by community leaders. We made a list with all the relevant leaders. We made a list with all the relevant information. We worked as statisticians’. information. We worked as statisticians’. G.ChristoforouG.Christoforou

1980: Formation of single impairment 1980: Formation of single impairment organisationsorganisations ‘‘Our fate in our hands’, ‘Nothing about us Our fate in our hands’, ‘Nothing about us

without us’without us’

Development of the Development of the Cypriot Disability Cypriot Disability

Movement Movement ‘‘By being united you have power’By being united you have power’

1981 - International Year of Disabled People 1981 - International Year of Disabled People

1984 – Confederatio1984 – Confederatio1919n of Organisations of n of Organisations of

the the Disabled of CyprusDisabled of Cyprus 1986 - Co-ordinating Committee for the 1986 - Co-ordinating Committee for the

StruggleStruggle of the Disabledof the Disabled 1999 - Cyprus Confederation of 1999 - Cyprus Confederation of

Organisations ofOrganisations of the Disabledthe Disabled

The political experience of The political experience of disability disability

1980s Experience in single-impairment 1980s Experience in single-impairment groupsgroups

Dilemma of solving personal problems by Dilemma of solving personal problems by using their connections or through their using their connections or through their organisationsorganisations

State’s attitude was disappointingState’s attitude was disappointing Inexistent social policy. Impact of Inexistent social policy. Impact of

networks with disabled activists from networks with disabled activists from other countriesother countries

Scattered legislative achievements for Scattered legislative achievements for each group of disabled people - no sense each group of disabled people - no sense of collectivenessof collectiveness


Experience in single-impairment Experience in single-impairment organisationsorganisations Conflicts as turning pointsConflicts as turning points The ‘good boy’ policyThe ‘good boy’ policy Charity experiences – unavoidable Charity experiences – unavoidable

humiliation?humiliation? Disappointment of the state’s generosity to Disappointment of the state’s generosity to

the ‘heroic’ group of disabled peoplethe ‘heroic’ group of disabled people Self evaluation of the first generation of Self evaluation of the first generation of

activists as members of single-impairment activists as members of single-impairment groupsgroups

‘‘We belong to a generation that had an We belong to a generation that had an obligation to join the organisation’s struggle. obligation to join the organisation’s struggle. We had to create the infrastructure that we We had to create the infrastructure that we have today. New generations found the have today. New generations found the infrastructure ready’ M. Demosthenousinfrastructure ready’ M. Demosthenous


Experience in collective organisations Experience in collective organisations Activists in a ‘big school’Activists in a ‘big school’ Getting to know people with different Getting to know people with different

kinds of impairmentskinds of impairments Lack of agreement on the meaning of Lack of agreement on the meaning of

‘equity’‘equity’ Some activists found it difficult to Some activists found it difficult to

function in collective organisations function in collective organisations (personality, age, gender)(personality, age, gender)

Personal, group and collective identityPersonal, group and collective identity

‘‘CCOD had an impact on me. As soon as I CCOD had an impact on me. As soon as I started going to the meetings, I realised that I started going to the meetings, I realised that I had to become active. At the beginning, I used had to become active. At the beginning, I used to go there and just listen. There were old to go there and just listen. There were old activists who carried disappointment and activists who carried disappointment and anger. This anger is important for claiming anger. This anger is important for claiming your rights. There is no doubt that it helped your rights. There is no doubt that it helped me a lot. Only men participated. The only me a lot. Only men participated. The only woman was the interpreter of sign language for woman was the interpreter of sign language for Demos. In addition, I was young. I also look Demos. In addition, I was young. I also look young. I just listened. I felt that there wasn’t a young. I just listened. I felt that there wasn’t a single hole for me to enter. You needed to be single hole for me to enter. You needed to be methodical in order to be imposed, but… I felt methodical in order to be imposed, but… I felt that I could help and reinforce the struggle of that I could help and reinforce the struggle of CCOD in another way. Finally, I found the way. CCOD in another way. Finally, I found the way. Through this office, I am in close contact with Through this office, I am in close contact with the organisation. It is very important to know the organisation. It is very important to know your possibilities and capabilities, to know how your possibilities and capabilities, to know how you function and to know what you can really you function and to know what you can really do and how far you can go. do and how far you can go.

There is no reason to ‘hit your head on the wall’ There is no reason to ‘hit your head on the wall’ or ‘throw eggs on the wall’ because the others or ‘throw eggs on the wall’ because the others do so and that way they achieve things. If you do so and that way they achieve things. If you don’t help yourself, if you don’t see what’s best don’t help yourself, if you don’t see what’s best for you, you can’t do anything. It is through for you, you can’t do anything. It is through your own needs that you can do things for the your own needs that you can do things for the benefit of other people. If you don’t support benefit of other people. If you don’t support yourself on your own, if you don’t help yourself, yourself on your own, if you don’t help yourself, then there isn’t much you can do. This is not then there isn’t much you can do. This is not selfishness. It is the right attitude towards the selfishness. It is the right attitude towards the situation. It needs obstinacy; a lot of obstinacy. situation. It needs obstinacy; a lot of obstinacy. If you are obstinate, then you can achieve If you are obstinate, then you can achieve something. If you let yourself lose, then you something. If you let yourself lose, then you can’t achieve anything. You have to push can’t achieve anything. You have to push things. It is disappointing, very disappointing. things. It is disappointing, very disappointing. But this is how it is in Cyprus.’ But this is how it is in Cyprus.’ C. PetridouC. Petridou


Experience in collective organisationsExperience in collective organisations Disabled activists in search of mouldsDisabled activists in search of moulds Efforts to find out about social policy Efforts to find out about social policy

abroadabroad Umbrella organisation member to Umbrella organisation member to

international and European international and European organisationsorganisations

Accession to the European Union gives Accession to the European Union gives hopehope

Close bonds with the Greek disability Close bonds with the Greek disability movementmovement


Experience in collective Experience in collective organisationsorganisations Disabled activists are disappointed with Disabled activists are disappointed with

the statethe state Lack of vision and long-term planning Lack of vision and long-term planning

of the stateof the state Marginalisation of disabled activists by Marginalisation of disabled activists by

the statethe state State as ‘breakwater’State as ‘breakwater’ State stops protestsState stops protests

The development of the The development of the

Cypriot Disability Movement: Cypriot Disability Movement: A preliminary theoretical modelA preliminary theoretical model

Thepersonal

experienceof disability

Culture

The political

experienceof disability