EU and Greek politics
My earliest academic work explored the historical and ideational underpinnings of pro- and anti-EU sentiments. I have co-authored a book on the Greco-German relationship during the Eurozone crisis and a book chapter on the historical roots of Euroscepticism and Europhilia within the Greek left. I regularly write commentaries and press articles on Greek and EU politics.
The Greco-German affair in the Euro crisis: Mutual recognition lost?
- Claudia Sternberg, Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni, and Kalypso Nicolaïdis (2018) The Greco-German Affair in the Euro Crisis: Mutual Recognition Lost? London: Palgrave Pivot
Our short book focuses on one of the most highly charged relationships of the Euro crisis, that between Greece and Germany, from 2009 to 2015. It explores the many ways in which Greeks and Germans represented and often insulted one another in the media, how their self-understanding shifted in the process, and how this in turn affected their respective appraisal of the EU and that which divides us or keeps us together as Europeans. These stories illustrate the book’s broader argument about mutual recognition, an idea and norm at the very heart of the European project. The tumultuous affair between the two peoples, we argue, can be read as “mutual recognition lost” through a thousand cuts, but also as opening the potential for a renewed promise of mutual recognition and an ethos of “fair play for the EU as a whole.
Public engagement: This book was presented at book launches organised at Oxford (7/2/18) and LSE (20/3/18) (podcast available), as well as in a number of conferences and workshops. We also recorded a podcast discussion as part of the UCL European Institute’s Talking Europe series.
See also: Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni, Kalypso Nicolaïdis, and Claudia Sternberg (2015) ‘La Crise de la Zone Euro et le Déni de l’Autre: Pour une Reconstruction de la Reconnaissance Mutuelle’, in Éric Monnet and Claudia Sternberg (eds.) Euro, les années critiques, special issue of La Vie des Idées.
Backdoor Colonialism or Anchor of Modernity? A Short History of Ideas about European Integration within the Greek Left
- Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (2020) ‘Backdoor Colonialism or Anchor of Modernity? A Short History of Ideas about European Integration within the Greek Left’, in Mark Gilbert and Daniele Pasquinucci (eds.) Euroscepticisms: The Historical Roots of a Political Challenge. Leiden: Brill.
In this chapter I explore the historical roots of pro- and anti-EU attitudes in Greece. Despite claims in political science that a “second cleavage” (beyond traditional left-right divisions) has only recently started to play an important role in European politics, a pro-/ anti-globalisation cleavage has in fact exerted a profound influence in Greek domestic politics since at least the 1970s. The chapter examines the role of specific, deeply rooted narratives about Greece’s identity and place in the world in shaping patterns of Euroscepticism and Europhilia within the Greek left from the late 1970s to 2015.
Reports
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (July 2019) “Understanding the Greek election result: a multi-dimensional framework”, contribution included in the 6th Pamphlet of the Greek Politics Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (PSA). In this piece, I propose a two-dimensional model for studying domestic politics in European countries, including a left/ right and a pro-/ anti-globalisation dimension. Crucially, both dimensions have economic as well as ideational underpinnings.
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (February 2019) “Europe for the Many? Realising left-wing reforms in the European Union”, LSE Continental Breakfasts series. Apart from broader reflections on implementing left-wing reforms in the EU context (based on participant interventions at the LSE’s 16th Continental Breakfast), the report includes an extended discussion on “Public housing and the integrative approach to public service provision in Vienna” (see the blue box in p. 7-9).
Articles and blog posts
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (29 March 2023), “Women in Greek politics: It’s time to turn the page” (in Greek), LIFO opinion article.
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (10/12/2019), letter to The Guardian
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (October 2019), “An ethnographic study of the Greek community of Oxford: preliminary reflections”, SEESOX Diaspora Briefs.
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (April 2019), “Interview with Yannis Boutaris: There is no Future without a Past” (in German), journal of the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns.
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (24/6/2018), “The relocation of refugees from Greece: A success story that wasn’t heard” (in Greek), opinion article published in the online version of the Greek daily Kathimerini.
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni and Philip Schnattinger (3/7/2015), “Say ‘Yes’ to Europe: A response to Joseph Stiglitz’s ‘How I would vote in the Greek referendum’”, UCL European Institute’s “Britain and Europe” blog.
Kira Gartzou-Katsouyanni (24/6/2015), “What Precisely is the Greek Government’s Mandate?”,UCL European Institute’s “Britain and Europe” blog.
With Claudia Sternberg and Kalypso Nicolaïdis in Ferbruary 2018