ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the instrumentalisation of the notion of the ‘Greek genius’ during the 2010s, the period of the most recent Greek economic crisis. The notion was very much present in public debates and discussions on ways to overcome this crisis, frequently associated with other terms such as ‘startups’ and ‘brain drain’. As it is shown, this trend was compatible with the spirit of the times in a country seeking initiatives and innovative approaches that could boost economic development. On the basis of a qualitative approach and discourse analysis of media and political sources (newspapers, web blogs and political parties), this study demonstrates key interpretative themes and patterns used in relation to the ‘Greek genius’. The different approaches, it is argued, are often specific to political orientation (centre-left and centre-right). Overall, there is a consensus across political actors and media on the need for more startups and for halting brain drain. However, it seems that in centre-right sources, the ‘Greek genius’ is an integral part of this reasoning whereas this is not the case with centre-left sources.
