ABSTRACT
Since 1974, Turkish and Greek Cypriots have been locked in a paradoxical relationship. While actively engaged in a prolonged state of mutual non-recognition and negative peace, they have managed to avoid resorting to violence to resolve their fundamental differences. As such, the conflict in Cyprus serves as a pertinent example of enduring functional coexistence, providing a valuable lens to explore the evolving nature of the conflict that keeps parties in the conflict without resorting to violence, all the while creating opportunities for constructive coexistence. To illustrate some of the notable characteristics of enduring functional coexistence in Cyprus, this chapter begins with a succinct historical overview of the conflict. It then analyzes the interactions between the conflicting parties, while noting the cumulative impacts of official and unofficial peace interventions on them. Next, it examines distinct characteristics of functional coexistence in Cyprus, with a particular emphasis on the types of relationship challenges (denial, official non-recognition, and passive non-recognition) as well as on the forms of interaction (in-person vs remote; bounded vs unbounded by geographic constraints; short-term transactional vs long-term relational). The final section explores potential paths for peacebuilding. It theorizes how conflict resolution practitioners and conflict parties can more constructively build on an enduring state of functional coexistence exemplified by the case study of Cyprus.
