Imperial Control in Cyprus

Antigone Heraclidou is a postdoctoral research associate at the Museum Lab of RISE (Research Centre on Interactive Media, Smart Systems and Emerging Technologies). She holds an MSc in International History from the London School of Economics and a PhD in Modern History from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London. She is the author of Imperial Control in Cyprus: Education and Political Manipulation in the British Empire (2017) and co-editor of Cyprus: from Colonialism to the Present: Visions and Realities. Essays in honour of Professor Robert Holland (2018) and ‘Political Actors in the Mediterranean, 1918-1964: Cyprus and Malta compared’ Special Issue of the Journal of Mediterranean Studies, 23(1), 2014. She has also published her work in international journals and was the co-organiser of three international academic conferences in London. She has taught History modules at the University of Cyprus, the Open University of Cyprus and the European University of Cyprus. She worked closely with several museums in Nicosia from her post as an Officer at Nicosia Tourism Board. Her research interests include Cyprus’ colonial history, decolonisation, education and cultural heritage.

• Introduction Chapter 1 - Laissez-faire or dehellenization? Education in British Cyprus, 1878-1931Chapter 2 - Making a British Atmosphere in Cyprus, 1931-35 Chapter 3 - Towards the end of ‘Palmerocracy’: British educational policy in Cyprus, 1936-3Chapter 4 - Education and politics in wartime Cyprus, 1940-45Chapter 5 - Education, enosis and the revival of politics in post-war Cyprus, 1945-50Chapter 6 - Education policy and the path to insurgencyChapter 7 - Schools in uproar: The EOKA revolt and the end of British rule in Cyprus Conclusion

There is much to appreciate about this book ... I am particularly impressed by the conclusion, which takes the discussion away from the traditional narrative of British efforts at de-Hellenization and ‘divide and rule’, and looks at understanding the British efforts to create a contemporary education system ... I therefore recommend the book as the most up-to-date on the politics of education in Cyprus for the period 1931–59.