Maria Xenitidou

Democritus University of Thrace

Discourse, Social and Societal Change? Encounters with indigenous and non-indigenous residents of

Greece

The research project is implemented within the framework of the Action «Supporting Postdoctoral Researchers» of the Operational Program "Education and Lifelong Learning" (Action’s Beneficiary: General Secretariat for Research and Technology), and is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Greek State .

AIM• To explore the ways in which participants orient to issues, notions and policies associated with citizenship, civic rights and political participation in Greece, triggered by Law 3838/2010.

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METHOD• Individual and group interviews with 50 indigenous residents and citizens of Greece and non-indigenous and non-citizen residents of Greece, Thessaloniki in particular.

• Analysis based on Critical Discursive Social Psychology (CDSP) (Wetherell, 1998) focusing on o regularities in discourse and in the lines of argument

mobilised, both in terms of content, common places (Billig, 1991) and dilemmas Billig et al. (1988) around which these developed and

o discursive strategies used by participants (Edwards and Potter, 1992);

o paying attention to the ways in which participants orient to issues and position themselves and considering the local and macro-social implications. 

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Regularity• interplay between dominant, majoritarian representations and minority representations of citizenship and political participationo Citizenship associated to legalityo Criticism of opportunismo Citizenship more than civic, formal preconditionso Political participation as a serious issue involving

national interestso Political participation (lack of) associated to political

corruption

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Some points from existing theory

• Citizenship and the dialectic of inclusion/exclusion

• Claims making and the plea for recognition

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Extract 1 – right in principle/(national) interests at stake in practice

Melli: Look sure: (.) sure it concerns the (.) the resident of x y municipality who: (.) is either as we said an alien or Greek (.) it concerns him (.) because he lives there (.) it is ju:st: (.) maybe it is something deepe:r the political (.) issue (.) that affects (.) all our lives a:nd (.) its culture (.) our history? That is to say it has to do with all these (.) and many foreigners (.) and I have experienced this first hand (.) don’t know Greek history (.) e:h (.) maybe how should I put this? Their view on the issue of election (.) would affe:ct negatively (.) the Greeks who live here (.) who live more with these people (.) they know what it is about (.) have a clearer vie:wΜaria: you mean the politicians? Melli: the politicians yes (.) the politicians and the country’s history (.) this because from there:: the whole: issue begins (.) now ok you will tell me for local elections you are asking me (.) I don’t know (.) I believe that in some: sense: (.) they have a right (.) since they live here (.) in the x municipality (.) bu:t (.) it is something that affects all of the rest of Greeks and maybe they don’t have an appropriate view (.) to vote

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Extract 2 – voting right is a big responsibility so these rights should not be granted lightly

Toula: = And not be a Greek citizen (..) it is a big responsibility (..) because even one vote has huge gravity ((importance)) and it is a big responsibility (.) e::h (.) with the vote with your choice (.) to determine the future of a country (..) and now I go back to that (.) e:h the co-ethnics came right? And I know tha:t (.) they have received citizenship in a much easier way

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Extract 3 – formal preconditions not enough in order to be a Greek citizen – Greek citizenship not proof of Greekness

Toula: Ε:h (.) ok I will resp (.) let’s say I that I am a foreigner (.) to me what does it mean to be a Greek citizen (.) I will tell you this very procedurally (.) e:h that at least ten years have to pass to be able to get the citizenshi:p what does that mean? >We have to pass an interview in which we have to know the language (.) and the history< (.) despite all these I don’t think that these are enough to be citizen of a country (..) e::h (..) in order for you in order for someone to be Greek citizen (.) look (..) he has to fee:l (.) the values o:f Greekness ((Hellenism)) (.) that is I don’t know if someone who (.) is from abroad (.) and does not understand what is happening around if he can indeed be a Greek citizen (.) like I don’t think that you should definitely be born here (.) to be a Greek citizen (.) you could be: more Greek than the Greeks (.) without being a Greek citizen (…) e:h for someone to be a Greek citizen (.) nice question (…) look (.) again I say that obviously to belong in a culture (..) to have grown up with some mores and traditions (..) e:h to: have Greek (..) how should I tell you (.) to say it Greek mentality is too much* to say it this way (..)

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Extract 4 – Greek citizenship not proof of Greekness

Efi: may be it is this (.) to partake in all whatever is in the country where he isKaiti: it is the civilization (.) the cultura:l (.) the culture (.) everything (.) to get into the spirit Efi: because there are here that come with Greek identity card (.) and don’t know how to speak Greek (.) we cannot communicate (.) and they are in Greece for years

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Some thoughts • Interplay between dominant, majoritarian representations and minority representations of citizenship and political participationo Why? Banality? Banal versus pro-active constructionso Why not? Dominant representations as wide-spread understanding on which minorities draw

• Reproduction of majoritarian representations – otheringo Indigenous speakers other non-indigenouso Non-indigenous speakers other other migrants (double)

• Reproduction of majoritarian representations – claims-makingo How would reproducing majoritarian representations from a minority position enable

claims making?o Social mobility at the expense of civic rights?

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