Desecuritization in Protracted Conflicts

Abstract

This chapter focuses exclusively on desecuritization in environments dominated by routinized securitization. It examines both the top-down attempts of mainstream actors, and more importantly the under-examined audience-driven efforts and limitations. Specifically, it focuses on one hand why and how certain groups are willing and capable of breaking free of the conflict norms to engage in desecuritizing acts, and on the other the limitations they face and the main reasons why their efforts have not managed, so far, to have a major impact on the conflict. Particular emphasis is placed on the most recent and important audience-driven effort carried out by a civil society group, called Unite Cyprus Now.