Imperialism at the margins? International Interventions in modern Greece

About the event: In the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crash Greece found itself in the whirlwind of an economic and political crisis of historic proportions. European institutions and international organisations orchestrated bailouts designed to protect the country from defaulting on its debt. In the eyes of domestic and international observers Greece had lost its status as a sovereign power. But how sovereign has the Greek state been throughout its bicentennial existence? This paper discusses the history of Modern Greece by analysing different episodes of connected military, economic and humanitarian interventions in during the long nineteenth and short twentieth century. It shows how a small state in Europe's periphery became in the course of the two past centuries a testing ground for European imperial practices taking the form of naval blockades, financial commissions, humanitarian missions. Finally, the paper discusses how Greek political actors made sense of these interventions and assesses their short term and long-term impact.

About the speaker:

Dr.Georgios is historian of international relations with a focus on nineteenth and early twentieth century Britain and Southeastern Europe. He is especially interested in the entwined trajectory of nationalism, empire, and internationalism in the first half of the twentieth century. Georgios studied history and politics in Greece (Panteion University) and holds a PhD in Modern History from Queen Mary University of London. Prior to joining City he held research and teaching posts in Greece (University of the Peloponnese, Academy of Athens), Slovakia (Slovak Academy of Sciences), the USA (New York University) and the UK (Durham University, Edinburgh University, Anglia Ruskin University, King’s College London and the LSE). He is a member of the Royal Historical Society and he serves in the executive committees of the Modern Greek Studies Association in the UK and the Greek Politics Specialist Group.

Host or Publisher School of International Service