Book Launch
30/06/2010
Book presentations
On 6th May 2010 at the House of Europe in Nicosia, the Research Unit of Behaviour and Social Issues – affiliated with the University of Nicosia – launched its first book publications in Greek. The published books are:
1. “Sexual Interactions: The Social Structure of Atypical Sexual Behaviors” by Constantinos Phellas, Andreas Philaretou and Stavros Karayiannis
2. “Society and Health: Psychosocial and Cultural Approaches in Cyprus and Greece”, Constantinos Phellas, editor
The books were launched under the auspices of the Office of the European Parliament in Cyprus and KRITIKI Publishers. Dr Michalis Attalides, Rector of the University of Nicosia, presented the first book, “Sexual Interactions: The Social Structure of Atypical Sexual Behaviors”. He gave a short description of the contents beginning with the first chapters by author, Andreas Philaretou, which refer to the sexual habits of men based on the Cypriot patriarchal values of ‘machismo’ and the sexual exploitation of the female, especially of foreign women. He then praised the literature style of Stavros Karayiannis, who examines an interesting post-colonialist intercrossing of political gender, sexuality and national politics. While Stavros Karayiannis focuses on how masculinity has postured in Cyprus’ post-colonial states and how this posturing is reflected in the everyday sexual practices of the Greek Cypriots, he considers the condemnation of homosexuality as a colonial western residue. Finally, Dr Attalides noted the interesting analysis by Constantinos Phellas of the social structure of homosexuality in Greek-Cypriot society, which stigmatizes with a specific social stigma the effeminate man, and he makes a special reference to the identity of the Anglo-Cypriot gay men in Britain which is more safely constructed in terms of their relationships with family, significant others and occupational community peers, instead of their sexual identity.
Dr Attalides acknowledged the importance of the book regarding the social, political and historical elements given in relation to the theorizing of sexuality in Greek-Cypriot culture, as well as the social research methods practiced by the three authors, prompting the need for this research to be continued. More specifically he commented that “such social research methods were followed which preserve and promote the voluntary nature of human action, the formation of will and the pursuit of meaning. [Such methods] do not push these dimensions to the edges, in which a methodology in social sciences might result, either from dry reporting of statistical behaviour and phenomena or from the elimination of human personality”.
Dr Demosthenis Agrafiotis, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, National School of Public Health, Greece, presented the second book, “Society and Health: Psychosocial and Cultural Approaches in Cyprus and Greece”. He noted that the book, the first of its kind in the two countries, has managed to offer a multi-disciplinary unison in the area of health, science. The book erases public debate doubts regarding inter-disciplinary accounts of the psychological and social aspects of health. Dr Agrafiotis referred to the diversity of the book, which covers a wide range of public health topics, particularly by scientists from diverse scientific and academic backgrounds. He highlighted the value of qualitative research approach regarding the registration of the patients’ experiences, as well as the analysis of the dimensions of social structure within the health context. He actually suggested that the title of the book should have been “Health, Society” or The Society of Health”; titles which probably would better describe the contents of the book.
The publication covers issues of sexuality and sexual behaviour: experiences of patients who live with different diseases like HIV/AIDS and Diabetes; anthropological approaches to issues such as organ transplant; studies describing behaviour with regard to health factors, namely substance abuse; health behaviour of special population groups like refugees and immigrants. Within this context, the book has managed to combine the psychosocial aspect of health resulting from the research work of 21 social scientists from the field of sociology, psychology and social anthropology, during a period when the collaboration between these disciplines is considered difficult. As noted by Dr Agrafiotis, this attempt, although risky, has managed to succeed and produce the result which is now before us. Afterwards, the valuable comments of Dr Agrafiotis triggered a very fruitful discussion among the guests.
The event was addressed by Dr Constantinos Phellas, Executive Director of RUBSI, author and editor of the two publications; Mrs Frini Charalambous gave a short address on behalf of the Publishers KRITIKI, and the event was coordinated by Mrs Alexandra Attalides, Press Attaché of the Office of the European Council and the Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus.