1. Exploring Embedded Strategies of Overcoming Otherness
The Case of Rhodes Island

2. Drama, Solidarity and Hatred

3. Mixed Migration Flows in the Mediterranean

4. Aegean Sea: Points of Arrival

5. Deaths and Missing Persons along the Migration Routes

6. Mixed Migration Wave: A Friction Point
Official and Unofficial Policies
Populist Rhetoric
Closed Borders and Rise of Xenophobia
Immigrants into the Othering Process
Bearers of a social, economic, cultural evil
Absent from the pubic dialogue that concerns them
Agency into a bidirectional perception

7. A Role in the Periphery. But Which One?
Greece facing deep crisis
Centrifugal tendency due to the economic crisis
Managing the mixed migration wave
The periphery always hosts the administration of pain (abattoirs, prisons, cemeteries etc)
The management of migration symbolically as a pain inflicting activity
From the management to the empowerment
Involvement of the New Others in the process of their integration

8. The Rhodian Muslim Community
700 years of presence on the island
Always a demographical minority but politically strong during the Ottoman administration of Rhodes (1522 – 1912)
A bilingual community
Separate educational systems until A parallel curriculum until 1972
Diversity inscribed in the “memory of the space”
A sui generis embedded diversity
Memory reproduces their historical origin:
Subtle connotations of the past and current social hierarchies under the mantle of religious diversity

9. Historical Justice: The Case of Rhodes
Historic Justice: A project with cathartic potential
Ruti Teitel: It forges new common social identities and solidarity bonds
Antonis Liakos: Re-signifies the chaotic unfolding of history and its traumatic effects
Rhodian Muslims: Not Traumatised but still Diverse
Binary logic; “You” and “Us”
Integration with clearly set boundaries

10. Religion and Identity: The Balkans, Greece and Rhodes
Modernity introduced the de-institutionalisation of religion
Religion in the Balkans has a traditional political role
Greek statal formation incorporated that role
Lower degree of secularisation in Greece connects religious communities to the national context
Rhodian Muslims approached secularization as the result of embedded social divisions and lack of access to their diverse cultural capital

11. Self-Developed Strategies Towards Functional Diversity
Minority social groups and immigrants are conceptually different; yet, the historical context indicates common methodological perspectives
Immigrants just as other marginalised groups experience several levels of exclusion
The point of convergence between minority social groups and immigrants is not a moral stance but an actual common need for successful integration
Education, social diversity and integration policies
Valuable inputs from diverse cultural capital are communicated as small victorious moments

12. Thank You P. Kimourtzis, Associate Professor, University of Aegean
G. Kokkinos, Professor, University of Aegean
I. V. Papageorgiou, Research Associate, Rhodes Project SCE
D. Kypriotis, PhD, University of Aegean

13. Functional Diversity – Traditional Other
A sui generis embedded diversity. Co-existence with mutually respected borders
I never felt different from the Greeks. People loved me and I love them. Rhodes is my place. Here is my property, here are the graves of my parents.
Interview with S. O.

14. Religion and the “Other”:
The socio-economic conditions in Rhodes lead to a higher degree of secularisation for the Muslim communities compared to Thrace
I rarely go to the Mosque, only at the Bairam or at weddings etc. Just like you go to the church only in Christmas and Easter.
Interview with M. K.
People here don’t go to the Mosque. It’s not like my family in Xanthi (Thrace). They don’t even fast! They drink alcohol and eat pork. Back there (Xanthi) things are very strict.
Interview with F. H. and T. M.

15. Education and the “Other”
The parallel curriculum extended the diversity
I attended the Muslim School in the Old Town back then. The result is that I don’t understand sufficiently either Greek or Turkish…
Interview with H. K.
The presence of the “Other” is a factor of plurality
I was allowed to abstain from the religion classes in school. I didn’t. In the courses about Islam I was happy to contribute
Interview with F. H.

16. Education and Empowerment
Empowerment is a prerequisite for the development of acceptance
Acceptance of a passive bearer of cultural characteristics is void of meaning compared to an active cultural operator
Empowerment is an act of active restoration of justice against the marginalised other
I didn’t have the opportunity to attend a Muslim school because it was closed just on the year I was supposed to attend.
What are your views about that?
I don’t know… shouldn’t I have the opportunity to learn correctly the language of my father? The same applies to my children!
Interview with M. K.