From mapping to meaning: Participatory community media and agonistic framings of victimhood in divided Cyprus

Community media in divided societies can consolidate one-sided suffering narratives or cultivate cross-community recognition. The author traces a mechanism linking participatory governance to editorial routines and, in turn, to textual framings of victimhood. Drawing on six Cypriot community media organisations (36 producer interviews; 111 texts, 2013–2018), the article identifies a “five-plus-one” pattern: five outlets predominantly frame victimhood agonistically, while one heritage outlet sustains antagonistic, hierarchical victimhood. Agonistic framings—out-group recognition plus acknowledgement of own-side harms—are more likely where governance embeds input diversity, reflexive accountability, and boundary-crossing practice, and where routines institutionalise dissent (paired testimonies, symmetry checks, and anti-euphemism rules). The article contributes a portable organisational account of how participatory infrastructures can shape conflict-relevant discourse in divided settings.