PhD thesis defence by Foteini-Maria Vassou
This thesis examines how shocks—forced migration, political marginalisation, and linguistic repression—shape minority political behavior, identity formation, and integration. Focusing on Greece in the interwar and post-World War II periods, it analyses how displaced and marginalised communities responded to political exclusion, adapted their voting strategies, and navigated shifting political landscapes. Using archival electoral data and causal inference methods (Difference-in-Differences, Regression Discontinuity Design), the thesis provides an empirical account of how political representation and identity formation unfold under conditions of displacement and repression.
The first chapter the political realignment of refugees following forced displacement, demonstrating that while initial political loyalties were strong, they weakened when political representation failed. However, rather than permanently defecting, they remained engaged by shifting from substantive to descriptive representation, increasingly supporting co-ethnic candidates within the party rather than abandoning it altogether. This shift underscores how minority groups adjust their political strategies when policy-based representation falters, relying instead on identity-based representation to maintain influence.
The second chapter investigates how internal divisions within refugee communities weakened their collective influence, showing that fragmentation disrupted political cohesion and reduced their ability to mobilise effectively.
The third chapter examines the impact of linguistic repression during foreign occupation, challenging the assumption that suppression automatically triggers a nationalist backlash. Instead, the findings suggest that political responses to repression depend on broader historical and social contexts rather than repression alone. Taken together, these studies advance theories of ethnic voting, representation, and repression, demonstrating that minority political behavior is neither static nor purely grievance-driven but shaped by strategic adaptation and group cohesion. The findings contribute to debates on refugee integration, the effects of repression, and the long-term consequences of displacement, offering insights into how marginalised communities engage with political systems and how historical legacies shape democratic institutions over time.
Foteini-Maria Vassou is a PhD Researcher in the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the European University Institute and a Lecturer in Political Science at Leiden University. Her research lies at the intersection of comparative politics, historical political economy, and identity studies, with a focus on the political behaviour and integration of refugee-origin populations. Her dissertation examines the political integration of refugee communities in interwar Greece, highlighting how migration, displacement, and identity shape long-term patterns of political participation. She has also worked on projects related to public opinion, minority politics, and the rule of law.