In spring 2012, we were enrolled in a field-based graduate course in the International Peace and Conflict Resolution program at Arcadia University titled, Divided Cities: Nicosia, Cyprus. The course explored three key themes in relation to the Cyprus conflict: governance, identity, and reconciliation. It was structured around key questions linked to these themes: What spaces for mutual governance exist currently on the island? What are the barriers to reconciliation? And how has the conflict shaped the identities of the islands inhabitants?

The first six weeks of the semester were devoted to classroom discussion and debate around these themes and the linkages to peace and conflict resolution. In March 2012, we spent the field portion of the course in Nicosia talking to civil society activists about the challenges of governance and reconciliation in the context of the specific dynamics and contours of contemporary Cyprus. Upon returning, our classroom discussions revolved around the question motivating this special issue: Can Cyprus be solved?