Passport Island: The Market for EU Citizenship in Cyprus by Theodoros Rakopoulos (review)

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• Passport Island: The Market for EU Citizenship in Cyprus by Theodoros Rakopoulos
• Theodoros Kouros (bio)

Theodoros Rakopoulos, Passport Island: The Market for EU Citizenship in Cyprus. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2023. Pp. xiii + 262. 21 illustrations, 2 tables. Hardcover £85.00.

In this groundbreaking and well written monograph, Rakopoulos undertakes a pioneering exploration into the intricate realm of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC). This seminal work stands out as the first monograph to scrutinize comprehensively a phenomenon not confined to the borders of the RoC or the European Union, that of the so-called "golden passports"—schemes that grant citizenship rights to people who invest a certain amount of money in the country that grants the citizenship. Driven by meticulous ethnographic research and an anthropologist's discerning eye for detail and meaning, Rakopoulos's narrative not only dissects the operational mechanics of the RoC's CBI program but also untangles the complex web of social, cultural, and economic implications entwined with the commodification of citizenship.

This first ethnographic exploration of investment migration illuminates the global mobility of elites while challenging established notions of citizenship. Rakopoulos contends that the dynamics of citizenship are profoundly entrenched in local contexts. Through insightful ethnographic fieldwork with both the "makers" (local brokers) and the "takers" (international investor-clients), the author delves into the multifaceted nature of citizenship transactions. A key revelation in the monograph has to do with the impact of crisis discourse, rather than the materiality of crisis, on the formulation of cash-for-passports schemes (223), and the monograph thus challenges conventional perspectives on material crises. Furthermore, Rakopoulos asserts that the sale of citizenship involves a complex interplay of political and economic valuations, with repercussions for global inequality, the real estate industry, and local societies.

The case study of the RoC sheds light on the tangible effects of citizenship commodification, including the proliferation of iconic "passport towers," especially in Limassol. The ensuing impacts on local rents, environmental degradation, and corruption demonstrate the intricate layers of the phenomenon. The monograph advocates for a comparative examination of citizenship-by-investment schemes on a global scale, in order to comprehend citizenship's evolution amid the forces of globalization and neoliberalism. In a thought-provoking conclusion, Rakopoulos questions whether contemporary analyses of citizenship overlook its historical link with property, positing that [End Page 133] the current wave of investment migration may represent not a novelty but a regression to earlier, property-centric models of citizen-making.

Rakopoulos sets the stage with a comprehensive historical overview of the RoC and its geopolitical context. This backdrop proves crucial for understanding why the small island nation turned to citizenship-by-investment as a means to boost its economy and global standing. The author skillfully navigates the intricacies of policymaking and legislative changes, shedding light on the motivations behind the government's decision to embrace this controversial pathway to citizenship. In his first chapter, Rakopoulos does a magnificent job in precisely locating the RoC, avoiding the conflation of Cyprus (the island) with the RoC (the only de jure state on the island), an error into which others have fallen.

One of the monograph's notable strengths lies in Rakopoulos's immersive and meticulous fieldwork. He spent considerable time embedded within the circles of the actors who make, buy, and are affected by the CBI program. This involvement includes interviews with the "makers"—individuals engaged in policymaking and the sale of passports—as well as the "takers," the newly minted citizens, and the wider local population. Through firsthand accounts, readers gain valuable insights into the diverse motivations of those seeking and selling Cypriot citizenship. Rakopoulos points out that the RoC is by no means an expat utopia but rather a "backup airport" (185) offering safety, secrecy, and silence as part of an offshore citizenship, as the author aptly calls it. Rakopoulos adeptly dissects the impact of the CBI program on Cypriot society, exploring the tensions and dynamics that arise when a wave of new citizens, each with their own unique background and aspirations, integrates into an existing cultural tapestry.

The monograph raises thought-provoking questions about identity, belonging, and the commodification of...