Beyond economics struggles: A critical criminological study into th Greek debt crisis (2010-2019)

This thesis provides an (almost) historical and empirical analysis of the Greek narrative of crisis, in a way that transcends the claims put forth by the dominant discourse that attributed the crisis’ eruption solely to national shortcomings while presenting austerity as the only viable path to economic consolidation. The overarching goal of this thesis, is to present and claim that the Greek narrative of crisis is far more nuanced, incorporating diverse perspectives, understandings and experiences concerning both its initial outbreak and the subsequent management planning for its consolidation. This is accomplished, by exploring all dimensions of what initially emerged as a debt crisis in 2010, extending way beyond mere economic realms to encompass significant political, societal and humanitarian dimensions. The in-depth examination of all these facets, revealed that the notions of power, violence and harm were central components the Greek narrative of crisis and have highly determined the ways that their ramifications manifested in the Greek context. Specifically, they shed a light on how the crisis-austerity combination led relations and interactions among all involved and concerned in the Greek narrative of crisis actors drifting through a persistent conflict of underlying perceptions and interests, essentially transforming a crisis-ridden context into a conflict-prone landscape. More significantly, they identified crucial in understanding how the often-overlooked interplay of conflicting national and supranational perspectives and interests, in combination with the chronic and strict implementation of austerity, were determining factors in 1) dismantling the already malfunctioning Greek state, 2) exacerbating social defragmentation and polarisation, and 3) fostering a context characterised by violence and repression.