Voices of Disagreement: Participatory Media and Agonistic Democracy in Cyprus

This article examines how participatory structures within community media organizations (CMOs) in Cyprus shape their capacity to foster agonistic democratic discourse. Drawing on Chantal Mouffe’s theory of agonism and a qualitative multisite case study, it explores the internal dynamics of 6 Cypriot CMOs and their editorial impact. The findings show that CMOs with horizontal, inclusive, and reflexive organizational models tend to generate pluralistic, ethically engaged, and cross-community media content. These outlets legitimize disagreement, amplify excluded voices, and reframe the Other as a legitimate interlocutor. By contrast, CMOs that reproduce hierarchical structures tend to mirror dominant ethnocentric narratives and suppress dissent. At the same time, even the most participatory outlets face internal tensions and self-imposed limits, highlighting that genuine agonistic openness is fragile and continually negotiated. Connecting participatory governance with agonistic representation, the study highlights how grassroots media can incubate democratic culture in deeply divided societies. Though the study is grounded in a specific historical context, its insights resonate with broader efforts to understand how participatory infrastructures in community media can foster democratic pluralism in divided and transitional societies.