Professor Constantinos N. Phellas, Vice Rector for Faculty and Research at the University of Nicosia, is guided by the principle that “every day is a new beginning” – a blank slate that allows every individual the opportunity to start anew; be this a change in career, mind-set or, even, location! With this in mind, one can better understand the path that his professional career has taken along the years.

Interview by: Elisa Bosio, Senior Research Officer

A cursory view of his academic work will quickly identify that Constantinos’ research interests lie in the social sciences and, especially, sociology. However, this was not always the case. Born and raised in Cyprus, Constantinos travelled to the United Kingdom for his undergraduate degree in Mathematics at the University of Essex. This was followed by an MSc in Management Science and Operational Research from the University of Warwick. Upon graduating, Constantinos began his professional career as an Associate with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Chartered Accountants in London, working on issues related to taxation. A few years in, Constantinos was struck by the proverbial “seven year itch” and in search of a new beginning. By chance, he noticed an article in The Guardian newspaper, announcing a new postgraduate qualification in Advanced Social Research Methods and Statistics. Constantinos applied for the programme, bid farewell to taxation and the rest, as they say, is history.

Receiving funding from the UK Economic Social Research Council, Constantinos then pursued and obtained his PhD in Sociology at the University of Essex (his dissertation was on the “Sexual and Cultural Identities of Greek-Cypriot Men Resident in London”); thus, transitioning into an academic career path. Since then, he has lectured at City University, London; Goldsmith College, University of London; London South Bank University; University of Essex; University of Cyprus; and the University of Nicosia – teaching a range of courses relating to various sociological issues (including sexuality, health and ageing), as well as courses on advanced research methods. Constantinos notes that his initial education equipped him with a strong quantitative background that has proven to be an asset when it comes to being an adept social scientist. In fact, he credits this training with allowing him to follow a methodical and structured approach to any of his professional activities and tasks; be this as simple as structuring a formal written communication.

Another view held by Constantinos is that “everything in our life – every experience, every relationship – is designed fundamentally to teach us truth.” Nowhere is this more relevant or evident than in his research interest areas, which have been largely defined by important incidents and people in his life, whereby he was confronted with death and illness from a young age. The three main research areas that his work focuses on are: construction of sexual identities; the psychological and social aspects of public health (specifically, end-of-life decision making and care); and health, illness and ageing. Residing in London in the mid-eighties, it was impossible to ignore the HIV epidemic that struck the US and Europe, which, at the time, was accompanied with intense media focus on a frightening disease with no known cure and very little awareness about the causes and spread of the disease. A disease which, at the time, claimed the lives of thousands of people, whose final days were fraught with fear, agony and social stigma that undoubtedly carried over into the type of treatment they received as patients. This experience, as well as, having to watch a close family member battle Alzheimer’s disease (which involves the progressive mental deterioration that occurs in middle or old age due to generalised degeneration of the brain), greatly influenced his research interests.

These life experiences are the driver behind Constantinos’ research and his general outlook on life. He believes that people can grow from challenges and painful experiences – should they choose to do so. He goes on to explain that a person can react to challenges or pain either as a victim (feeling entitled and that “life is unfair” if things do not go one’s way) or with a sense of gratitude (feeling grateful for all that one has in life and striving to see the positive in situations and people). Constantinos has made a conscious effort to view each difficulty with a sense of gratitude, which, in turn, allows him to appreciate the beauty in life and move forward. He feels that he has a strong duty as a social scientist to make society a better place by providing marginalised people (members of the LGBT community, cancer patients, the elderly, etc.) with a platform to empower them and to make their voices heard. He is able to achieve this through his publications and funded research projects, as well as by speaking at local and international conferences, and through various governmental and European appointments; such as his recent appointment as the Chairperson of the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee (June 2015 – July 2019).

Shortly after joining the University of Nicosia (then Intercollege) as an Associate Professor at the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law in 2004, Constantinos founded the Research Unit in Behavioural and Social Issues (RUBSI). This academically affiliated centre aims to contribute to the body of knowledge that informs the development of health policy, education and practice in health interventions. The most recent project undertaken by RUBSI examined the psychological and social aspects of Thalassemia in Cyprus. Financed by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation the project was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Cyprus Thalassemia Association, as well as the Open University Cyprus and the University of Cyprus. This resulted in the development and piloting of a psychological intervention programme, now available to be introduced by the relevant services of the Ministry of Health; in order to offer psychosocial support to patients with Thalassemia who wish to benefit from it.

Since 2012, Constantinos is the President of the Gerontological Research Center (Γεροντολογικό Ερευνητικό Κέντρο – ΓΕΚ), an NGO established to address the knowledge gap that relates to the lives of the elderly in Cyprus. A public forum scheduled for early 2016 will bring together politicians, as well as members from the business and creative communities, aged 60 and over, to discuss how they are tackling and making the most of old age.

Constantinos stresses that there are a plethora of social phenomena around the world that we are called upon to deal with and, as a social scientist, he is committed to the generation of new insights into, and awareness of, issues related to sexual identity, patient care and ageing. Through his professional work and in his personal life, he aspires to “live in the present” and draw from each experience and relationship; thus allowing these to “teach [us] truth.” This mind-set shaped the content of his recent TEDx University of Nicosia talk, delivered in collaboration with Diomedes Koufteros, which was aptly titled “The future is… F*#k the future.”

Nearing the end of the interview, Constantinos compares life to a large canvas splattered with colourful streaks of paint reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock artwork. Those bright steaks of colour represent both the happy and the painful moments in one’s life that collectively come together to shape us – and when one stands back to examine the painting as a whole, it is up to each individual to see it as a thing of beauty or otherwise.

Flash Five 

1. What motivates you to come to work on a daily basis?

The people from all walks of life that I have the opportunity to interact with daily and the opportunity to make people feel good about themselves.

2. What are your favourite and least favourite aspects of your job? 

I consider myself a people-person, so the favourite aspect of my job is being able to problem-solve in a diplomatic way, and assist people – hopefully, always with a smile. My least favourite aspect is the administrative work that accumulates!

3. Do you have any role models?

I admire selfless, ordinary people; people who look after other people.

4. What do you enjoy doing during your free time? 

Despite what people may think, I treasure my alone time and am somewhat of a social introvert. I enjoy going to the theatre, listening to music, reading, and giving back to the community through charity work.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring academics and researchers in your field?

Nothing is handed to us in life – work hard. Follow your passions and dreams with commitment and consistency. Take advantage of opportunities that come your way (no matter how big or small) as they help develop your social and professional network. In life, it is a mix of who and what you know! Finally, in the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Recent Publications

  • Phellas, C., & Balourdos, D. (Co-Editors), (2015), “Researching Society: Contemporary Research Methods in Researching Social Issues”, Athens: Papazisis Publishing Limited (in Greek).
  • Phellas, C., Kapsou, M. & Epaminondas, E. (Co-Editors), (2014), “Alternative Sexualities in Modern Greece & Cyprus”, Athens: Colourful Planet Publishing Limited (in Greek).
  • Phellas, C. (Editor), (2013), “Ageing in European Societies”, New York: Springer.
  • Phellas, C. (Editor), (2012), “Researching Non-Heterosexual Sexualities”, Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Limited.
  • Phellas, C., Peristianis, N., & Amitsis, G. (Co-Editors), (2012), “The Social Portrait of Cyprus 2012” (Publishers: University of Nicosia & Greek National Centre for Social Research) (in Greek).