User:Antidiskriminator/Drafts of articles/Myths of Albanian Nationalism

Myths of Albanian Nationalism are  :
 * Myth of Skanderbeg
 * Antemurale myth
 * Myth of Indifference to Religion
 * Myth of Origins and Priority or Myth of Provenance
 * Myth of Ethnic Homogeneity and Cultural Purity
 * Myth of Permanent National Struggle

History has important, but not sufficient, place in the construction of the Albanian national identity. Albanian nationalists performed nationalization of history to provide the evidence to the Albanians about their common history. The consequence is limited ability to distinguish myth and history.

Noel Malcolm defines four cornerstone myths of Albanian nationalism as :
 * Commonality of origin
 * Ethnic homogeneity
 * Permanent struggle
 * Religious neutrality

Myth of Skanderbeg


The Myth of Skanderbeg is the only myth of Albanian nationalism that is based on the person, since all other myths are based on ideas, abstract concepts and collectivism.

There are two different Skanderbegs today - the historic Skanderbeg and a myth of national hero, as presented in Albanian schools and nationalist intellectuals in Tirana and Pristina. The Myth of Skanderbeg is one of the main constitutive myths of the Albanian nationalism. Albanian nationalist writers transformed Skanderbeg's figure and deeds into mixture of historical facts, truths, half-truths, inventions and folklore.

Although Skanderbeg has already been used in the construction of the Albanian national code, especially in communities of Arbėresh, it was only after last years of the 19th century and the publishing of the work of Naim Frasheri "Istori'e Skenderbeut" in 1898, when his figure assumed a new dimension. The Albanian nationalists needed an episode from the medieval history for centre of the Albanian nationalistic mythology and they chose Skanderbeg, in the absence of medieval kingdom or empire. The figure of Skanderbeg was subjected to the Albanisation and he was displayed as a national hero. The nationalist writers subjected Skanderbeg to the laboratory which transformed the history into myth.

Borrowings of the national epics and nationalisms of Greeks, Croats and Serbs of Montenegro trough the both northern and southern Albanianists' channels significantly contributed the creation of Skanderbeg as the Albanian national hero. The religious aspect of Skanderbeg's struggle against Muslims was eluded by Albanian nationalists because it could divide Albanians and undermine their unity because Albanians are both Muslims and Christians. Therefore Albanian nationalists selectively used elements of the Skanderbeg's image and painted it as nationalist myth presenting Skanderbeg as hero of the nation.

Myth of Skanderbeg was included in the program of many academic conferences. The key question in scientific research of the Myth of Skanderbeg is not its historical basis, or whether it has one at all, but investigating its meanings and purposes. Since Skanderbeg occupies the central place in Albanian national myths it complicates his critical analysis by the historians. Those who dare to perform a critical analysis of Skanderbeg would be soon accused for committing sacrilege and sullying the Albanian national honor.

Antemurale myth
The Antemurale myth became archetypal myth of the nationhood in Southeastern Europe. Nationalists developed narratives about their nations being an Antemurale Christianitatis who protects the West from the invasion of Islam, while West being ungratefully forgetting this fact.

Skanderbeg is built-in part of the Antemurale myth complex which portrays Albanians united by Skanderbeg as protectors of the nation and Christendom against "invading Turks". In 16th century the "Defence against the Turks" had become central topic in East Central and South East Europe. It was put in functional use and served as propaganda tool and to mobilize religious feelings of the population.

Myth of Indifference to Religion


The religion of the Albanian is Albanianism is the core myth and basic narrative which serves as template for other myths and narratives. The Albanian nationalists were in the 19th century faced with a major obstacle to national unity, the fourfold religious division of Albanians who were members of four different religions, Orthodox, Catholics, Sunni Muslims and Bektashi. Althought there could be more religious communities, according to this myth the ideal community exists when there is only one Albanian community.

Development of this myth
Albanianists were divided by their religion in this period. Before the Young Turk Revolution Muslim Albanianists tried to build non-Turkish identity in order to legitimize their demands in front of the Great Powers in case of collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Orthodox Albaniansts linked their identity with Hellenism. The Albanianism promoted after 1878 by Naim Frashëri was inspired by Hellenism and later opposed to it. Another form of Albanianism emerged later, on the north of Albania and was inspired by Croatian and Montenegrin nationalism and resulted with anti-Slavic component of Albanianism. An anti-Slavic component of Albanianism was initiated by Albanian Franciscan priests who modified popular epic poetry of Slavs from Austria-Hungary and Montengro and substituted the central motif of their fight against Turks with Albanian fight against Slavs.

Even the communist regime in Albania adopted the myth of religious indifference aiming to reduce the treat of undermining the unity of people in Albania. Durring regime of Enver Hoxha the struggle against religious differences became the struggle against religion. In 1967 when communist regime in Albania attempted to extinguish religion in Albania trough violent campaign which forced Albanians to quit practising their religion. All religious objects were closed or converted to serve other purposes like warehouses, worskhops... It was announced that Albania had become the first atheistic state in the world.

Revival of the religious life was one of the main aspects of the post-communist period in Albania. Despite the popular belief that religion of Albanians is Albanianism, surveys of Albanian population present the information that mayority of Albanians are Muslims and rest of them are Christians.

Social aspects
There is a positive aspect of this myth. According to it, the ideal Albanian community constructs Albanians who are "civilised", "pure" and "authentic". It gives legitimization to sympathy communities show to each other.

The negative aspect of this myth is its basis on suspicion of attempts aimed to tear the Albanian nation apart. This myth associate a manipulation of the religion with foreign nations, by associating themselves with other Albanian religious communities. The negative consequences of this myth are that foreign nations are perceived as enemies driven by politics, imperialism or selfish interest to have power over the Albanians whose religious communities are being under big risk to involuntary pursue anti-Albanian interest.

Consequences to other myths of Albanian nationalism
In constructing the Myth of Skanderbeg the religious aspect of Skanderbeg's struggle against Muslims was eluded by Albanian nationalists because it could divide Albanians and undermine their unity because Albanians are both Muslims and Christians. Therefore Albanian nationalists selectively used elements of the Skanderbeg's image and painted it as nationalist myth presenting Skanderbeg as hero of the nation.

Myth of Origins and Priority
Albanian nationalism attaches great importance to the possibility of Illyrian contribution to Albanian ethnogenesis. The 19th century idea that Albanians are descendants of Pelasgians and that the Etruscans, Illyrians, ancient Macedonians, and Epirotes had a Pelasgian origin are still common in certain Albanian circles. These ideas comprise a national myth that establishes precedence over neighboring peoples (Slavs and Greeks) and allow movements for independence and self-determination, as well as irredentist claims against neighboring countries. Albanian intelligentsia proudly asserted: "We Albanians are the original and autochthonous race of the Balkans. The Slavs are conquerors and immigrants who came but yesterday from Asia."

This myth was reiterated by Albanians on Kosovo who presented themselves as being victims imprisoned in Serbia and Yugoslavia by Slavic occupiers. This enabled their political strategies which effectively also led to their secession.

Consequences
Albanian national myth making was focused on the ideology of Blood and soil which, taking in consideration that Albanians escaped effective integration into numerous civilisations at the Balkan peninsula during the history, resulted with multitude of exceptionalist and exclusivist types of national discourse. They help emergence of national myths and ideologies which are ready to tolerate and even legitimize intolerance and violence aimed against the others.

Literature

 * Artan Puto, “The religion of Albanian is Albanianism: a myth or an invention” presented at academic conference: The Role of Myths in History and Development in Albania, held in London, Great Britain, on June 11—13, 1999