National Idendtity

National identity is an expression that relates to the unity of people in a certain country. National identity can be shown through a common language, religion, ethnicity or an experience. National identity to people can be a sense of belonging to a certain nation. However, no nation is perfect. There is history. There is turmoil. There are people who have been historically excluded from the defining features of what it means to be someone who fits into a national identity. That is why, for some national identity is a dangerous social construct that is unnatural and made up (Then & Now). Throughout history, there have been groups of people that have been left out of what it means to be someone with a national identity. This group of people is considered an “other”. In the context of Albania, the others are a group of people that have been historically discriminated against. There are ideas discussed that can contribute to national identity but there is no one way to a person from a certain nation. History plays a huge role in the identity of Albanians. For Albanians, a defining feature for them is their language. The Albanian language is part of the Indo-European Language branch and is the only language of the sort. Albanian is primarily spoken in Albania, but there are small minorities of people in Greece, along the east coast of Italy, Sweden, Ukraine, Belgium and even in the United States that speak Albanian (Hamp). “Albanian” is a general name for the language, which was specific to a particular area in central Albania, however the current official name of the language is Shqip (Hamp). Language as an identifier, especially for Albanians is so important because it isn’t just words, language is history. Language connects Albanaians to their history, their culture, their religion, their beliefs. Language is carried from one generation to another where stories are told, laughs are shared and identity is formed. The reason Shqip is so vital to Albanians and their identity is because only around 7.6 million people worldwide speak Shqip (Omniglot). This small number means these people have shared experiences and a shared culture because they are the only people who speak a language from the Indo-European Language branch. Speaking Shqip helps Albanians recognize other Albanians. Language is a very important aspect of national identity, however it is only one aspect. For the majority, if not all Albanians, the double headed eagle is a symbol that shows national identity and pride. The double headed eagle was taken from a crest of one of the Albanian leaders who rebelled against the rule of the Ottoman Empire in 1443. In the 15th century, when Albania was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, Albanias national hero: George Kastrioti Skanberg carried a banner “with the two-headed eagle to unite his people. The eagle with its two heads serves as that one token of identity inclusive enough to represent a diverse population of Muslims and Orthodox and Catholic Christians” (Kokobobo). Not many other symbols could unify those of differing identities as the eagle has done for Albanians. The double headed eagle has been a part of Albania's identity since the Ottoman rule, but the current flag of Albania wasn’t established until 1912. This symbol serves as a national identifier because of the history of how it came to be. The double headed eagle shows the qualities Albanian’s believe in. Religious identity, specifically in Muslims is also very important. “Islam played a major role in the preservation of the Albanian identity” (Claryer, Masud). Albanians were forced into a process of assimilation by the Slavs, Greeks and Latins. They were forced to assimilate through churches “or by the pressure exerted on noble families'' (Claryer, Masud). The ending of this assimilation was a result of the Ottoman Empire conquering the land, and Islamization of “a part of the population and the restoration of the tribal structure in the north” (Claryer, Masud). As Islam became more prevelant in the lives of Muslim individuals, they were able to hold onto the intersection of their religious identity and their national identity. Although some people in Europe would like to see Albania as a completely Catholic country they must remember “The religion is no longer only a spiritual factor, but it is also an informative stimulant for positive political, social and economic enterprises, a role destroyed by the propaganda under the dictatorial regime” (Claryer, Masud), religion is not just the God or Gods someone prays to but the makeup of a people, a country, an idea, an identity. And although, Albania identifies as an atheist country, the history of Islam and the importance of Muslims in Albania will never and should never go unnoticed. Albania encompasses so many values in relation to their identity. Although there are so many beautiful things about Albania, there is a population of Albanian’s that have been forgotten about. Triandafyllidou illustrates three different types of significant others in a nation. These “others” often have a negative relationship with the nation. She has separated the three into internal significant others and external significant others (Triandafyllidou) . For Albania, the significant other is the Romani people. The Romani people originally migrated from Northern India to the Eastern part of Europe in the 1400’s (Turner). Throughout eastern Europe, Romani people were treated as less than because they live in tribes and did non traditional jobs (Turner). Now, The Romani people, live in extreme poverty in Albania even though there are social services and welfare in Albania, the Romani people have trouble accessing them because of the historical discrimination towards them (Turner). The Romani people are an example of an internal significant other. They are a minority group with a different culture and are seen as outsiders because of their history coming from another country and the stereotypes that come with that country. Since the Romani are seen as outsiders, they are seen as a threat to what it means to be an Albanian, they have been segregated from traditional Albanians. They are poorer, less educated and discriminated against in Albania today. There is no clear cut way to be a person from a nation. There are people who come through that nation and threaten that definition of national identity. Albanian’s are not exempt, throughout history, the Albanian identity has been threatened and changed. There is no one way to be an Albanian, but there are qualities, languages, religions and so much more that contribute to the idea of national identity. References Albanian (shqip / gjuha shqipe). Albanian language, alphabets and pronunciation. https://omniglot.com/writing/albanian.htm. Clayer, N., & Masud, M. (2012). National and Religious Identity among Albanian Muslims after the Political Upheaval of 1990. JSTOR, 4–10. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400843114.toc Hamp, E. P. Albanian language. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Albanian-language. Kokobobo, A. (2018, July 3). Analysis | For Albanians, it's not just an eagle. Here's the deeper story on those World Cup fines. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/07/02/for-albanians-its-not-just-an-eagle-heres-the-deeper-story-those-world-cup-fines/. Turner, E. (2019, September 11). Poverty Among the Romani in Albania. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/poverty-among-romanians-in-albania/. Theories of Nationalism and National Identity: An Introduction. (2018). Then&Now. Theories of Nationalism and National Identity: An Introduction. Triandafyllidou, A. (1998). National identity and the 'other'. Ethnic and Racial Studies.