by Murtaza Osdautaj

Abstract

This article addresses the persistence of unresolved nation-building processes within Albanian society and explores contemporary narratives that challenge national cohesion. It conceptualizes Albanian identity as a multidimensional construct grounded in shared history, culture, language, and collective ethical values rather than religious affiliation alone. The analysis focuses on three phenomena perceived as destabilizing: the expansion of political Islam and its impact on national culture, countervailing movements that conflate Albanian identity with a single Christian denomination, and the dissemination of nationalist misinformation that undermines institutional credibility and security discourse. The article concludes by emphasizing cultural, intellectual, and athletic achievements as inclusive and constructive expressions of modern Albanian national identity.

Introduction

The Albanian nation-building process remains incomplete, as evidenced by contemporary social and ideological phenomena that challenge the foundations of national identity. These challenges do not emerge through open confrontation but through subtle cultural, religious, and political narratives that undermine the historical, linguistic, cultural, and spiritual cohesion of Albanian society. This text argues that Albanian identity cannot be reduced to language proficiency or religious affiliation alone, but must be understood as a historically constructed, multidimensional national consciousness.

Albanian Identity as a Cultural and Historical Construct

Albanianness entails a shared cultural memory, a historical legacy shaped by national figures, and a distinct system of values, customs, and symbolic practices. Language is a necessary but insufficient condition of national belonging. National identity presupposes a collective spiritual and cultural framework, expressed through customary law, traditional dress, folklore, artistic expression, and ethical norms developed over centuries.

Religious affiliation does not constitute a defining criterion of Albanian identity. Albanians may identify as Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox, Bektashi, or as non-believers while remaining fully integrated within the national community. What determines national belonging is sustained commitment to the preservation, representation, and advancement of Albanian cultural and historical values. Patriotism, in this context, is not defined by armed struggle, but by continuous contribution to society through culture, science, education, ethical conduct, and the promotion of a dignified national image in both domestic and international contexts.

Political Islam and the Erosion of National Culture

Following the post-war period, a systematic effort emerged to frame Albanians as an inherently Islamic nation. This process employed ideological, financial, and organizational mechanisms aimed at reshaping collective identity. Religious actors were strategically mobilized, and visible markers of religious conformity were encouraged as instruments of social transformation. These initiatives, influenced by external geopolitical agendas, sought to reposition Albanians as part of a broader Islamic political project, thereby distancing them from European cultural and political frameworks.

Political Islamization initially took root in socio-economically vulnerable regions and gradually expanded across Kosovo, North Macedonia, the Presevo Valley, and diaspora communities. Its primary targets were marginalized youth and undereducated populations. A central strategy involved the reinterpretation of national history through a religious lens, including the delegitimization of key historical figures based on religious criteria and the rejection of cultural practices deemed incompatible with strict religious doctrine.

Traditional music, pre-Abrahamic rituals, folk festivals, and long-standing family customs have increasingly been portrayed as illegitimate. In their place, foreign moral, legal, and social models—often incompatible with Albanian customary law—have been promoted. This cultural displacement has extended to attempts at introducing legal and ethical frameworks inspired by Sharia law, which conflict with the historically evolved moral codes of Albanian society.

Furthermore, the involvement of extremist networks in recruiting Albanian youth for international terrorist organizations represents a severe national security concern. Similar dynamics have been observed within diaspora communities, where weak integration, limited educational access, and insufficient cultural transmission have facilitated religious radicalization and cultural alienation among younger generations.

Religious Counter-Nationalism and Identity Fragmentation

In response to political Islamization, certain organizations have advanced the notion that Albanian national authenticity is contingent upon conversion to Catholicism. While such movements may initially appear as defensive reactions, their efforts to equate national identity with a single religious affiliation reproduce the same exclusionary logic they claim to oppose.

These initiatives risk deepening divisions among Albanians of different faiths and politicizing religion in ways that undermine social cohesion. Religious belief is a personal right, including the right to conversion, but it cannot serve as a metric of national loyalty or contribution. Albanian history demonstrates that individuals of all religious backgrounds have played decisive roles in shaping national ideology, language, and political consciousness.

Historical figures such as Gjon Buzuku, Pjetër Bogdani, Naim Frashëri, Sami Frashëri, Fan Noli, Faik Konica, and Gjergj Fishta—representing diverse religious traditions—collectively established the intellectual foundations of Albanian nationhood. Their contributions underscore the fundamentally pluralistic origins of Albanian national identity.

Patriotism, Contribution, and Belonging

National belonging is defined by linguistic competence, cultural participation, historical awareness, ethical responsibility, and emotional attachment to collective memory. Geographic or genealogical origin alone is insufficient. This distinction is illustrated by the participation of individuals of Albanian descent from the United States in the Kosovo war, contrasted with the absence of participation from populations of Albanian origin who lacked cultural and emotional identification with the nation.

Patriotism is therefore an active and cultivated sentiment that integrates language, history, customs, folklore, mythology, land, and collective experience. While historical circumstances afforded certain religious elites earlier access to Western nation-building ideologies, the Albanian nation ultimately emerged through the cumulative efforts of all its religious communities.

National Misinformation and Institutional Credibility

The dissemination of false claims regarding domestic technological achievements—such as the fabrication of drone production capabilities—illustrates another form of anti-national narrative. Such misinformation undermines public trust, damages international credibility, and weakens national security discourse. In an era of intense geopolitical competition, intellectual integrity and technological authenticity are essential components of national resilience.

Positive Models of Contemporary Albanian Identity

Despite these challenges, contemporary achievements in sports, arts, science, and technology provide constructive models of modern Albanian identity. Figures such as elite athletes and internationally recognized artists demonstrate how national pride can be expressed through excellence, discipline, and global engagement. These individuals serve as unifying symbols across religious and ideological lines.

Conclusion

Albanian national identity transcends religious affiliation and cannot be sustained through conversion or exclusionary narratives. It requires sustained cultural transmission, historical education, ethical responsibility, and continuous contribution to collective life. Nationhood is the shared legacy of diverse ancestors and the common responsibility of present and future generations. Religious belief remains a personal matter; national identity is a collective project grounded in knowledge, commitment, and cultural continuity.