User talk:Visar arifaj

Hi Visar, and welcome to Taskforce Albania! We hope you will (and are encouraged to) contribute on articles related to Albanians and Albania. AnnaFabiano (talk) 01:30, 8 September 2009 (UTC)

Albanian nationalism

I came to this article as the result of a request for a Third Opinion, but that has been overcome by events; I've been trying to keep the flames from spreading, but that seems not to have worked either. Nevertheless, I want to hang around long enough to nail down what the topic really is. I had taken the tack of trying to get reliable definitions for the three terms used – Albanian nationalism, Albanianism, and Pan-Albanianism – to clarify the subject matter and, hopefully, to find one matter that friendly collusion could be built upon, since my own gut feel was that they weren't synonymous. Accordingly, I want to thank you for helping to clarify it somewhat. I hope you'll indulge me in answering a few more questions – here or in the article. (For reference, I have a background in international affairs from the military side, but I’m not a Balkans expert by any means, much less on Albania specifically.)

1) Is there today a modern, post-communist nationalism in Albania that is simply national pride, much like in other countries, that is non-revanchist? (I suspect Megistias is actually trying to address this post-Albanian National Renaissance period in this article.) If so, how does it differ from the older romantic "Albanian nationalism" and what would the proper term for that be?

2) If I correctly understand your explanation on the talk page, Shqiptaria (= Albanian nationalism?) – "the Albanian unity, the Albanian People" is the non-religious formulation of Albanian nationalism, while Shqiptarizmi (= Albanianism?) – "the Albanian national consciousness, the adoration of Albanians for their Motherland" is the anti-religious usage that predominated under Hoxha. Am I correct?

3) Was the attempt to coopt Bektashi as a sort of unifying civil religion a part of Shqiptaria – and were there different terms for religious-independent and Bektashi-based presentations of Shqiptaria?

4) Was pan-Albanianism strictly a communist-era development or did it evolve from or parallel to Shqiptaria – and what would be the Albanian term for Hoxha's version(s)? Aigest calls it a modern scholarly neologism, while Megistias says that "Albanianism" and "pan-Albanianism" are treated as synonymous with modern-day "Albanian nationalism"; if they have indeed merged – or diverged post-Hoxha – can we say when and how?

Thanks for your forebearance, Askari Mark (Talk) 03:32, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

---

Thank you for the questions Askari. I feel I have to clarify one thing before the others. Hoxha's regime and his national policy. For that I took the time to copy-edit from shcolars

Albania: from anarchy to a Balkan identity Authors Miranda Vickers, James Pettifer Edition 2, illustrated Publisher C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 1997 ISBN 1850652902, 9781850652908 link [1]

Page 167-168-169-170

The history of the Albanian national movement is complex, but it is clear that nationalism was an underlying prop for the communist regime. One of the main reasons why a regime of such arbitrary brutality..was able to survive so long was that Hoxha had captured elements of the Albanian people's national consciousness while betraying vital elements of the national cause. The key period here is 1944-9.....when Hoxha and Tito, with their parties, evolved a solution to the Albanian question....The decision taken then were intended to give renewed permanence and legitimacy to Albania's 1913 borders and independent existence.....However during Axis occupation, another legitimacy had been established by the Italians; of a different state, a Greater Albania including much of Kosova. The fascist Italians had given the Albanians something in terms of territory which they had never been able to achieve for themselves. In the resistance struggle against Axis occupation, a central question for Albanian communists was to be the national question under a future communist regime. The party leadership was divided between them who saw the best hope for Albanian unity and prosperity in the country being part of Yugoslavia, and those favoring separatism. The split between Tito and Stalin ....safeguarded Albanian independence within the borders of 1913: it enabled Hoxha group to take unquestioned power......The close adherence of the Albanian communists to the figure of Stalin ..which guaranteed Albanian national survival originates in this period. Although these controversies may appear arcane and remote from the urgent problems of 1990's many of the post-Hoxha leaders of the state, such as Ramiz Alia....and the views of political elite on the national question have changed a little since the end of communism. There is still entrenched and widespread prejudice in much of Tirana's intellectual and political class against the national aspirations of both Kosovar and FYROM Albanians. The history of the Partisans in the North and in Macedonia and Kosovo was essentially one of difficulties and sometimes failures; the impetus for Partisan victory in the liberation war came largely from the south in Albania proper. But the Albania legitimized by Hoxha was in terms of actual territory, far for the dreams on the founding fathers of Albanian nationalism and the underlying impetus behind mythologisation of Partisan achievements during the resistance ....was the need to conceal this fact. Also mythologized was the conflict with Tito so that "the old renegate of Belgrade"...could be blamed for the communist regime failure to found a state to include all or most of Albanians living in the Balkans. In this mind set the future of Albanians outside the borders could be largely forgotten, and for fifty years families in towns near the border, like Peshkopia, could not even visit relatives a few miles away in Yugoslavia. Thus, where the national question is concerned, the communist state can be compared to someone living on a limited inheritance in a time of inflation. ....Thus there is an organic link between the decline and eventual collapse of on-party-state in 1990-91 and the reopening of the national question. Although they had been physically cut off from ALbania proper for many years, the Albanians in adjoining "Macedonia and Kosova had never lost their sense of shared national consciousness, underlined by their understanding of what was still seen as an unjust allocation of borders by the Powers in the declining years of Ottoman empire. Towns such as Diber, Gostivar and Tetovo, each with an overhelming majority of Albanian inhabitants, were and are seen by Albanians as having been traded in 1913 by the Powers to Serbia in exchange for Serbian military support in a future war and to appease Russia, regardless of the ethnicity or aspirations of the inhabitants.....The nationalist and Royalist Right have always claimed that Hoxha was in some ways a betrayer of the nation

177-78

It is uncertain whether the radicals will receive any active support from Tirana......Most well informed members of the Tirana elite only become aware of the leadership struggle within the PDP as a result of bulletins on Albanian television. Ordinary people in the provinces or countryside can have known almost nothing about what was happening.

or another source

Kosovo: how myths and truths started a war Author Julie Mertus Edition illustrated Publisher University of California Press, 1999 ISBN 0520218655, 9780520218659 link [2]

Page 38

...but it did little more to encourage Kosovo Albanians to "unite with motherland". Indeed never wanting to create tensions with Yugoslavia, Albania had even returned members of illegal Kosovar groups who had sought shelter within its borders...

• So Hoxha was in no way related to Greater Albania in any way. His main political aim was the permanence in power, thus the isolation of Albania, low profile on National question (no need to quarrel with neighbors) and the war against religion (he wanted to be the only authority, the only one to be adored) in which the moto "Don't look for churches or mosques, the religion of Albanians is Albanianism" was used by him as one of the arguments, but there were other arguments too based on marxist dogma (God does not exist, religion is bad etc). The rise of Albanian national question happened after the fall of communist regime and political Tirana had nothing to do with it neither in Kosovo nor in Macedonia. They evolved by themselves as a response to the treatment reserved to them by Serbia and Macedonia.(read the above book links for more details and the role of Tirana as an actor which was minor some even neglect it)
• As for question number two you are correct.Shqiptaria (= Albanian nationalism?) – "the Albanian unity, the Albanian People" is the non-religious formulation of Albanian nationalism, while Shqiptarizmi (= Albanianism?) – "the Albanian national consciousness, the adoration of Albanians for their Motherland" is the anti-religious usage that predominated under Hoxha within specific context (see above for Hoxha)
• Yes there was an attempt to use Bektashi as a sort of unifying civil religion. The Bektashi religion was thought as a perfect for this purpose just because of its inter-religious tolerance and his concept of pantheism. It was propagated by on of the main figures of Albanian reinassance Naim Frashëri [3]. In fact the Bektashi order gave full support to Albanian national struggle they even dreamed of an Albanian Bektashi state in 1908 during the Jeune Turk revolution (see above link). However the idea never gained full support by Albanians. The concept of Albanianism (National identity, tolerance between religions) was more useful as a factor of unity than just another religion.
• Pan-Albanianism is a neologism a synonym of Greater Albania. The term (Greater Albania) and concept was invented and used by Italians in WW2 and it was never propagated in Albania proper under communist regime (see above). The concept is still used by the Albanian neighbors, pointing to what they see as irredentist form of Albanian national question. (Serbia-Kosova issue, FYROM-Albanians issue, Greece-Chameria issue). However between Albanians themselves this concept never gained any great support (see Greater Albania article in wiki a quote "In a survey carried out by United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, and published in March 2007 only 2.5% of the Albanians in Kosovo thought unification with Albania is the best solution for Kosovo. 96% said they wanted Kosovo to become independent within its present borders"). So it is more a political concept and argument used by neighbors trying to oppose Albanian claims in each respective state than a political program of Albanians themselves.
• In no way Albanianism is synonym of Pan-Albanianism. You can be an Albanian nationalist and not opt for Pan-Albania. The above example of 96% vs. 2.5% is a clear example of that. The Albanianism after 1990 has the same concept of Romantic era. It is simply the national pride, and identity.(We may belong to different religions, but we are Albanians)

Hope I was clear, feel free to ask if not:) Aigest (talk) 08:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

This material does not supercede the references in the article nor does it nullify them.Megistias (talk) 09:00, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

Megistias RfC has been raised by me. If you think this is unjust or have anything to add, you are welcome. Thanks! —Anna Comnena (talk) 00:03, 21 September 2009 (UTC)

Albanian punk/rock

http://www.alba-hack.com/search/label/Albanian%20Rock%20music?updated-max=2008-07-05T01:55:00%2B02:00&max-results=10 —Preceding unsigned comment added by AnnaFabiano (talk • contribs) 20:49, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

== Entered your name. Thank you for your contributa arton dajaku

Hi there! Since your user page linked to this, I thought of including your name here. Hope that's Ok with you. Thank you for your contributions to the Albania TF! Mirupafshim. --sulmues talk contributions 16:21, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

Hi again, since the old page of the Albanian TF members is being merged into the new one (the one I entered your name per link above), I deleted your name from the old list. --Sulmues _talk 17:59, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Europe 10,000 Challenge invite

Hi. The Wikipedia:WikiProject Europe/The 10,000 Challenge has recently started, based on the UK/Ireland Wikipedia:The 10,000 Challenge. The idea is not to record every minor edit, but to create a momentum to motivate editors to produce good content improvements and creations and inspire people to work on more countries than they might otherwise work on. There's also the possibility of establishing smaller country or regional challenges for places like Germany, Italy, the Benelux countries, Iberian Peninsula, Romania, Slovenia etc, much like Wikipedia:The 1000 Challenge (Nordic). For this to really work we need diversity and exciting content and editors from a broad range of countries regularly contributing. If you would like to see masses of articles being improved for Europe and your specialist country like Wikipedia:WikiProject Africa/The Africa Destubathon, sign up today and once the challenge starts a contest can be organized. This is a way we can target every country of Europe, and steadily vastly improve the encyclopedia. We need numbers to make this work so consider signing up as a participant and also sign under any country sub challenge on the page that you might contribute to! Thank you. --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 21:10, 7 November 2016 (UTC)