The Politics of ‘Religious Tolerance’ in Post-Communist Albania: Ideology, Security and Euro-Atlantic Integration

Abstract

‘Religious tolerance’ has become the dominant identity discourse of the Albanian nation in the post-Communist period and increasingly so after Albania’s signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement in May 2006. Albanian politicians and intellectuals have hailed ‘religious tolerance’ as the most positive contribution that the Albanian nation can make to the European Union. In the words of the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Jozefina Topalli, ‘ “religious tolerance” is an added value which we, as a nation, can contribute to the European Union,1 as well as an example that other countries can follow’ (TVSH, 2009). In this context, ‘religious tolerance’ is construed in the public debate as both the ultimate proof of the Albanian nation’s genuine belonging to the European cultural sphere as well as Albania’s contribution to European security. Yet, at the same time, ‘religious tolerance’ is presented as a direct expression of the principles and ideas of the Albanian National Renaissance (1848–1912). As such, ‘religious tolerance’ reconciles both what is genuinely Albanian’ with what is perceived as European and Western.KeywordsEuropean UnionNational IdentityPolitical EliteDemocratic GovernanceIdentity NarrativeThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.