Ethnic vs. Civic Nationalism Tendencies in Montenegrin Politics of Identity

Transcription

1 Ethnic vs. Civic Nationalism Tendencies in Montenegrin Politics of Identity Title of the project: Dynamics of Identity in Montenegro Organization: Balkan Ethnology Department, Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Implemented by: Sofiya Zahova within a PhD research Period:

2 Research questions: What are the nation-building policies that allow us to speak of ethnic and civic model How the Montenegrin national identity has been constructed and how it is experienced and expressed by the people Is it possible to build a civic nation in a region where historically established pattern is that of the ethno-national state

3 Approach and theoretical framework Interactive theory of identity (Barth) Constructivists approach in the studies of nationalism (Anderson, Hobsbawm / Kertzer): the processes of nation-building are manages by elites and implemented by the institutions of the state Applying the dichotomy civic nation ethnic nation (Kohn) / German / French nation-statehood (Brubaker) civic nationalism ethnic nationalism

4 Findings regarding political discourse Program of the ruling parties promote Montenegro as a civil multiethnic state Public speeches of the politicians envisage the Montenegrin identity not as a nation, but as a state of all citizens Ethnicity is presented, negotiated, defined and explored in everyday and institutional political discourse

5 Findings re legislation (2007 Constitution, laws in the field of human rights, media, etc.) Declarative equality of all citizens, Montenegro is affirmed as a civil state (Constitution, Law on Montenegrin Citizenship) The ethnic composition of the population is fixed in the Constitution The legislation and institutional framework in the field of media, education, etc. presuppose exclusiveness of minorities from the mainstream society life and guarantee rights of minorities Separate Law on Minority Rights and Freedoms envisages rewards and right to be attached to different minorities and ethnicities Legislation in the field of culture is a foundation for policies designed on the ethno-national principle.

6 Actual policies of institutions Official ethnic categories are central for census and for formation of the every-day and public discourse Organization of the decision taking and implementation of policies in the domain of different ethnicities is in the hands of minority councils Distribution of financial resources from state budget along ethnic lines The creation of distinct Montenegrin identity state symbols, Montenegrin language, new textbooks on history, etc. - is centered on the history and culture of the most numerous ethnic group.

7 Examples from the field research (informants with Montenegrin identity, Orthodox religion) I ve spent my live here, I get my pension from Montenegro, I cure in the hospitals here, my children live here, I m citizen of Montenegro and could not be anything else than Montenegrin! (Berane) According to me, the question what are you is a stupid one, since the answer could be get by default: I m Montenegrin, because I am from Montenegro. (Cetinje) All citizens of Montenegro are Montenegrins

8 Examples from the field research (Serbian identity) I m both Montenegrin and Serb, but I declare as Serb on census since I want to distance myself from the Muslims, who declare as Montenegrins. Recently there are many Turks-Muslims, who declare officially as Montenegrin and we, in order to make difference as Orthodox, declare as Serbs. (Bijelo Polje) The number of the Montenegrins is actually less, on census it is that high, since there are Gypsies and Muslims, who identify as Montenegrins (Danilovgrad/Podgorica)

9 Examples from the field research (Montenegrin identity, Muslim religion) I do recognize the right of every Muslim to identify as Bošnjak or Muslim, but the I think that the most proper definition is Montenegrins... We are autochthonous population in the territory of Montenegro, that has a Montenegrin national genesis well recorded and transmitted from one generation to another. Each family remembers very well the tribe and brotherhood of its origin. Therefore, we are Montenegrins (Bar) I m Montenegrin with Muslim faith, since my father, my grandfather and so on were born and lived in Montenegro, and I m Montenegrin too. My father declared as Yugoslav on censuses until he passed away. (Berane) On the last census we declare Montenegrins-Muslims... According to me, one should name himself according to the state in which he lives. You have the name of the state and it gives you your nationhood. That is why when there was Yugoslavia we were Yugoslavs. (Bijelo Polje)

10 Muslims wedding in Berane. The wedding barjak is the national flag

11 Kovači from Stari Bar

12 Conclusions The ethno-national state as inherited way of conceptualizing around the (national) majority-minorities principle Montenegrin politics of identity have an eclectic model The ethnic and ethno-centric principle are part of the state-building process People and politicians make difference between ethno-national identity that depends on shared cultural, historical and religious past and (Montenegrin) citizenship Dualism in the understanding of the citizens themselves Existence of both Montenegrin ethnic identity and Montenegrin (civic) identity

13 Thank you! web: