An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania

This research gives an overview of the Vlach identity in southeast Albania within the pattern of self-designation. I try to identify identity aspects of the place and people under the influence of border and transnationalism, during communism and post-communism, and the transition from communism...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Inis SHKRELI
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Galati University Press 2025-03-01
Series:ACROSS
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.gup.ugal.ro/ugaljournals/index.php/across/article/view/7429
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849763608644288512
author Inis SHKRELI
author_facet Inis SHKRELI
author_sort Inis SHKRELI
collection DOAJ
description This research gives an overview of the Vlach identity in southeast Albania within the pattern of self-designation. I try to identify identity aspects of the place and people under the influence of border and transnationalism, during communism and post-communism, and the transition from communism to a democratic system. I discuss how during the two systems the place and people developed a marginalized identity affected by the lack of the Center’s attention (Tirana) and by developing policies. In this paper, I debate about politics of identity and politics of assimilation relating to the Vlach minority in the county of Korça. Particular attention is given to Census Albania 2011 while I explain the assimilation politics of the Albanian state.  Significant is the fact that I focused my study in my own country as part of anthropology at home, because I saw it worth utilizing the repertoire of being familiar with my own people’s culture, including also the acquaintances of language-Albanian and Romanian and with people of the area. The research was conducted in rural villages with a high presence of Vlach minority, in order to analyze inter-ethnic relations. The social research map targeted the village of Voskopoja, former Moscopole or Moscopolis as it is also a multiculturalist landmark affected by transnationalism and transmigration processes. In observing identity aspects, I employed a total experience, demanding my anthropological resources, intellectual, political, intuitive, native, and insiderness-outsiderness observation forms of knowledge. Had to measure the controlled information the locals delivered to me or to other researchers who had already produced texts about Vlachs.
format Article
id doaj-art-e140834a1794487ebb4e41f7be5d68ac
institution DOAJ
issn 2602-1463
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Galati University Press
record_format Article
series ACROSS
spelling doaj-art-e140834a1794487ebb4e41f7be5d68ac2025-08-20T03:05:21ZengGalati University PressACROSS2602-14632025-03-017210.35219/across.2023.2.05An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast AlbaniaInis SHKRELI0Mediterranean University of Albania This research gives an overview of the Vlach identity in southeast Albania within the pattern of self-designation. I try to identify identity aspects of the place and people under the influence of border and transnationalism, during communism and post-communism, and the transition from communism to a democratic system. I discuss how during the two systems the place and people developed a marginalized identity affected by the lack of the Center’s attention (Tirana) and by developing policies. In this paper, I debate about politics of identity and politics of assimilation relating to the Vlach minority in the county of Korça. Particular attention is given to Census Albania 2011 while I explain the assimilation politics of the Albanian state.  Significant is the fact that I focused my study in my own country as part of anthropology at home, because I saw it worth utilizing the repertoire of being familiar with my own people’s culture, including also the acquaintances of language-Albanian and Romanian and with people of the area. The research was conducted in rural villages with a high presence of Vlach minority, in order to analyze inter-ethnic relations. The social research map targeted the village of Voskopoja, former Moscopole or Moscopolis as it is also a multiculturalist landmark affected by transnationalism and transmigration processes. In observing identity aspects, I employed a total experience, demanding my anthropological resources, intellectual, political, intuitive, native, and insiderness-outsiderness observation forms of knowledge. Had to measure the controlled information the locals delivered to me or to other researchers who had already produced texts about Vlachs. https://www.gup.ugal.ro/ugaljournals/index.php/across/article/view/7429VlachsAlbaniaethnic identitypolitics of assimilationidentity politicsCensus Albania
spellingShingle Inis SHKRELI
An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania
ACROSS
Vlachs
Albania
ethnic identity
politics of assimilation
identity politics
Census Albania
title An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania
title_full An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania
title_fullStr An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania
title_full_unstemmed An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania
title_short An Anthropological Perspective on Vlachs in Southeast Albania
title_sort anthropological perspective on vlachs in southeast albania
topic Vlachs
Albania
ethnic identity
politics of assimilation
identity politics
Census Albania
url https://www.gup.ugal.ro/ugaljournals/index.php/across/article/view/7429
work_keys_str_mv AT inisshkreli ananthropologicalperspectiveonvlachsinsoutheastalbania
AT inisshkreli anthropologicalperspectiveonvlachsinsoutheastalbania