greater albania

A Greater Albania is the theoretical political movement and nationalist ideal of an Albania with all major Albanian groups and traditional territories united together. The movement emerged in 1878 with the League of Prizren in Kosovo, and due to its origin it is sometimes also referred to as the Greater Kosovo movement. A Greater Albania is the proclaimed aim of some Albanian political and military groups and is also used in a pejorative context referring to allegedly imperialistic Albanian actions. Albanians tend to prefer the term Ethnic Albania in opposition to the recent stigma associated with Greater Albania. The justification for the borders presented often includes reference to the situation prior to World War I, racism towards ethnic Albanians in foreign countries (especially Macedonia, See: Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia), and the argument that these pre-war boundaries should be restored.

Political uses of the concept

The degree to which different groups are working towards, and what efforts such groups are undertaking in order to achieve a Greater Albania is disputed. Non-Albanian politicians and ethnic leaders are sometimes accused of using the idea to generate ethnic hatred and fear of Albanian political activities, and to justify policies that undermine political and human rights of Albanian minorities, for example in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece and Serbia. The term is most frequently used by Serbian nationalist politicians and academics who initially forged the term based on research of Balkan history, particularly the writings of historians such as Noel Malcolm, in order to legitimise their own agends in the previously self-governing province.

Greater Albania

Political uses of the concept

See also