The Influence of Religion on Kosovo Politics

Session

Political Science

Description

In every country that has emerged from the transition and has a long history with minorities and different religions, which definitely has great religious implications, national policies were transmitted through them. Kosovo is a country with a very very ancient religious history. Starting from Neolithic prehistory and later being the epicenter of early apostolic Christianity with the ancient Ulpiana- Justiniana Secunda, the episcopal see which together with Justiniana Prima and ancient Skopje were the capitals of Dardania, as well as the main headquarters of Christianity in the time of the byzantine Emperor Justinian with Dardanian origin. During antiquity and medieval period, religion continued uninterruptedly, where after the great schismatic division in 1054, the Orthodox churches of the Byzantine rite began to appear. During this time from the end of the IX–th century even the Slavs officially accept Christianity and they began to appear strongly in Kosovo that in addition to the Serbian popullation were also Orthodox Albanians who constituted the core of the Orthodox religion. From the Middle Ages begins the great religious politicization of the Serbs, who were strengthened as a result of the weakening of the Byzantine Empire. The Middle Ages produced the Serbian myth, calling Kosovo the cradle of Serbism, which till nova day is causing great problems. After the Ottoman conquests, the Albanian population in Kosovo gradually began to Islamize and as a result, the Albanian Orthodox element in Kosovo would decrease significantly and be dominated by the Serbian element who were vassals of the Ottomans. Thus Kosovo became like the of the religious Gordian knot where they would cause conflicts and wars, it sufficient to mention the Nachertanija of 1844 which was drafted by the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Academy of Sciences which political platform began to apply unprecedented violence against Albanians and which consequently it became part of Serbian daily politics. This tense situation continues to this day where religion greatly influences Kosovo politics especially after the declaration of independence and reflects the political developments where the Serbian Orthodox Church has become a constitutional category. The area of northern Mitrovica and other enclaves and the danger in the partition of Kosovo today come as a result of the influence of religion in politics.

Keywords:

Religion, politics, orthodox, Albanians, Serbs

Session Chair

Ridvan Peshkopia

Session Co-Chair

Dritëro Arifi

Proceedings Editor

Edmond Hajrizi

ISBN

978-9951-437-96-7

Location

Lipjan, Kosovo

Start Date

31-10-2020 1:00 PM

End Date

31-10-2020 2:20 PM

DOI

10.33107/ubt-ic.2020.452

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Oct 31st, 1:00 PM Oct 31st, 2:20 PM

The Influence of Religion on Kosovo Politics

Lipjan, Kosovo

In every country that has emerged from the transition and has a long history with minorities and different religions, which definitely has great religious implications, national policies were transmitted through them. Kosovo is a country with a very very ancient religious history. Starting from Neolithic prehistory and later being the epicenter of early apostolic Christianity with the ancient Ulpiana- Justiniana Secunda, the episcopal see which together with Justiniana Prima and ancient Skopje were the capitals of Dardania, as well as the main headquarters of Christianity in the time of the byzantine Emperor Justinian with Dardanian origin. During antiquity and medieval period, religion continued uninterruptedly, where after the great schismatic division in 1054, the Orthodox churches of the Byzantine rite began to appear. During this time from the end of the IX–th century even the Slavs officially accept Christianity and they began to appear strongly in Kosovo that in addition to the Serbian popullation were also Orthodox Albanians who constituted the core of the Orthodox religion. From the Middle Ages begins the great religious politicization of the Serbs, who were strengthened as a result of the weakening of the Byzantine Empire. The Middle Ages produced the Serbian myth, calling Kosovo the cradle of Serbism, which till nova day is causing great problems. After the Ottoman conquests, the Albanian population in Kosovo gradually began to Islamize and as a result, the Albanian Orthodox element in Kosovo would decrease significantly and be dominated by the Serbian element who were vassals of the Ottomans. Thus Kosovo became like the of the religious Gordian knot where they would cause conflicts and wars, it sufficient to mention the Nachertanija of 1844 which was drafted by the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Academy of Sciences which political platform began to apply unprecedented violence against Albanians and which consequently it became part of Serbian daily politics. This tense situation continues to this day where religion greatly influences Kosovo politics especially after the declaration of independence and reflects the political developments where the Serbian Orthodox Church has become a constitutional category. The area of northern Mitrovica and other enclaves and the danger in the partition of Kosovo today come as a result of the influence of religion in politics.