A Crossroad Between West, East and Orient – The Case of Albanian Culture
A Crossroad Between West, East and Orient – The Case of Albanian Culture

Summary/Abstract: Albania is a unique example of authentic mentally-coded multiculturalism. The influence of a certain type of culture on believes shared by all Albanians is connected with either a specific period in history or specific territory. Modern Albania inherits various influences. As a unique European society Albanians do not define their identity through affiliation to a specific cultural (religious) circle. Nowadays Albanian national identity is devoid of religious context. It is based on the idea of Illyrian origin, great figures of Albanian history, mythology, language separateness. Religious components make up a surface of purely ethnographic character. Albanians attach greater importance to traditional values connected with the medieval clan law (besa ‘a word, a promise of keeping the word, commitment’, honor, the cult of a visitor, clan vengeance, the institution of a sworn virgin and so on).

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