‘Antiquization’ and the Macedonian National Identity: Three Examples one Explanation Cover Image

‘Antiquization’ and the Macedonian National Identity: Three Examples one Explanation
‘Antiquization’ and the Macedonian National Identity: Three Examples one Explanation

Author(s): Petar Atanasov
Subject(s): Politics of History/Memory, Politics and Identity, Identity of Collectives
Published by: Институт за социолошки и политичко-правни истражувања
Keywords: Macedonian national identity; antiquization; Alexander the Great; governing myth;

Summary/Abstract: To talk about the national identity of one nation it means to talk about its present connected with its past. Unarguably, the identity of the nation is crucial for its future regarding ist existence and prosperity. The paper will try to analyze the ‘antiquization’ in the Republic of Macedonia as parallel process of national identification and international promotion of the country. The thesis of the paper is that the effect of non-recognition of full Macedonian national identity, especially vis-a-vis Greek objections, directly influences and reinforces the shift towards the ancient ethnogenesis of the Macedonian nation. The search for antique roots of the Macedonian national identity is the third wave of defence after the successful establishment of first, the federal state and, second, an independent nation. ‘Antiquization’ as a phenomenon is a defence not an attack but will certainly have longer impact on perceptions of national identity in the Republic of Macedonia.

  • Issue Year: XXXV/2011
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 35-49
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: English
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