Albanian nationalism

Albanian nationalism is a general grouping of nationalist ideas and concepts among ethnic Albanians that were first formed in the beginning of the 19th century in what was called the Albanian National Awakening. The term is also associated with similar concepts, such as Albanianism (Albanian: Shqiptaria or Shqiptarizmi) and Pan-Albanianism, (Albanian: Panshqiptarizmi) and ideas what would lead to the formation of a Greater Albania.

Parts of these ideologies were adopted during the Socialist People's Republic of Albania (1945–1991), which was more focused on the Illyrian-Albanian continuity issue and appropriating Ancient Greek history as Albanian. During the Hoxha era, scholars, and particularly archeologists, were impelled to establish a connection between the ancient Illyrians and Albanians. However the core values of Albanian National Awakening remain rooted even today, while the ideology developed during Hoxha's regime is still partly present (though there seems to be some willingness for change) in Albania and also Kosovo as well as Republic of Macedonia.

Albanian nationalism attaches great importance to the possibility of Illyrian contribution to Albanian ethnogenesis. The 19th century idea that Albanians are descendants of Pelasgians and that the Etruscans,Illyrians, ancient Macedonians, and Epirotes had a Pelasgian origin are still common in certain Albanian circles. These ideas comprise a national myth that establishes precedence over neighboring peoples (Slavs and Greeks) and allow movements for independence and self-determination, as well as irredentist claims against neighboring countries. The Myth of Skanderbeg is one of the main constitutive myths of Albanian nationalism. Albanian nationalists needed an episode from the medieval history for the centre of the Albanian nationalistic mythology and they chose Skanderbeg, in the absence of the medieval kingdom or empire.

...
Wikipedia