“Hello from the Other Side”: Albania and Kosovo’s Distinct Approach to Religion and Politics

Albania and Kosovo, both secular states in Southeast Europe with Muslim-majority populations, have complicated relationships with religion and politics. This paper employs the concept of secularity as a process of boundary-drawing in politics, primarily by examining the symbolic roles of two Albanian national figures: Saint Mother Teresa, and the medieval Albanian hero, Skandeberg. I use these examples to highlight the struggle of differentiating the boundary between the secular and the religious. Saint Mother Teresa represents how philanthropic work can transcend religious boundaries, whereas Skanderberg’s resistance to the Ottoman Empire promoted secularity during Albania and Kosovo’s integration into Europe, as well as reinforcing the notion of Albanian Muslims being a part of European identity. While both countries have adopted secular language in their constitution, tensions persist due to historical, cultural, and global influences making it difficult to define the secular in the context of European integration and global geopolitics. This analysis finds that while it may seem that Islam and secularism would be incompatible, both countries provide evidence that they can coexist. Finally, this paper addresses the broader implications of US foreign policy shifting away from the Balkans, which has an effect on the region’s religious and political landscape as well.