NDIKIMI I ÇLIRIMIT NË IDENTITETIN KOMBËTAR: ANALIZA SHKENCORE DHE PERSPEKTIVA PËR TË ARDHMEN
THE IMPACT OF LIBERATION ON NATIONAL IDENTITY: SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Summary/Abstract: This article provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of the role of liberation wars in the construction, affirmation, and consolidation of Albanian national identity from the early modern period to the contemporary era. Drawing on critical historiography, theories of nationalism, and the concept of collective memory, it argues that acts of liberation—whether against the Ottoman Empire in the case of Albania, or against Serbian rule in the case of Kosovo—served not only as political or military milestones, but as deeply symbolic processes through which national self-awareness was articulated and institutionalized. The study pays particular attention to pivotal episodes such as the League of Prizren, the National Liberation War, and the Kosovo War, examining their impact on shaping historical consciousness and a sense of shared destiny among Albanians. It highlights how state narratives, educational systems, and official historiography have selectively transmitted the memory of war and liberation to foster national unity and legitimacy. Through a comparative and discursive methodology that incorporates both primary sources and critical secondary literature, the article demonstrates that the concept of liberation in Albanian history extends beyond the end of foreign domination—it encompasses the emergence of a national ethos that legitimizes the right to self-determination, political independence, and territorial integrity. The paper concludes by suggesting that liberation narratives, though often politicized, continue to play a decisive role in contemporary debates on identity, sovereignty, and regional stability in the Western Balkans. The article contributes to a broader understanding of how wars of liberation become foundational myths in nation-building processes and remain central to national memory in post-conflict societies.

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