The Rhetoric of Economic Reforms in Post-Communist Albania: A Critical Discourse Analysis
The Rhetoric of Economic Reforms in Post-Communist Albania: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Author(s): Irena Cani
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, History, Political Theory, Recent History (1900 till today), Special Historiographies:, Politics and communication, Politics and society, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), Post-Communist Transformation, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: economic reforms; post-communist Albania; discourse analysis; rhetoric; european integration
Summary/Abstract: The transition from central planning to a market-oriented economy in post-communist Albania was accompanied by profound shifts not only in policy, but also in the language through which reforms were communicated to the public. This paper investigates the rhetoric of economic reforms in post-communist Albania, examining how political leaders, policymakers, and media outlets framed processes such as privatization, liberalization, and European integration. Drawing on discourse analysis (Fairclough; van Dijk), the study identifies key linguistic and rhetorical strategies including appeals to modernization, urgency, and national progress that were employed to legitimize controversial reforms and to construct public consensus around Albania’s reorientation toward international markets. The findings reveal the ideological underpinnings of reform discourse, where economic measures were often justified through metaphors of “catching up with Europe,” “overcoming the past,” and “building prosperity.” By analyzing representative speeches and media texts from the transition period, this research sheds light on the intersection of language, ideology, and economic transformation in Albania. The study also contributes to a broader understanding of how transitional economies discursively negotiate legitimacy in the global economic arena.

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