Language, History and the Constructions of Identity

Language, History and the Constructions of Identity

MIRCHEVSKA, Mirjana P.

Key words: ethnic/national identity, language, history, Balkan, Macedonia ABSTRACT This paper attempts to contribute towards the discussion of contemporary identity issues and their influence, basing the analysis upon the current situation primarily in the Republic of Macedonia, but also in the context of the identity issues of other Balcans?ethnic groups/nations. The basic identity construction will be based upon the scientifically (un)justified thesis on the sustainability of language and history as basic elements from which the ethnic or national identity of Balkan people is being constructed and maintained. How are identities manifested in contemporary Macedonian society, the question of the so called "traditional identity", auto-identification, the relations on the line of I/we and he/she/others, the influence of the historical past upon Macedonians and the Macedonian cultural and historical space of identification (in Balkan context), the analysis of all these issues presents an attempt for a contribution towards the contemporary discussion on the which almost averyone searches for a kind of identity.

Article
PeerReviewed

IBU Publishing

2013-05-03

1877