Pluriel

University platform for research on Islam

Initiated by
the Federation
of European
Catholic
Universities

Supported by
the International
Federation
of Catholic
Universities

Ressource

video | See all resources

English

2022

Muslim as ‘Other’ in former Yugoslavia

Balkan Islam, and in particular that of the former Yugoslavia, is plural because of its ethnic diversity. However, the collective perception does not see it that way, due to a double homogenisation (historical, then political). Since the Ottoman invasion and the long-term establishment of the Empire in the Balkans, the Muslim has been associated with the Turk. The majority of Muslims in the Balkans, who were local inhabitants converted to Islam, were also assimilated to Turks by way of extension. The second homogenisation, political this time, erased ethnicity in favour of religious affiliation and many Muslims in the former Yugoslavia chose this denomination during the population censuses from 1971.

The aim of this paper is to analyse how the ‘same’ became ‘other’ by taking Islam, while this process of otherness did not take place for the same people belonging to other religions or churches in former Yugoslavia.

Lecture given at the 3rd International Congress of the PLURIEL network, 23-27 May 2022 in Beirut. In partnership with the University of Saint Joseph of Beirut and La Sagesse University.

L’Islam balkanique et notamment celui de l’ex-Yougoslavie est pluriel, et ce à cause de sa diversité ethnique. Toutefois, l’imaginaire collectif ne le voit pas comme ça, en raison d’une double homogénéisation (historique, puis politique). Depuis l’invasion ottomane et l’installation durable de l’Empire dans les Balkans, le Musulman est associé au Turc. Par extension, la grande majorité des Musulmans des Balkans qui étaient des habitants locaux convertis à l’Islam, étaient eux-aussi assimilés aux Turcs. La seconde homogénéisation, politique cette fois-ci a gommé l’appartenance ethnique pour privilégier l’appartenance religieuse et beaucoup de Musulmans de l’ex-Yougoslavie ont choisi cette dénomination lors des recensements de populations à partir de 1971.

L’objectif de cette communication est d’analyser comment le ‘même’ est devenu ‘autre’ en prenant l’Islam, alors que ce processus d’altérité n’a pas eu lieu pour les mêmes personnes appartenant à d’autres religions ou Eglises en ex-Yougoslavie.

Conférence donnée lors du 3è congrès international du réseau PLURIEL, du 23 au 27 mai 2022 à Beyrouth.
En partenariat avec l’Université Saint Joseph de Beyrouth et l’Université La Sagesse.

إنّ الإسلام البلقاني خصوصاً إسلام يوغوسلافيا السابقة متعدّد الأوجه، ويعود ذلك إلى التنوّع الإثني السائد. إلّا أنّ النظرة الجماعية لا تراه كذلك نتيجة التجانس المزدوج (التاريخي فالسياسي). فمنذ الغزو العثماني وتمركز الامبراطورية الدائم في البلقان، اعتُبر المسلمُ تركياً. ومن المنطلق نفسه اعُتبرت الغالبية العظمى من مسلمي البلقان تركيّةً ذلك أنّها تشكّلت من السكّان المحلّيين الذين اعتنقوا الإسلام خلال الاحتلال العثماني. أدّى بدوره التجانس الثاني أيّ السياسي إلى محو الانتماء العرقي ليعزّزَ الانتماء الديني فاختار بالتالي عددٌ كبيرٌ من مسلمي يوغوسلافيا السابقة هذه التسمية خلال التعداد السكاني الذي أُجري في العام 1971.

تهدف هذه المقالة إلى تحليل كيف أصبح “المثيلُ” الشخصَ “الآخر” من خلال اعتناقه الإسلام، في حين أنّ عمليّة التغيير هذه لم تؤثّر قط بالطريقة ذاتها على الأشخاص أنفسهم المنتمين إلى ديانات أو كنائس أخرى في يوغوسلافيا السابقة.

أُلقيت هذه المحاضرة في خلال المؤتمر الثالث الذي نظّمته شبكة PLURIEL من 23 إلى 27 أيّار/مايو 2022 في بيروت، بالشراكة مع جامعة القدّيس يوسف في بيروت وجامعة الحكمة.

Resources related toMinorities

publication

Religious minorities between the Mediterranean shores: a study of the status of religious minorities in the Mediterranean context (REMiMEsO) – Final Report

  • Alessandro Ferrari

The REMiMESo project, led by Ilaria Valenzi and supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explores the situation of religious minorities in five Mediterranean countries: Israel, Morocco...

videos

Cosmopolitanism and minority rights: going beyond the protection of ethnoreligious minorities in the Middle East

  • Hélène Rey

This communication challenges traditional approaches to ethnoreligious diversity in the Middle East, arguing that the focus on "protecting minority rights" is inadequate. It demonstrates how these ...

videos

Azharis, Representations of Christianity, and the Vagaries of Islamic-Christian Dialogue (1930s-2020s)

  • Dominique Avon

Dominique Avon, Director of Studies at the École pratique des hautes études, traces the evolution of the discourse of the ulama of al-Azhar on Christianity since the 1930s. Confronted with the colo...

videos

Radical evil and the Canadian multiculturalist otherness

  • Mounia Ait Kabboura

The "radical evil" that tore Europe apart in the 20th century was totalitarianism (Hannah Arendt). Today, this evil has been reincarnated into a barbaric radicalisation that undermines societies. T...

videos

Muslim as ‘Other’ in former Yugoslavia

  • Cédomir Nestorovic

Balkan Islam, and in particular that of the former Yugoslavia, is plural because of its ethnic diversity. However, the collective perception does not see it that way, due to a double homogenisation...

publication

The legal status of non-Muslims in Algeria. The example of evangelicals and Ahmadis.

  • Zohra Aziadé Zemirli

This book, which focuses on the situation before 2019, provides keys to explaining the origins of the popular protest movement, the hirak. It shows how the State controls the society, which is pred...

videos

Between Standardization And Otherness: Being A Muslim In The In The French Armed Forces

  • Elyamine Settoul

Already present since the colonisation process, the question of Islam within the French army has reappeared strongly with the settling down of the populations resulting from the great waves of indu...

videos

Understanding freedom of religion around the Mediterranean

  • Alessandro Ferrari
  • Amin Elias

How to manage religious plurality? Three researchers from our network look back at the history of the northern, eastern and southern shores of the Mediterranean to understand the diversity of legal...