Language and Printing Press as Instruments for Ethnic Division: The Case of Macedonia

Social Science Instructor Amlie Barras

Academic Writing Instructor Marius Hentea Student Alampioska Biljana

WORD COUNT: 2393

OSI Summer School August 2010 Istanbul

Introduction. Since the modern industrial era emerged in the eighteenth and the nineteenth century, the question of what is a nation has been raised. According to many, territory, common culture, language and religion are the main preconditions for a nation. According to Benedict Anderson (1991), nation states are imagined communities which are socially constructed so people can imagine themselves as part of a group. They are based among other things on language and print capitalism. Print languages contribute towards national consciousness by creating unified means for communication and allowing infinite reproduction of books and printed material. However, although earlier states were mainly perceived as states of one nation, nowadays nation states are multicultural and contain number of ethnic groups. In addition, each group has its own language, media, culture and tradition. Due to capitalism and globalization, as well as literacy and access to media, the diversity of ethnic groups that live in one nation state is much more visible. Therefore, language and printing press are not necessarily means for unification, as Anderson stated, but tools that reinforce division and exclusion. In response to Andersons nation state, Marxs (2005) position on the imagined communities is that communication and print capitalism can create exclusions and internal conflicts, and Anderson doesnt recognize them. Sharing a language and press can explain cohesion among group of people, but cohesion is not equal to nationalism. The case of Macedonia will be of a particular interest for this paper due to the diversity of ethnic groups that co-exist in the country and the importance of the printing press in shaping the relations between them. This paper will argue that printing press in Macedonia creates imagined realities and exclusion, thus reinforcing ethnic division: a boundary between us and them is constantly being created with the help of words (Kolst 2009). In order to understand the reason why printing press has such an influence in Macedonia, it is important to understand the context of the country. Therefore the first part of this paper will provide background information about Macedonia and the second part will talk about the role of the printing press through a content analysis of articles in two major newspapers.

The context of the Macedonian nation-state. The people of one nation state imagine themselves as a part of a whole with the help of the press and the language, although they will never establish contact or see everyone who belongs to that nation (Anderson, 1991). Since its independence (September 8th, 1991) Macedonia hasnt managed to build itself as Anderson nation-state, but as a nation state based on multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism. Several ethnic communities co-exist in the country. Macedonians are the major ethnic group (65,17%), followed by Albanians (25,17%), Turks (3,85%), Roma (2,66%), Serbs (1,78%), 2

Vlach (0,46) and others (Republic of Macedonia: State Statistical Office 2009). Basic national questions, such as state symbols, language and borders even after nineteen years of independence remain unresolved. One of the reasons this happens is because the state has had a minor role in unifying the different ethnic groups into one nation. In strong states, such as France, unity among the different groups was built with the means of standardizing language, providing education and creating maps (Weber 1976). Weak states, on the other hand, have no authority, power, or influence over the people and therefore ethnicity becomes more important than the nation. This is the case with Macedonia. Having a state that is rather weak and having a government that is divided among different ethnic groups and political parties does not help in building a united nation state. It is because of the weakness of the state conflicts, disagreements and even violence have occurred.

The role of print in Macedonia. The ethnic diversity and the weakness of the state gave the opportunity to other agents and factors to shape public opinion and affect the processes of interethnic communication, cooperation and democracy. In the case of Macedonia, the media play that role. The media is expected to inform, to provide wide-ranging news and to influence the public thinking. However, the media that was established in the languages of different ethnic groups, mainly Macedonian and Albanian created a parallel media system that didnt promote cultural and linguistic development or diversity awareness (Busch and Kelly-Holmes 2004). The diversity of languages meant that spreading verbal communication or literacy could have had the opposite effect, reinforcing local or ethnic differences (Marx 2005, p.15). In opposition to Andersons theory that printing press serves as tool for keeping the nation state together as an imagined community, in Macedonia the language and the printing press facilitate segregation and exclusion. Although most of the newspapers present themselves as inclusive, non-biased and balanced they [contribute] to the fragmentation of the public sphere into parallel and mutually exclusive public spheres (Husband 2001 cited Busch and Kelly-Holmes 2004, p.7). The following case study intends to show that press as well as language used in reporting assist in segregation and exclusion, and dont promote cohesion among the different ethnic groups. The case study consists of content analysisi of articles in two newspapers, namely Dnenvik in Macedonian, and Koha e Re in Albanian. The purpose I chose these two newspapers is because they are the most influential newspapers in the country. Both of them are independent. Among the population they are perceived as the most objective ones, and they present themselves as neutral 3

and non-partisan. Dnevnik has daily circulation of 55 000 and Koha e Re has the highest circulation among the three Albanian national newspapers. In the content analysis I am looking at two separate events that are covered in both newspapers. Study 1 will examine the way the 9th anniversary of signing the Ohrid Framework Agreement is covered. I will specifically look at the language and the sources that were used, as well as specific words, quotes and tone that might alternate realities and create imagined narratives. The issue of language will be of a particular interest in this study. Study 2 will examine the 9th anniversary of the Karpalak incident. Through language analysis, as well as quotations from the articles my goal will be to prove that use of words in specific manner creates labels and negative images about the other. Study 1. Ohrid Framework Agreement. In 2001 Macedonia went through an armed conflict between the Albanian rebels and the Macedonian Army. The Ohrid Framework Agreement is a result of the conflict resolution process that followed after the conflict. It was signed on August 13th, 2001 by the major political parties at the time, as well as special representatives of the EU and the United States. Its purpose is to internally regulate the minority rights in Macedonia. Throughout the time issues with interpretation of the agreement have occurred. Dnevnik and Koha e Re cover the 9th anniversary of the agreement in their Current Affairs section because in that section they cover the most important events. The title of Dnevniks article is: The Framework agreement is a successful story (Dnevik 2010a). The title creates positive image about the Ohrid Agreement and it gives the reader the notion that the agreement is a real accomplishment. The title is followed by content which provides statements from politicians who claim that the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement has been going very smooth and well. The Framework Agreement was a solution for overcoming the hostility in Macedonia, and it is a specific Macedonian model of multiethnic society based on integration without assimilation, based on our tradition of mutual respect between the ethnic communities. (Dnevnik 2010a). The expressions such as multiethnic society and mutual respect are used in a connotation that provides the reader positive emotion and gives him the impression of belonging to a community. Traditions, common myths and history are the bases for a nations existence (Smith 1995). Using the word tradition in this manner empowers the feeling of belonging to one nation.

The framework agreement is a model of integration (Dnevnik 2010a). The word integration is a powerful word and very important for the fragile Macedonian society. The use of this word also reinforces the feeling of unity. The examples above might contribute to Andersons theory that language creates unity among the nation and that the printing press conveys the message of coherence and belonging. However, the following examples from the coverage of the Ohrid Agreement in Koha e Re will show the opposite. The title of Koha e Res article is: The state doesnt respect the Albanians (Koha e Re 2010a). The title immediately creates a negative perspective on the situation. The word Albanians emphasizes the importance of the ethnic group over the nation as whole. The following set of quotes contributes to feeling of segregation and exclusion: It is wrong to think that the Albanians always ask for something, and the Macedonians always give something (Koha e Re 2010a); The Macedonian perception of the Framework agreement is restrictive and the Albanian one is affirmative (Koha e Re 2010a). These quotes prove Marxs critique on Anderson true because [t]he content of the messages spread is divisive rather than necessarily unifying (Marx 2005, p.16). The use of the words Albanian and Macedonian in such connotation creates separation and builds negative image about the other. With the Ohrid Framework Agreement the language and the script belonging to communities which exceed 20% of the total population have become official. On the level of the state this means that besides Macedonian, Albanian has become official language with certain limitations. On local level the same solution has been introduced (Skaric, 2004). However, when giving his definition on nation state and nationalism, Anderson didnt take into consideration the multilingual countries where the different languages and the separate printing press are not necessarily going to contribute towards nation-state creation. The following section covers the language issue in the articles. Dnevnik uses a quote from the President Gjorge Ivanov: what we did concerning language 10 years ago is now current in the world because all societies are becoming multiethnic and multilingual (Dnevnik 2010a). On the other hand Koha e Re is using a statement of Abdulaqim Ademi, Deputy Prime Minister responsible for the implementation of the Agreement: The language law is not implemented in all of the institutions. It often happens that the Albanian people are being addressed just in Macedonian language. Citizens should use Albanian language in communication and in the institutions as much as possible (Koha e Re 2010a). These quotes illustrate the importance of the language for one ethnic community. It is true that the communities imagine themselves around their language, as Anderson points out. Namely, Macedonians imagine 5

themselves with the help of their language and printing press as one coherent community, and the same rule applies to Albanians. However, it is not true that the theory of imagined communities can be applied in the multilingual and multiethnic nation states. In these states language and press emphasize the differences, construct alternate realities and promote division. They help the ethnic communities to imagine themselves, but they do not construct a feeling of nation and nationality.

Study 2. 9th Anniversary of Karpalak. Karpalak is an event that happened in August 2001 when 10 members of the Macedonian Army were killed in the place called Karpalak. The event happened right before the Ohrid Framework Agreement was signed. This event is very sensitive issue, especially for the Macedonian ethnic group. Biases exist when reporting about it. Dnevniks report on this event is very poetic and emotional: Next to the Tetovo-Skopje road, in front of the marble plate- the only symbol in memory of the killed, the 9th anniversary of the murder was marked (Dnevnik 2010b). Furthermore: We need to be proud that they gave their life and responded to the call of their motherland (Dnevnik 2010b). Expressions such as marble plate, only symbol in memory, and motherland are used in order to provoke emotions among the readers. This kind of reporting is very one-sided and biased. It creates compassion towards the Macedonians, but hatred towards the Albanians. Dnevnik (2010) names this event as the murder of 10 army reservists. Koha e Re reports on this event in different manner and from different point of view. It names the event armed incident. Kohas article is using the anniversary of this event to convey the opinion of the Albanian opposition party. Throughout the article they protest about the use of the word terrorist as synonym for the Albanian rebels in the 2001 conflict: I appeal to the Government and its officials to distance themselves from such terrorist statements. They can portray the Albanian Rebels Army as terroristic, but they cannot get away from the fact that their coalition partner was part of that terrorist formation (Koha e Re 2010b). What can be noticed from the articles is that in a bottom line it all comes to the use of language. Using the word terrorist creates very negative image about the Albanian ethnic group, as well as stereotypes, intolerance, separation and exclusion. Therefore it wont be a mistake to agree with Marx that language and press create segregation and internal conflicts. Language and press portray image and reality about the other which is based on words, assumptions and message of distance and separation.

Conclusion Language and printing press cannot be taken for granted as unifiers of a nation. In a multicultural society, such as Macedonia, ethnic segregation can lead towards competition of identities and weaken the already fragile cohesion of the state. This is due to the fact that each ethnic group has a newspaper in its own language. The newspaper articles use language which portrays the other ethnic group in a negative manner. The consequence is creation of exclusion. The previously analyzed studies show that in Macedonia the printing press manipulates the population, and fosters and reinforces division rather than unity. Linguistic activities had tended to emphasize differences (Busch and Kelly-Holmes 2004, p.8). There is notion of us and them that is a result of the imagination of each ethnic group as a separate entity. The printing press transmits the message that [W]e always identify a boundary separating us from them(Kolst 2009, p.17). Therefore redefining the role of the printing press and teaching tolerance is essential in order for the Macedonian society to be diverse, yet unified. It is time to discover the forbidden, mysterious, intriguing and alien other.

The translation of the newspaper content is done by the author of this paper.

Bibliography

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