‘This is our tradition’: Conservatism and exclusion at the roots of radicalization; the case of the Kosovar Albanian diaspora in Switzerland

Author(s) : Mary Drosopulos

Source : https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003016090-9/tradition-mary-drosopulos?context=ubx&refId=1c8d1e4d-fd01-4b90-b2fc-42b485205e92

“A little over one decade after Kosovo’s independence declaration in 2008, the newborn state is eager to find its place in the European family, by projecting the optimistic image of the ‘country with the youngest population in Europe’ as a counter-narrative to the dark epic of the Yugoslav tragedy, with which it has been associated for years. Two decades after the end of the war in Kosovo, ¹ poverty and lack of opportunities still force Kosovans to flee the country in quest of a better future. Many young Kosovans migrate to prosperous countries in Europe, with Switzerland being their first choice, followed by Germany and France. In most cases, there is already a family member in those countries, so they turn to their kin for assistance in the quest for a job and a place to stay. This chapter focuses on the case of the Kosovar diaspora in Switzerland and more specifically, on the moral dilemmas experienced by its younger members. Given the Kosovars’ proven tendency to preserve their national values and traditions even more ardently when outside their homeland, the article explores why it is so important for young Kosovars to abide by old rules connected with ‘albanianism’, even when these rules clash with the norms and principles of the host society or even with their own desires. Examining the projection of ‘illyrian ethos’ as a defense to international isolation and exclusion, the chapter discusses the link between homegrown conservatism and youth radicalization among the Kosovar diaspora.”