Society and religion in Southeastern Europe since 1989

Research project P 14141 Society and religion (Islam) in Southeastern Europe since 1989 Arnold SUPPAN 24.01.2000 The Balkans are one of Europe`s most mixed regions referring to it`s ethnic and religious structure. To these groups belong the Balkan Muslim, around nine million people with different origins: South Slavs Eke in Bosnia- Herrzegovina, the Sandiak, Macedonia or Bulgaria, Albanians in Albania, the Kosovo and in Western Macedonia, Tatars in Bulgaria, Turks in Bulgaria, the Sandiak and Macedonia and Roma who live scattered all over Southeastern Europe. Islam in Southeastern Europe is a result of the Ottoman expansion to the south of Save and Danube which led to the reign of the Ottomans for 450 years. Though, Islam in the Balkans is - unlike all other European countries where Islam came with working migrants from countries of the Islamic world -an autochthonous phenomenon. Balkan Muslims are not at A a homogenous group. In the contrary there exist historically based differences between them. The influence of regional cultures Eke in Western Bosnia is highly important. Once again one must stress that Islam in the Balkans can not be compared with Islam in other parts of the Islamic world. Islam, as a religious and a political phenomenon as well, is for the Balkan Muslhns still to some extent a decisive factor, but one has to take more and more into account also the importantce of regional identity and in a more broader sense the mutual view of each other, e.g. the mutual perception of Muslim and non-Muslims. Though, the question of mentalities and attitudes is very important for the research project. The political turmoil of 1989 and after in Southeastern Europe and also the wars in Bosnia-Herzegowina 1992- 1995 and in Kosovo have deeply changed societies and economies the the whole region. Minorities, in particular Muslim minorities, have been strongly influenced by these changes. As Balkan Muslims were in general very conservative and traditional groups, these transformation processes had a special, impact on their social structures. The research project on Muslims in the Balkans since 1989 takes into account in particular questions concerning mutual percecptions and mentalities as well as the question of Islam/Muslim minorities and touches also the aspect of security policy in Europe.

Within the greater framework of the project the two researchers involved - Valery Stojanov, Sofia, and Valeria Heuberger, Vienna -, had to deal with two major topics: on one hand with the depiction and analysis concerning the current situation of Muslims in selected countries of Southeastern Europe (Bulgaria and former Yugoslavia with especially taking account of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo) and on the other hand with the question if there is an increase of religious extremism coming from countries of the Islamic World among the heterogenous Muslim communities in the region. Particularly the latter should become, last but not least as a result of the political situation after 9/11/01, an important point to focus on. Another important aspect concerned the role and importance of religion in general for the various peoples of Southeastern Europe. Since centuries the region has been culturally and socially influenced by Christian denominations, mainly by the Orthodox Churches, but also by Roman-Catholicism (in the case of Bosnia- Herzegovina mainly) and since the expansion of the Ottoman Empire since the 15th century also by Islam. As a result of the collapse of the Communist regimes in Southeastern Europe in 1989 the populations of the former Communist states had to adapt themselves to fundamentally new political, economic and social living conditions which left many of them for the time being with a deep sentiment of perplexity. Due to the historic development under the Ottomans the Orthodox Churches in these countries had since centuries an important role for the establishment and maintenance of the national and cultural life of their respective people. So, after Communist oppression was over, they became of a new influence for their nations. A special and crucial role played also the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina from 1992-1995 which led to a deeper interest in everything related with religion for the Muslim population groups in Southeastern Europe in general and in the concerned areas of former Yugoslavia in particular. The feeling of being a member of an unwanted minority grew in these years among Muslims and were fuelled by attempts of several states of the Islamic World and also by various organsations based in the Islamic World, but also by Muslim groups in the USA and in Europe to strengthen Islam among their Balkan brethren. Among these attempts we found and find also since the early 1990s traces of religious extremism trying to spread over Southeastern Europe. Referring to methodological issues the team of researchers had to rely upon material collected from the various Islamic communities, on publications by Islamic groups and associations from the region and on international scientific literature.