Panel: RELIGIOUS MINORITIES AND INEQUALITY IN EASTERN EUROPE



816.1 - HARMONY OR INEQUALITY? ALBANIA'S RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

AUTHORS:
Reuter E. (University of Graz ~ Graz ~ Austria)
Text:
This paper presents preliminary findings from an ongoing research project examining the role of religious minorities in interreligious dialogue in Albania. While interreligious dialogue is often perceived as open and inclusive, the study suggests that participation is shaped by structural and organizational factors, which may exclude certain groups. Albania provides a distinctive context where four religious communities - Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and the Bektashi Order - have historically coexisted in relative peace and, together with the Evangelical Union, form the Interreligious Council of Albania. The concept of "harmony and tolerance" is central to Albania's national self-image, emphasizing coexistence and mutual respect among religious communities. This project examines the participation of three minority types in interreligious exchanges, focusing on patterns of inclusion and exclusion. Despite Albania's reputation for religious harmony, the study reveals inequalities in representation and access for certain minority groups. The preliminary findings of the research highlight patterns of inclusion and exclusion within the organizational structures of interreligious dialogue. For example, the Catholic Church, despite being numerically small, holds a prominent position as a constitutive member of the Interreligious Council of Albania. Sufi orders, as subgroups within Islam, are represented collectively under the umbrella of the Islamic community, while the Bahá'í community, as a newer and smaller religious group, may not yet be included in formal interreligious dialogue structures. The paper aims to analyze the current dynamics of interreligious dialogue in Albania, focusing on the participation of religious minorities and exploring empirical approaches to measure inclusion and exclusion. By addressing inequalities in representation and access, the study contributes to broader discussions on social inequalities in interreligious exchanges.