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Prof. Ledia Dushku, PhD
Academy of Science, Institute of History, Tirana, Republic of Albania

 

A HOMELAND BEYOND BORDERS: DIASPORA DIPLOMACY AND TRANSNATIONAL NATIONALISM IN THE ALBANIAN STATE-BUILDING PROCESS (1912–1920)

Vol. XLIV, 1/2026, pp. 15–32
https://doi.org/10.29362/ist20veka.2026.1.dus.15-32

 

ABSTRACT/RESUME:

This article analyses the critical role of the Albanian diaspora in the United States, particularly the Pan-Albanian Federation Vatra and Fan Noli, in the process of Albanian state, building between 1912 and 1920. Drawing on theories of transnational and long-distance nationalism, the article argues that the diaspora emerged not merely as a supporter but as an active agent in political representation, diplomatic lobbying, and the construction of a national identity beyond territorial borders. Through the institutional pillars of Vatra: press, community networks, religious and educational institutions, and financial mobilisation, the Albanian diaspora created a transnational infrastructure that operated as a de facto government-in-exile during the First World War. Fan Noli’s ideological leadership was central in articulating a vision for a secular, democratic, and Western-oriented Albanian state, while mobilising international support for Albania’s sovereignty at critical junctures such as the London Conference and the Paris Peace Conference. The article highlights how the diaspora’s activism compensated for the absence of a functional state, influenced American and European political circles, and contributed significantly to the defense of Albania’s territorial integrity. It emphasises that diaspora diplomacy, expressed through media campaigns, political lobbying, and ideological production, proved vital for safeguarding national interests during periods of existential crisis. Ultimately, the experience of Vatra challenges traditional understandings of state, building as confined to national territories, demonstrating that diaspora communities can serve as co-constitutive actors in the formation of modern states. The Albanian case offers a paradigmatic example of how a “homeland beyond borders” can be politically and diplomatically constructed through organised transnational activism.

 

KEYWORDS: Diaspora, transnational nationalism, Pan-Albanian Federation Vatra in the USA, Fan Stilian Noli, state-building, alternative diplomacy, Balkan Wars, First World War

 

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