The Discursive Construction of the National Project in the Shkodër Press (1913–1920)

This study analyzes political discourse in the Albanian press published in Shkodër between 1913 and 1920, with the aim of examining how newspapers and periodicals of the period constructed national identity, legitimized political rights, and articulated the project of the Albanian state. The study draws on Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), combining Ruth Wodak’s Discourse-Historical Approach with Teun A. van Dijk’s approach to ideological polarization and the construction of the relationship between the “us” and “them” groups. The corpus comprises leading articles and editorial texts published in Besa Shqyptare, Taraboshi, Shqypnia e Re, Hylli i Dritës, Lidhja Kombëtare, Posta e Shqypniës, Populli, and Koha e Re, which are analyzed in relation to the historical and political context of the period. The analysis shows that political discourse is articulated through themes related to the political present and future, strategies for the construction of national identity and historical legitimation, as well as polarization between the “us” and “them” groups. National identity is constructed through unity, history, language, territory, and collective memory, while the relationship between the “us” and “them” groups is structured around the defense of independence, sovereignty, and national interests. The study argues that the Albanian press of 1913–1920 functioned not only as a historical source or a means of information, but also as a discursive practice that contributed to the construction and legitimation of the Albanian political project. In this way, the article seeks to contribute to research on the history of the Albanian press by offering an interpretation of it through the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis.