The role of education in shaping public opinion in Albania

• Pages: 22-28

22

Vol.10 No.2

September, 2024

Balkan Journal of

Interdisciplinary Research

E-ISSN 2411-9725

ISSN 2410-759X

The role of education in shaping public opinion in Albania

MSc Kleda Fishta

European Univesity of Tirana, Albania

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/bjir-2024-0013

Abstract

Numerous research studies have associated the two variables - the educational level and public

opinion creation. Various sociological and political studies interchangeably demonstrate how

the creation of aitudes, aected by the function of the media and education, shapes public

opinion on signicant issues involving the lives of communities and individuals. Education

promotes changing of aitudes and behavior, including the ability to accept new arguments

and reect on one’s own experiences. This process can be prompted by exposure of new

arguments and the ability to critically reect on the available piece of information. In the

history of Albania, there has been limited civic engagement regarding numerous issues. In

this sense, main objective of this manuscript is the analysis and the way how education has

shaped public opinion in Albania.

Keywords: education, analysis, public opinion, Albania.

1. Introduction

The Student Movement, among other things, contributed to the collapse of Albania’s

communist regime in the 1990s. The students’ public opinion was that they were

looking for “Albania like the rest of Europe”. The 2013 chemical waste protest and

the December 2018 student protest are examples of civil responses started by people

that had an impact on public policies. The questions that arise are connected with

the way how the public opinion can be used eectively to improve citizens’ civil and

political rights.

2. Literature review and methodology

In fully understanding the relationship between the level of education and the

formation of the public opinion, it is necessary to evaluate a few key aspects such as:

1

Vol. 9 No.2

September, 2023

Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

E-ISSN 2411-9725

ISSN 2410-759X

Research Article

© 2023 Ardita Abazi Imeri

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Deliberating in the Gray Zone: North Macedonia’s Hybrid Regime and

Deliberative Democracy Exercise

Ardita Abazi Imeri

European Policy Institute (EPI) – Skopje

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/bjir-2023-0001

Abstract

Deliberative polling has emerged as a promising method for promoting democratic reform

and citizen engagement in various contexts, however, its potential and limitations in hybrid

regimes, where democratic governance is challenged by a mix of democratic and authoritarian

features, remain relatively unexplored. This paper focuses on the case of North Macedonia,

as a country that has undergone signicant political and societal transformation especially in

the recent years. Despite eorts to promote democratic reforms, the country continues to face

challenges in terms of ensuring democratic governance and citizen participation. In a hybrid

regime, like North Macedonia’s, political leaders might not be inclined to value citizens’

input, and the media environment might not be free from inuence, which limits access to

varied and reliable sources of information. Civil society organizations may also encounter

limitations on their operations, and institutional assistance may be insucient. Additionally,

the population’s diversity could make it dicult to reach and build trust with citizens. In

this context, deliberative polling represents an opportunity to engage citizens in meaningful

political dialogue and institutional reform. This paper examines the potential of deliberative

polling as a tool for promoting governance in North Macedonia and highlights the challenges

and limitations faced in this process.

Keywords: deliberative poll, hybrid regime, authoritarian, democracy.

1. Introduction

Democracy around the world is in crisis. In general, the state of democracy world-

wide indicates a lack of progress (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2022). Looking at the

global picture, 2022 fell short of expectations for democracy, as it was anticipated that

the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions might result in an improvement in the

overall score. Both the Freedom House Report 2022 and the Economist Intelligence

Unit’s Democracy Index (EIU) 2022 indicate that the state of democracy around the

world is facing signicant challenges and setbacks.

Research Article

© 2024 Kleda Fishta

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)