Contested States as Liminal Spaces of Citizenship: Comparing Kosovo and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Abstract

Through a comparative analysis of two contested states-Kosovo and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the paper analyses the impact of internal and/or external statehood contestation on the scope of citizenship rights. It does so by introducing the concept of liminality in the study of citizenship in contested states. It contends that while the negative impact of contested statehood on citizenship rights is inevitable, the degree of impediment depends on the nature and level of contestation of statehood, the wider (regional) citizenship constellations, and on the ability of contested states to use different strategies to overcome sovereignty deficits.

Constructing national identity in the public space. The discursive transformations of the semiotic-linguistic landscapes of Pristina, Kosovo

“…Another reason why I decided to restrict the study to the capital city is that it emblematically reflects state power. As such, it provides one of the principal sites to realize a cultural landscape that accords with the changing national identity formulations of the state (see also Krasniqi, 2013). As traditionally, Pristina's urbanization focused on the M. Tito/Mother Teresa Boulevard, the modifications made to landmark establishments situated in and at proximity of this site serve as diachronic case studies for illustrating the capital's identity transformation.…”

“…As further emphasized in Muth (2015), a semiotic advance helps LL scholars in appreciating the urban agglomeration as a site in which the national ideologies of the state can be transmitted and identities constructed. With reference to Kosovo, Krasniqi (2013) discusses the interplay between national identity, territory and symbolic space. He posits that 'territories are crucial elements in the development of national identity' (31).…”

“…The construction of a new spatial identity shaped through the multimodal display of symbols, statues and monuments did not only impart the city with the outward socialist appearance in physical terms. Referencing Krasniqi (2013), it also contributed to 'creat [ing] conditions for spatial socialization' (pp. 31-32) on a local intergroup scale.…”

“…The theme of identity is not new: Various authors have examined the connection between the ideologies of the politically dominant groups by means of the cultural geography of the country. Notable examples include Krasniqi (2013), Albertini (2012), Fort (2018) and Ermolin (2014), who have each focused on different forms of spatial representation in Kosovo's identity. By analogy, the current case study examines physical resources including architecture, statues, monuments and images that mirror the ideologies of the respective regimes.…”

A Multilevel Theory of Democratic Secession

“…While being worthy of external recognition is a condition for the legitimacy of secession, achieving actual recognition is a fundamental interest of the citizens of a newly created polity. Without recognition by other polities, a seceding territory would become an outcast or 'liminal polity' (Krasniqi 2018, in this issue)similar to a stateless person in a world where the rights of individuals depend on states recognising them as citizens of a particular country.…”