This thesis is an historical and ethnographic account of the postcommunist reconstitution of Albanian Bektashi Sufi practices and community life in the aftermath of a state-based program of radical atheistic secularism. The study is based on 12 months of intensive anthropological fieldwork (9 months in 2007 and shorter research trips between 2005 and 2011) and archival research. The Bektashi Muslims were once closely associated with and supported by the Ottoman state. Since then they have suffered many reversals in fortune. The most severe attack on the Bektashi occurred in communist Albania. Public manifestations of religion and its institutions were entirely dismantled and many spiritual leaders killed or exiled. Nonetheless, survivors now claim that Bektashi devotees secretly believed in and revered the sacred shrines despite efforts by the authoritarian state to do away with all expressions of religious life. Providing both historical and cultural context, the thesis uses ethnographic fieldwork data based on observation, interviews and life histories collected from within the Bektashi community. These document and explore the group's various efforts at community building and regaining legitimacy. In particular, it describes the rebuilding of devastated Bektashi lodges (tekke), the configuration and management of sacred spaces, the ways of becoming Bektashi as reflected in conversion narratives, and the emergence of new saintly authority figures. The penultimate chapter is about religious observance, investigating in depth how the present community of leaders, followers, and guests interact within sacred spaces during pilgrimages, paying special attention to the ambiguities of spiritual authority in the postcommunist setting. The study of present-day religious observance and community building shows that despite their efforts, the Bektashi today are experiencing difficulty establishing order within their own ranks and in winning real support in Albanian society as a whole. The small gains in reclaiming lost authority and access to their now lost economic estates reflects the legacy of atheist secularism and corruption, which coincides with wide spread suspicion of authority figures, including religious authorities. Albanian postcommunist religiosity coincides with a more "Western European" pattern of secularism that is generally characterized by a much diminished level of religious observance. / 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

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Nana Qian Abstract After the collapse of the communist rule, how to collectively-memorize and narrate its Communist past in the contemporary context has been an urgent and critical mission for the Czech Republic. Interpretations and portrayals of the communist state have experienced a fluctuating path, from complete rejection to indifference and empathy. An examination of the re-interpretation of the Czech communist history to its younger generation could be an effective approach for a clearer and overall understanding of Czech communist history narration. Meanwhile, history textbooks are, to a great extent, representations of the authoritative narrative. Therefore, while drawing on the rich literature on both the studies of historical narrative and especially Czech communist history, the interpretation of Czech communist history narration in this research is focused on the close examination of a Czech secondary education textbook. This thesis argues that in addition to stating and explaining the general historical facts, the textbook utilizes emotionally descriptive expressions, selective depiction, and an indictive comparison to highlight a narrative of discontent and distrust towards the communist regime and the Soviet oppression while endorsing democratic values and the market economy of the West.

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The aim of this study is to investigate how Todor Enchev sustained and negotiated his humanity, faith, and freedom of conscience in prison, labour, and concentration camps in late 1940’s-1950’s Bulgaria. Through a hermeneutic study, this investigation analyses Enchev’s book From Spiritual Death to Eternal Life (1998). Having been imprisoned first as a teenager for his vocal political beliefs against the communist regime in Bulgaria and thereafter for his newfound Christian faith, this study examines his narrative. This study concludes that Enchev was ultimately sustained by a vision of a greater eternal dimension and new humanity, while viewing his current suffering as a mission set before him. This vision changed his self-awareness and allowed him to persevere. His focus remained on the communication, for him, between the eternal dimension of heaven and the earthly dimension of his present. This was expressed through his behaviour and attitude towards others in the camps, a period he referred to as a ‘spiritual university’. Through this, Enchev was able to identify as a contemporary disciple and martyr, giving him a sense of duty, which gave meaning to his time in the camps and beyond.