Doctoral Dissertation
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Challenges of the Democratization Process in Albania From a Political Culture Perspective: A Comparative case study of Albania and Estonia Ramiola Kalemi A dissertation submitted to the Department of Social Sciences of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of New York Tirana in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctoral degree in Humanities and Social Sciences with concentration in Political Sciences / International Relations Advisor Dr. Ilir Kalemaj Tiranë, October 2019 CHALLENGES OF THE DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS IN ALBANIA FROM A POLITICAL CULTURE PERSPECTIVE: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY OF ALBANIA AND ESTONIA Ramiola Kalemi A dissertation submitted to the Department of Social Sciences of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of New York Tirana in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctoral degree in Humanities and Social Sciences with concentration in Political Sciences / International Relations Tiranë 2019 Approved by: Prof. Dr. Fatos Tarifa Prof. Dr. Kseanela Sotirofski Prof. Dr. Tonin Gjuraj Prof. Assoc. Dr. Eva Hyskaj Dr. Ilir Kalemaj ii © 2019 Ramiola Kalemi ALL RIGHTS RESERVED iii ABSTRACT Ramiola Kalemi: Challenges of the Democratization Process in Albania from a Political Culture Perspective: A Comparative Case Study of Albania and Estonia Under the direction of Dr. Ilir Kalemaj The primary research question of the dissertation is: How does political culture influence the democratic trajectory in former communist countries? This is a general research question. The empirical question that will be analyzed in detail in the study is as follows: “Considering that both countries have emerged from a communist regime, why has Albania not successfully become democratized while Estonia has? The dissertation seeks to determine what impacts internal factors (e.g., political culture and leaders’ democratic orientations) have had on the democratization process in both cases in an attempt to identify whether Albania has an undemocratic political culture, and, if so, how this has specifically affected the democratization process. The study assumes that a supportive political culture and a leader’s democratic orientation are crucial factors that can contribute to democratization. As such, this thesis seeks to bring to light the evidence that a traditionally inhered supportive political framework combined with a leader’s democratic orientation can foster democratization (as in the case of Estonia) and that their absence can cause democratization to fail (as in the case of Albania). The dissertation builds on the argument that the more democratic political culture a society reflects, the bigger the probability that this society will produce leaders who are oriented toward democratic values. iv To describe the process by analyzing these instruments in both cases, the study is followed by a qualitative research design, a small N-study using longitudinal correlations, in observing the same variables of democracy during three different periods of time (pre - communism, communism and post- communism) and at the same time, is implemented the method of process tracing analysis by studying the same variables that facilitate democratization in specific historical moments. This dissertation makes a modest contribution that will serve to create a better understanding of the specifics of the political cultures of Albania and Estonia. This study will provide an empirical analysis and will attempt to explain how political culture could promote democracy development. Its importance is related to the empirical innovation and its contributions to theory. v To my mentor and family, I couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you for all of your support along the way. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS At first, I might need to give my inconclusive gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Ilir Kalemaj, who through his professionalism never ceased to guide me along this journey. I can say with confidence that this journey has been one of great professional growth, and this is unquestionably on account of his commitment. I would like to offer special thanks to the University of New York Tirana for the opportunity I have been given and to the staff, particularly to Mrs. Nertila Paskali, for providing continual support throughout my doctoral studies. I would like to acknowledge all my friends and colleagues, in particular to Kseanela Sotirofski, who have supported me and given me their opinions and advices. I am immensely grateful to my parents and sister, who have been present and encouraging at every step of my academic and professional growth. An important, indisputable place is occupied by my husband, Ermir Hoxha, who has stood by me on every step of this journey. I would like to dedicate this work to my two daughters, Hjordis and Amel, while also offering them my apologies for the time with their mother that has been taken away from them. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... xivii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................... xvi CHAPTER 1:1THE RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCH, THEORETICAL APPROACH FRAMEWORK AND METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................ 7 1.3 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 11 1.3.1 Operationalization of Terms ........................................................................................ 17 1.4 The Puzzle of This Thesis ................................................................................................... 22 1.5 Case Selection ..................................................................................................................... 23 1.6 Preliminary Literature Review ............................................................................................ 25 1.7 Anticipated Contributions of the Present Research ............................................................ 33 1.8 Limitations of the Research ................................................................................................ 34 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................... 36 2.1 Theories of Democratization (Various Theories that Explain Democratization) ............... 36 2.2 Literature Review: How Different Theories Explain Democratization The Evolution of Democratization Theories ......................................................................................................... 37 2.3 The Structural Approach in Democratization Studies ........................................................ 45 2.3.1 Political Culture Family Theory as a Structural Approach in the Explanation of the Democratization Process ....................................................................................................... 48 2.4 Using the Agent-Oriented Approach to Explain the Democratization Process. ................. 54 2.4.1 Theory Family of Political Leadership as Representative of the Agent-oriented Approach. .............................................................................................................................. 55 2.5 The Structuralist Approach’s and Agent-Oriented Approach’s Limitations in Explaining Democratic Processes. .............................................................................................................. 56 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 59 CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................................. 60 viii CRITICAL JUNCTURES OF ALBANIA AND ESTONIA IN THE PRE – COMMUNISM, COMMUNISM, AND THEIR IMPACT ON POLITICAL CULTURE ..................................... 60 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 60 3.1 On the Choices of Cases (Albania and Estonia) ................................................................ 61 3.1.1 Brief Portraits of Two Countries.................................................................................. 62 3.2 The Political Culture’s Shaping of the Democratic Orientation ......................................... 63 3.2.1 Alternative Theories to Explain Democratization in Albania and Estonia .................. 64 3.2.1.1 The Modernism Theory ......................................................................................... 64 3.2.1.2 Democratization,Inrenational Conflict, Regime Alliances ................................. 646 3.2.1.3 Democratization and Democratic Institutions ..................................................... 647 3.2.2 The Political Culture and Leadership's Normative Preference for Democracy as Two Independent Variables that Cause Democratization ............................................................