Nationell identitet och religion i Montenegro : En beskrivande idéanalys av pro-serbiska partiers partiprogram och valmanifest inför parlamentsvalet 2023

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how national identity and religion are constructed and mobilized in the party politics of pro-Serbian parties in Montenegro. The study is conducted as a descriptive idea analysis of the pro-Serbian parties' party programs and their joint election manifesto ahead of the 2023 parliamentary elections. The parties analyzed are the New Serb Democracy and the Democratic People's Party. The study is based on Marie Demker's (1993) analytical model of party ideology, where the parties' view of reality, utopia and strategy are analyzed. The aim is to analyze how the relationship between nation and religion is understood and expressed in the parties' political ideas. The analysis shows that Montenegro is presented as a divided society in which national identity and religion have a significant political influence. Serbian identity is presented as closely linked to history and Orthodox Christianity. However, the parties differ in how they understand the relationship between nation and religion. New Serb Democracy argues that religion, especially the Serbian Orthodox Church, should have a more prominent role in Montenegrin society. The Democratic People's Party instead emphasizes religious freedom and believes that the state should be neutral in religious matters. The thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how national identity and religion are used politically by pro-Serbian parties in Montenegro.