IDENTITY AND SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATIONS OF POLITICAL VALUES: THE EXAMPLE OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS IN KOSOVSKA MITROVICA

Abstract

Collective identification constitutes one part of a society’s dialectic in which individuals participate as actors, tending to define their social world in accordance with the objectively determined meanings of the social reality. Collectivity assumes the sense of belonging, preceded by the creation of identity by means of subjective and objective dimensions of social reality. By participating in dual internalization of not only proper identity but also social world, social actors are positioned differently within the so-called symbolic universe. This is particularly aided by the process of internalization of the institutional order and institutionally based subuniverses. Social organizations can intentionally and unintentionally influence the creation of multiple loyalties, which are expressed in the diversity of collectivities and identities. Taking into account the social ideal as a motive for identification amongst actors who perform similar social roles and are members of similar or different social origins and collectivity, it is expected that they will share certain material and symbolic means with certain solidarity and loyalty. This paper discusses symbolic representations of political values of ‘brotherhood’, ‘unity’, ‘freedom’, ‘equality’, and ‘democracy’ in specific social organizations that were active in Kosovska Mitrovica during the socialist period. Using the socio-historical perspective and on the basis of analysis of the presented secondary data about the way these organizations function, the aim of this paper is to describe the use of the said values by both Serbian and Albanian nationals during the development of the socialist self-government in Kosovo and Metohija.