Baština (Jan 2015)
Insufficiency of the theory of rational choice for the study of Serbo-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and Metohija
Abstract
For more than a century, Kosovo and Metohija is given too large ideological importance in development of Serbian and Albanian people. Both ethnic groups are prone to consider Kosovo and Metohija as their 'cradle', a territory of great importance, whose controlling is the essential issue for both communities as a whole. For this reason, this conflict is deeply rooted, lasting and persistent, resistant to attempts of resolving, because it involves deep polarized groups that see themselves as victims, while the other side is being blamed for their hard position. It also includes ethnic groups at different levels of socio-cultural and socio-political development, different cultural traditions and civilization. So, it is a complex conflict that is not a consequence of the current moment, or short-term inter-ethnic disputes, but rather the product of a very long and complex history. Any attempt to simplification and favouritism in study of it, greatly complicates understanding of the causes, actors and implications of the conflicts. Because of that, the aim of this paper is to show that the rationalist theoretical approaches do not provide an adequate and sufficient framework for studying the causes of Serbo-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and Metohija. Therefore, in this paper we have used a critical examination of the explanatory potential of rationalist theoretical approaches in the study of the causes of Serbo-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and Metohija through a presentation of the ideas of scientists whose interpretations are based on the claims of the theory of rational choice. Testing these ideas, we have shown that the researcher has to get rid of paradigmatic and theoretical orientation and seek for theoretical synthesis, which will include both the most important settings and solutions of rational choice theory and other theoretical approaches to answer the research question about the causes of Serbo-Albanian conflict. With regard to the fact that the explanatory potential of rational choice theory, taken individually, is limited for the study of the causes of Serbo-Albanian conflict, some authors (Michael Brown, Carl Cordell and Stefan Wolff) are turning to develop research models that will involve the engagement of different theories. We are not talking about a new theory, but on the specific model that allows us to identify and classify a wide range of different factors that are relevant for explanation of the origin, duration and intensity of the Serbo-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and Metohija, and then to apply the relevant theoretical approaches as frames for an explanation of causality between these factors and outcomes. Despite the incompatibility of ontological, epistemological and methodological starting points of these theories, this analytical model does not imply equalization of their different positions, but rather the application of these theoretical approaches in those areas where they give the best results. Given the complexity of the Serbo-Albanian conflict, perhaps an explanation of its causes should be sought by using one of the aforementioned or upgraded models.
