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Greek Gen Sec of Education: Identity created in 19th Century
Saturday, 09 January 2010
Thalia Dragos, secretary general of the Greek Ministry of Education and university professor from Athens, nowadays faces an avalanche of attacks for stating Greek identity is created in the 19th century.
The charges came in the Greek Parliament by the leader of the nationalist party LAOS George Karadzhaferis who pointed at Dragos for writing in her book "What is our country," positively on the Ottoman Empire and Greek claims that identity is created (manufactured by Germany and UK) `in the 19th century.
LAOS claimed Dragos is not a patriot, and has Anti-Greek views for stating the obvious.
The nationalists are bothered that Dragos stated that present Greece in no way continues to be bearer of unique ancient culture, and that there mustn't be negative attitude towards migrants to the country.
Dragos drew the ire for saying in another book that the ethnic Macedonians in northern Greece have the right to self identification, just as much as the people who live in Athens have the right to call themselves "Greeks".
"When it comes to cultural rights, the number of what our Government terms SlavoMacedonians in Northern Greece and, more importantly, numerous Muslim (Turkish) minority in Thrace do not have the right to self identification" stated Mrs. Dragos in her book "Citizenship and Nations-states in Greece and Turkey".
In an interview with To Vima published nowadays, Dragos says nobody has the right to give degrees of patriotism.
- I am proud of the history, culture and my identity, but also fight for Greece and the Greek struggle for democracy, education, humanitarian, tolerant society, to equalization of our position in Europe and respect for all people and cultures in the world - says Dragos in her interview with the explanation that paragraphs from her books that were perceived as "Anti-Greek" were removed by the Government. Not very democratic, one would say.
However, the accusations directed at the Greek professor and secretary general of the Ministry of Education has a positive side because it opened a debate about immigrants and national identity issues that political parties in Greece usually do everything to avoid. Famous Greek writer and fighter for human rights Takis Mihas writes that this is the positive effect of the case with Dragos. According to him, all serious historians believe that the Ottoman period was one of the most culturally enlightening in history. In his text for Eleftherotypia, Mihas added that not only Dragos but well known British historians have stated that the Greek national identity is created in the 19th century.
Thanks CT for bringing this to my attention on Maknews.
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