Between Exoticization and Epistemic Violence: Decolonizing Narratives of Albania’s Burrneshat.

Abstract (English)

Burrneshat in Albanian or ‘sworn virgin’ is a phenomenon that occurs in Northern Albania, more specifically in the region called Malësi e Madhe. This phenomenon consists of what, in the Western world, could be identified as that of transgender men. This papel analyzes the commodification of the individualities of the Burrneshat of Albania, as well as the dynamics of social disintegration caused by exoticizing colonial narratives in media and academia. The research critiques how these narratives, instead of being grounded in sensitive listening and respect for these individuals’ experiences, often exoticize and transform them into objects of symbolic consumption. This approach contributes to the perpetuation of epistemic violence, disregarding the complexities of the Burrneshat as historical and cultural subjects, while reinforcing reductionist stereotypes of women oppressed by a backward and patriarchal society. Through an interdisciplinary analysis that integrates anthropology, postcolonial studies, and Southern epistemologies, the work highlights how media and academic discourses instrumentalize these individuals’ stories, fragment their communities, and delegitimize their ways of life. This papel advocates for an epistemological shift that values situated narratives and processes of active listening, challenging the colonial frameworks that continue to shape the field of social sciences.