A 2016 report from AlterHabitus identified two primary, often conflicting, divisions in regional historical interpretations:
: Kosovo and Albanian textbooks focus on Illyrian/Dardanian roots. Serbian narratives often emphasize the 12th-century arrival of Serbian control and the region's role as the center of the medieval Serbian empire. History of Kosovo – in the history textbooks of...
: These countries' textbooks share a common narrative emphasizing the Illyrian origins of Albanians as the earliest inhabitants of the region. A 2016 report from AlterHabitus identified two primary,
In the region, historical narratives regarding Kosovo vary significantly between neighboring countries. Research by political scientist Shkelzen Gashi reveals a major divide in how school history textbooks in Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia present the territory's past. Regional Interpretations and Divisions In the region, historical narratives regarding Kosovo vary
: Serbian and North Macedonian textbooks frequently omit the 1989 abolition of Kosovo's autonomy. Albanian and Montenegrin texts may mention it briefly, while Kosovo textbooks cover the event in great detail. 3. The 1998–1999 Kosovo War
: Traditional Kosovo textbooks historically used strong language to describe the Ottoman period as "conquerors," though some recent revisions have softened this rhetoric to improve bilateral relations with Turkey. 2. The 20th Century and Autonomy