A Concise History of AlbaniaA Concise History of Albania charts the history of Albania and its people, within their Balkan and European contexts. It shows the country's journey from its ancient past, still shrouded in mystery and controversy, through its difficult transition from a particularly brutal form of communism to an evolving form of democracy and a market economy. Bernd Fischer and Oliver Schmitt challenge some of the traditional narratives concerning the origins of the Albanians, and the relations between Albanians and their Balkan neighbours. This authoritative and up-to-date single-volume history analyses the political, social, economic, and cultural developments which led to the creation of the Albanian state and the modern nation, as well as Albania's more recent experience with authoritarianism, war, and communism. It greatly contributes to our understanding of the challenges facing contemporary Albanians, as well as the issues confronting the region as a whole as it attempts to grapple with one of the last remaining significant ethnic issues in the Balkans. |
Common terms and phrases
activists administration Adriatic Albanian history Albanian language Albanian national Albanianist army Arnavutluk Aromanians Arvanites authoritarianism became Bektashi Berisha Bulgarian Byzantine Catholic central Albania Christians church collapse communist construction culture Durrës eastern economic Edi Rama election elite Enver Hoxha Esad ethnic Europe European Fan Noli Fatos Nano forces foreign Germans Gjirokastër Greece Greek highlands imperial independence internal Ioannina Islam Ismail Qemali Italian Italy Korçë Kosovo leaders leadership linguistic lowlands Macedonia major military modern Montenegro mountain Mussolini Nano nineteenth century northern Albania officials organized Orthodox Ottoman empire partisans party Pasha percent political population president prime minister principal Rama regime regional religion religious remained resistance Serbia Serbs Shehu Shkodër Skanderbeg Slavic Slavs social socialist southern Soviet Stalin sultan Sunni Albanians Sunni Muslims territorial Tirana Tosk traditional tribes troops Turkish uprising Venice Vlorë Yugoslavs Zogu Zoguʼs Zogʼs