Historical Dictionary Of Albania

This reference provides a comprehensive overview, not only of Albanian history, but also of contemporary Albania as it enters the 21st century, focusing as it does both on the past and on a modern European nation struggling to put its formidable Stalinist past behind it. For half a century, Albania was a planet of its own, isolated from the rest of Mother Earth. Since the fall of the communist regime, the Albanians have been striving, not without difficulty, to find their place among the nations of Europe. The majority of the over 700 entries in this dictionary are biographical entries. They comprise not only figures of Albanian history, but also contemporary public figures and political leaders in Albania, as well as individuals, Albanian and foreign, who have made notable contributions to Albanian studies and Albanian culture. The entries not only cover history and politics, but also culture and religion, foreign relations, language, economics and social customs. Additionally, this dictionary includes a further dimension: the Albanians living outside of the country, whether part of an earlier diaspora or cut off by artificial and sometimes contested borders. While the introduction, chronology and dictionary entries provide readers with a solid grounding on Albania and the Albanians, those who want to learn more on specific aspects can consult the helpful bibliography. Because a large proportion of the material in this dictionary has never appeared in English, it is to be hoped that most readers will discover new information to make the elusive Albanian nation more accessible to them.