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Albania is not well known by outsiders; it was deliberately closed to the outside world during the communist era. Now it has thankfully become free again, its borders are open and it can be visited, and it is increasingly integrating with the rest of Europe and beyond. Unfortunately, Albania has had its share of problems in the post-communist era; it's a land of destitution and despair, thanks in part to the Albanian mafia, which has turned the country into one of blood-feuds, kalashnikovs, and eternal crises. Yet, Albania is, in essence, a European nation like any other ...
Ringed by high mountains and once ravaged by ethnic tensions, Kosovo is enjoying a tourism renaissance. Welcoming Kosovars have rebuilt their country and now is the perfect time to discover the potential of this once-unknown region. Fully updated and revised by two Kosovo experts, who both lived in the newly independent state for many years, Bradt's Kosovo explores a land rich in cultural heritage and stunning scenery. From hip urban hotspots to remote mosques and monasteries, Kosovo offers up delights for every type of traveller. With detailed descriptions of the lively café culture as well as the burgeoning restaurant, bar and shopping scene, plus accommodation to suit all budgets, this second edition to a ground-breaking guide is the ideal companion for tourists, NGOs and long-term visitors.
This book tells the story of Kosovo's independence, from earlier periods of bloodshed to its final status as a state in 2008.
Kosova or Kosovo is a dependent region of Serbia, part of the former country of Yugoslavia. It was part of the province of Dalmatia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire before 1919.
As the seventh and probably last state to arise from the ruins of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo is the newest country in Europe. For centuries, Kosovo, also known as Kosova, was part of the Ottoman Empire, and for most of the 20th century, it was a province of what was once Yugoslavia. After the military conflict in 1998-1999 and a period of administration by the United Nations, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008. Focusing not only on Kosovo's turbulent recent years, the second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Kosovo also relates the country's rich culture and long history. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 400 cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, places, and events; institutions and organizations; and political, economic, social, cultural, and religious facets. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Kosovo.
This new fully updated 3rd edition of Bradt's Kosovo is the only full-length English guidebook to this land rich in cultural heritage, generous hospitality and stunning scenery which is celebrating its 10th anniversary of unilateral independence from Serbia. Updated by two resident tourism experts, this new edition is an ideal companion for all visitors, offering maps, contacts and detailed information not easily accessible online, insider knowledge of one of Europe's last unspoiled destinations, and comprehensive detail on sites, attractions and practical information. What was once a hub for adventurous backpackers and international organisations has become an outdoor adventure destination ...
Northern Albania and Montenegro are the only regions in Europe to have retained a true tribal society up to the mid-twentieth century. This book provides the first scholarly investigation of this tribal society, a pioneer work that offers a detailed survey of all the major Albanian-speaking tribes in Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. Robert Elsie provides comprehensive material on the 69 different tribes, including data on their locations, religious affiliations, tribal structures and relations, population statistics, tribal folklore, legends and history. Also included are excerpts from the works of prominent nineteenth and early-twentieth century writers, such as Edith Durham and Johann Georg von Hahn, who travelled through the tribal regions, as well as short biographies on prominent figures linked to the tribes. As the first book of its kind, The Tribes of Albania will be of interest to scholars and students of the Balkans, of southeastern European anthropology, ethnography and history.
The Epics of Gilgamesh, Homer, Vergil, Shahnameh, are sources of our knowledge of religious beliefs. This epic is a welcome introduction to the spiritual world of the Albanians as they fought the crusades. The "Songs of the Frontier Warrior is the first English-language translation ever made of Albanian epic verse. As the product of a little-known culture and a difficult, rarely studied language, the Albanian epic has tended to remain in the shadow of the Serbo-Croatian, or more properly, Bosnian epic, with which it has undeniable affinities. This translation may thus be regarded as an initial attempt to rectify the imbalance and to give scholars and the reading public in general an opportunity to delve into the exotic world of the northern Albanian tribes. The present bilingual edition offers a broad selection of the best known songs. Also included are an introduction, a glossaries of terms and sources, and a selective bibliography.
The present volume endeavours to throw light on a corner of Europe which is often ignored by historians. The book is not a history of early Albania, but rather a collection of important historical documents and texts from the 11th to the 17th centuries, which will add to an understanding of the early history and development of Albania and its people. The vast majority of these works has never been published in English before. The first section of the book focusses on the emergence of the Albanians as a people and provides the reader with the earliest documents which make reference to them. The second, and main section of the volume provides a broader view of history and geography and, in particular, of life in Albania from the 12th to the 17th centuries. It relies primarily on the reports of travellers and chroniclers, many of whom offer fascinating, firsthand information on what they saw and experienced during their travels in the country.
A unique contribution to the continuing debate over one of the most important international conflicts to emerge as the century turned, Schwartz offers a readable, profound, and multifaceted overview of the long Albanian-Serbian controversy over the troubled province, drawing on sources previously ignored by non-Balkan authors. He presents an original and detailed analysis of the collapse of Yugoslavia, a penetrating critique of Western inaction in the face of the long-festering Kosovo crisis, and a rare, unblinkered diagnosis of the weakness of Western and international policies in the Balkans following armed intervention. * Unique perspective of a long-term resident in the region * Draws on information unavailable to non-resident authors. * Highly readable yet thorough history of the ethnic violence in the Balkans