Albania and Kosova in the Circle of Migration Mobility in the XXth Century Cover Image

Albania and Kosova in the Circle of Migration Mobility in the XXth Century
Albania and Kosova in the Circle of Migration Mobility in the XXth Century

Author(s): Gjon Boriçi
Subject(s): Migration Studies, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Kolegji ILIRIA and Felix-Verlag
Keywords: Albanian emigration; Kosova emigration; Europe; Serbia; Greece; mobility; conflict based migration; economy based migration; integration of immigrants;

Summary/Abstract: The European continent has been known throughout history for endless wars and conflicts. The first half of the 20th century was too heavily burdened. Two destructive wars that brought immense nightmares. After 1945, the continent knew a 45 year peace. In the last ten years of the '90-ies the nationalistic conflicts were reborn in Europe, where without doubt the wars in the former Yugoslavia occupied the principal news in media. In these wars, the Albanian case is the most sensitive. Albanians are people divided in five states in the Balkan Peninsula. This element is enough to make the region have always in mind the Albanian question. After the fall of communism, Albanians were forced to emigrate due to difficult economic situation in the country. During the war in Kosova and the crises in Macedonia in 2001, the Albanians there were forced to move in order to escape geno-cide. The end of wars brought Albanians come closer to Europe through mobility. The old continent has been for years the forbidden dream of Albanians. The Albanians in the Balkan region faced very hard challenges during the XX century. In this article I have tried to compare the past mobility of Albanians with the present times and to draw the conclusion that in the first years of the XXI centu-ry, the dream of free movement of Albanians is put under question. The methodology that I have introduced in this article is mainly focused on historic issues of the past with elements of today in order to draw a comparative study between what has happened and what is expected to happen to Albanians in the Balkan region. In this article I have tried to make an effort to explain why Albanians were forced to move and why the territory of Albanians was turned into a violent greed by the neighbors. The descriptive and comparative elements that I have tried to introduce in this article possibly shed new light why this forced mobility among Albanians is still in a first view unstoppable.

  • Issue Year: 5/2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 253-264
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English