Për një antropologji të modernitetit shqiptar
Toward an anthropology of Albanian modernity

Summary/Abstract: As the title of this work suggests the main purpose of this work is to use the conceptual tools of social-cultural anthropology in order to understand albanian modernity. In itself the article calls out for an anthropology of albanian modernity. In order to illustrate this position the article draws heavily on the notion of myths, and their social relevance and relation to the social morphology within the context of Albanian nation-state. Until recently, the so-called albanalogical studies oriented their studies toward the finding of Albanian’s original culture or traditional way of life. Such perspective might be seen as reductive because it either sharpened researchers deficiency to coop in understanding social change or at best it help to produce a romanticised view on society. This article proposes that besides the traditional focus on traditional Albanian culture and society, the time has come for albanian researcher to shift their studies toward the understanding of the effects that modernity in the ideological format of nation-state, communism or neo-liberalism have had and continue to have on albanian social structure and culture. Such perspective would enable albanian researchers, especially those focused in albanalogical studies, to overcome the trap on an ever-disappepering past harbored in memories of dying old man and women that were seen as guardians of the traditional and original Albanian culture and way of life.

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