The aim of this thesis is to show how the contemporary critical debate on migrant literature in Italy has proved to be inadequate to grasp the complexity of novels such Onela Vorpsi’s The Land where No One Ever Dies and Anilda Ibrahimi’s Rosso come una sposa (“Red as a Bride”). The main critical trends are presented, the two novels are analysed in their themes and new methods of analysis are suggested. In particular, I open for the possibility of framing these two novels within the multidisciplinary debate on the imaginative colonisation of Eastern Europe.

This critical examination of the concept of cultural heritage is based on an overall phenomenological approach, with focus on Alfred Schütz’s further development of Edmund Husserl’s idea of the lifeworld. With strong emphasis on the subjective and intersubjective dimensions, the concept of cultural heritage is contextualized, analysed and criticized from different aspects for the purpose of enriching the discourse of cultural heritage. A literature based methodology is used, including a hermeneutic analysis of theoretical texts in the field of cultural heritage studies and the new Swedish Culture Environmental Law (“Kulturmiljölagen”) and related bills. Qualitative interviews deal with people’s notions about the concepts of culture, cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage. Finally, this study includes field observations of the Mount Dajti National Park in Albania, involving a visual methodology (photos) and non-visual field notes. A linguistic analysis with a gender perspective, finds that the concept of cultural heritage can be criticized for its patriarchal connotations. The central issue with the concept of cultural heritage concerns its involvement in the complexity of fixed notions and definitions, causing arbitrariness and ambivalence. The interview data indicates a strong connection between cultural heritage and history, despite their distinction. The field observations verify this complexity through an account of the relationship between cultural and natural heritage. The constitutions and values of cultural heritage are established within the Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD), obviating alternative notions of heritage. Thence, this thesis stresses the importance of going beyond the discursive frames and of transparency and critical reflection within the field of cultural heritage. Phenomena can always be interpreted in a subjective or intersubjective way, leading to dissonant and contested heritage, and a new term called “life values”. This is a two-year master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis argues that the building of the democratic institutions in new democracies was and still is a painstaking task. It shows that the new institutions are fragile and at times unable to cope with powerful organized criminal syndicates, rampant corruption, illegalism, elite bureaucratic cartels, and weak judicial systems still in the process of post communist reconstruction. This thesis proceeds from the premise that organized crime constitutes a threat to democracy, in particular a serious threat to new democracies and subsequently to the national security of the country. The first section defines organized crime as phenomena corroding the democratic institutions. It deals in particular with the fragility of the new democratic institutions focusing mainly on the organized crime activities that threaten the national security. It tackles problems of corruption in government and law enforcing agencies. Secondly, it considers issues of merging of crime and legal business and their impact on the institutions and society at large. Thirdly and most importantly it focuses on the fact that organized crime merges with the State machinery, thus undermining the very existence of democratic institutions. Fourthly, it looks into some forms of criminal activities such as drug business, weapons trade, money laundering, and white-slave trade. Finally it provides some policy recommendations for tackling the organized crime in Albania. / MP, Parliament of the Republic of Albania

Entre 1919-1939/40, la France était prise dans un jeu délicat à l'égard de l'Albanie : elle reconnaissait la primauté des intérêts politiques et économiques italiens en Albanie mais, en même temps, la France était consciente que tout cela risquait de mettre en péril l'indépendance albanaise. L'intérêt de la France en Albanie était le maintien de l'indépendance de ce pays afin qu'il ne devient une arrière base de l'Italie contre la Yougoslavie. II y avait aussi un autre intérêt français, une volonté de «présence» en Albanie qui était générée par le statut de la France de grande puissance. C'est en vertu de cet aspect que la France entend être « présente » en Albanie par deux institutions visibles, un lycée et une mission archéologique, qui compensent assez bien le développement limité des relations politiques et économiques. De ce fait, malgré la proximité géographique et l'intensité des échanges politiques et économiques, l'Italie n'arrive pas s'imposer en Albanie comme puissance culturelle dominante. Dans l'entre-deux-guerres, la France et l'Albanie se redécouvrent réciproquement. C'est dans cet intervalle qu'on assiste à l'établissement des premières relations institutionnelles bilatérales et c'est à cette époque qu'on signe les premiers documents juridiques bilatéraux. C'est entre les deux guerres que se constitue une communauté d'albanais en France et que les premiers groupes organisés de touristes français arrivent en Albanie, que se nouent les premières relations économiques bilatérales. / Between 1919-1939/40, France was caught in a tricky game towards Albania: it recognized the primacy of the Italian political and economic interests in Albania but, at the same time, France was aware that ail this might endanger the Albanian independence. The interest of France in Albania was the maintenance of the independence of this country to prevent it becoming a rear base of the Italy against Yugoslavia. There was also another French interest, a willingness of "présence" in Albania, generated by the France's great power status. It was under this aspect that France intends to be "présente" in Albania by two visible institutions, a high school and an archaeological mission, that offset for pretty much the limited development of political and economic relations. Thus, despite the geographical proximity and the intensity of the political and economic exchanges, Italy can't win in Albania as a dominant cultural power. .In the interwar period, France and Albania rediscover each other. It is in this interval that we are witnessing the establishment of the first bilateral institutional relations and it was at this lime that we sign the first bilateral treaties. lt is between the two wars that born a community of Albanians in France and the first organized groups of French tourists arrive in Albania, that bind the first bilateral economic relations.

Cette thèse étudie le système énergétique de 4 États : L’Albanie, le Kosovo, la Macédoine, la Serbie, appartenant aux Balkans occidentaux. Ils possèdent peu de ressources, les infrastructures restent souvent anciennes. Mais, avec l’instauration des grands projets gaziers internationaux, cet espace deviendra une zone transitaire essentielle, entre les pays producteurs gaziers (Asie centrale, la Russie, la Méditerranée orientale et le Moyen-Orient) et l’Europe occidentale. Les rapports de force y règnent pourtant. Ils sont liés à la sécurité énergétique et aux affrontements passés ou récents, mal stabilisés. La confrontation géoéconomique l’emporte sur la coopération technique. Des acteurs extérieurs, d’abord la Russie et l’Union européenne, mais aussi la Chine, la Turquie et les États-Unis, interviennent. L’énergie est un enjeu régional et mondial ; il renvoie au registre de la puissance. / This thesis studies the energy sectors of 4 countries part of the Western Balkans: Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. These countries are relatively poor in energy resources and their energy infrastructure is outdated and in dire need of modernization. However, in view of the colossal natural gas projects between Western Europe and gas-rich countries in the east, this area is emerging as an important transit area between the Russian Federation, former Soviet Union countries and eventually other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. This reflects the evolving balance of power in the Western Balkans, which is shaped by their quest for energy security and the heritage of previous unresolved conflicts. As a result, geoeconomic competition trumps over cooperation. Moreover, external powers, first and foremost, the European Union and Russia, but also Turkey, the United States and China, intervene to safeguard their interests. Hence, energy is a crucial regional and world issue; and an important factor of power.

L’objectif principal de ce travail est de fournir une compréhension plus complète du costume funéraire au cours de l’Âge du Fer sur tout le territoire actuel de l’Albanie, et d’en suivre sa variabilité dans le temps et l’espace. Le cadre chronologique de notre analyse s’étend du XIe à la fin du VIe/début Ve siècle av. J.-C. Afin de mieux encadrer les ensembles dans le temps et l’espace, on a, dans un premier temps, réalisé une analyse typo-chronologique exhaustive des principales catégories d’accessoires vestimentaires et de parure du corps, analyse étayée par des comparaisons provenant d’un cadre géographique plus large, balkanique et européen. Considérant le costume comme un moyen important d’expression des identités individuelles, du groupe ou d’une région, l’étude se poursuit avec l’analyse des ensembles de parure pour chaque région et même pour chaque nécropole. Cette analyse vise à l’identification de « règles » dans l’association des différents composants du costume, en tenant compte aussi de leur typologie et de la manière de les porter, afin d’arriver à meilleur compréhension des différents types de costumes régionaux et de leur évolution chronologique. Cette étude comprend aussi une analyse de la dynamique des contacts régionaux et intra-régionaux au cours de l’Âge du Fer en Albanie, et l’impact des relations et les échanges culturels dans l’élaboration des différents costumes régionaux. Enfin, nous espérons que la définition d’une chronologie plus fine du costume funéraire pourra servir d’élément de réflexion à part entière pour une meilleure redéfinition de la séquence chronologique relative de l’Âge du Fer en Albanie. / The main aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of funerary costumes during the Iron Age in the present territory of Albania, and to follow their variability in time and space. The chronological context of this study covers the period from the 11th to the end of the 6th/ beginning of the 5th century B.C. In order to better frame the assemblages in time and space, the study focuses first on a systematic typo-chronological analysis of the main categories of dress and body ornaments associated with burial costumes, based on comparisons from a wider geographical context, from the Balkans and Europe. Considering appearance and modes of dress as important means of expressing individual, group or regional identities, the study continues by analyzing specific regional assemblages of ornaments and sometimes those of specific cemeteries. In order to provide a better understanding of the different types of regional costumes and their chronological development during the Iron Age, this analysis aims to identify “rules” of dress by examining the association patterns of individual components of costume, while also taking into account their typology and their position relative to the body. In this part of the study, the dynamics of regional and intra-regional contacts during the Iron Age in Albania are also analyzed, as are the impact of cultural relationships and exchanges in the development of various regional costumes. Finally, a finer chronology of the burial costume as defined in this study should serve as a starting point for redefining the relative chronological sequence of the Iron Age in Albania.

This thesis examines Albanian foreign policy from a small state point of view.The main argument is that Albania as a weak small state developed close relations with the regional and great powers and align with them in order to compensate its weakness. An historical analysis of the Albanian foreign policy line since its establishment portrays a continuity in this trend except the short isolationist period. The study has three main objectives, firstly, it aims to provide an analysis of the small state foreign policy and small state &ndash / great power asymmetric relations within the framework of Albania&rsquo / s relations with various regional and great powers. Secondly, to elaborate the relevance of the enduring weakness of Albania on its foreign policy making in particular with its relations and alliances with the great powers. In this sense, an analysis of the Albanian foreign policy shows a pattern of shifting alliances in different time periods and under different regimes as part of foreign policy line. Thirdly, to make the historical account of Albania&rsquo / s alliances and relations with the great powers in terms of continuity and change in its foreign policy line. Albania&rsquo / s post-Cold War era foreign policy indicates a continuity in this line as it approaches the US as the great power to align with as well as one of two main pillars of its foreign policy along with the Euro-Atlantic integration. In this context, the contemporary Albanian-US relations constitute the last phase of the Albanian foreign policy trend.

La thèse propose une approche culturelle du phénomène de la migration albanaise fondée sur une méthodologie interdisciplinaire recourant à l’historiographie, l‘ethnomusicologie, l’anthropologie des émotions, l’anthropologie de la mémoire et de l‘absence. La recherche est basée sur un travail de terrain en Albanie du Sud, particulièrement entre 2007-2012 dans les régions où la tradition de chanter à plusieurs voix est encore vive. Le focus principal de ces missions fut les fêtes de villages pendant les Pâques et au mois d’août, occasion pour des milliers de migrants albanais d‘Italie et de Grèce de retourner dans leur village d’origine. La problématique principale de la thèse concerne les divers relations entre la migration vécue et imaginée et le chant. On a suivi les processus de création du chant et la „traduction“ de l’experience de migration en émotionnalité et en vocalité. A cette fin on a choisi une approche strictement émique en suivant les discours des chanteurs et les discussions entre ces derniers et leurs destinataires. Dans la discussion sur la „naissance du chant“ on a mis en évidence quelques concepts cruciaux indispensables à la création d’un chant d’exil (këngë kurbeti). C’est en premier lieu le concept de përjetoj („vivre l’experience“) qui rend possible et légitimise cet acte de création. Pendant la performance, deux autres concepts sont importants: „chanter la vérité“ et „pleurer en chantant“. Ont été cérnés les concepts émotionnels en usage en Albanie rurale, le développement historique du phénomène de la migration, la ritualité de la migration, et les processus de la mémorisation de la migration. Au centre de la thèse figurent les discours locaux et la performance de la musique en acte. / This thesis, based on extensive fieldwork in South Albania between 2007-2012, proposes a cultural, performance-centred approach for studying Albanian migration in past and present. Migration is discussed both as a lived reality and an imaginary representation. Local village feasts occupy a central place in this discussion as highly symbolic events in which the social and cultural shift between remaining villagers and returning migrants becomes prominently visible. This contradictory reality is approached by applying an anthropology of absence and by discussing migration as seen through local narratives. The notion of absence is of particular importance as it generates a spatial, social and sonic nostalgia (mall), which becomes prominently visible in everyday life. This nostalgia is not understood as a depressing mental state which impeeds action, but as mobilizing creative energy. The thesis examines the creative processes for „translating“ migration experience into an emotionalised vocality following a stricly emic approach. For local singers the concept of „living through“ (përjetoj) is central, as it provides them with the legitimacy to sing about it. This holds particularly true for migration songs (këngë kurbeti) which possess a vital social and emotional function. They contain elements of two juxtaposed categories: those of song (këngë) and those of lament (vajtim). What singers and audiences define as a migration song, is largely subjective and contextual. Consequently we propose to describe migration songs either as a hybrid repertoire or a „performative category“. The second term implies that the very meaning of the song is constructed in the moment of its performance.In a final part the multiple links between death and migration are discussed, exemplified by the tragedy of Otranto in 1997, an accident which caused the death of several migrants. Death as permanent absence, and migration as temporary absence considered as a metaphorical extension of death coincide here in an emblematic case. / Diese Promotion versucht, basierend auf ethnologischen Feldforschungen in Südalbanien zwischen 2007 und 2012, eine kulturelle Perspektive auf das Phänomen Migration in Albanien zu eröffnen. Dabei wird Migration sowohl als gelebte Alltagsrealität, als auch als eine mentale Konstruktion betrachtet. Lokale Dorffeste nehmen in dieser Diskussion als symbolisch besetze Orte der sozialen Auseinandersetzung über Konzepte wie Tradition, Modernität und Authentizität eine zentrale Rolle ein. Gleichzeitig werden in ihnen die sozialen und kulturellen Brüche zwischen verbliebener Dorfbevölkerung und den zu diesen Anlässen heimkehrenden Migranten sichtbar. Methodologisch wurde diese widersprüchliche Realität durch die „Anthropology of Absence“ einer näheren Untersuchung unterzogen. Zudem wurde Migration aus dem Blickwinkel individueller Narrative betrachtet. Das Konzept der „Abwesenheit“ ist für den Fall Albaniens von entscheidender Bedeutung, da es räumliche, soziale und klangliche Nostalgie (mall) definiert, die im Alltagsleben omnipräsent ist. Diese Nostalgie erweist sich nicht als hinderliches Element, sondern als eine Quelle der Inspiration für lokale Musiker. Sie aktiviert Prozesse der „Übersetzung“ von Migrationserfahrung in Emotionalität und in Gesangspraktiken. Für lokale Sänger steht beim Schaffensprozess das „durchleben“ (përjetoj) der Migrationserfahrung am Anfang eines Liedes. Diese Erfahrung verleiht ihnen die nötige Autorität um in authentischer Art und Weise über Migration zu singen. Das dabei entstehende Migrationslied (këngë kurbeti) besitzt wichtige emotionale und soziale Funktionen für die Dorfgemeinschaft, die in der Arbeit diskutiert werden. Musikalisch handelt es sich um ein Repertoire, das sich zwischen den grundsätzlich entgegengesetzten Polen von Lied (këngë) und Totenklage (vajtim) bewegt. Aus der vergleichenden Analyse von verschiedenen Aufführungskontexten für Migrationslieder geht hervor, dass die Einordnung eines Liedes als Migrationslied von subjektiven Perspektiven und dem jeweiligen Aufführungskontext abhängig ist. Der Begriff „performative category“ wird daher vorgeschlagen um diese Gruppe von Liedern näher zu definieren.Im abschließenden Teil werden die engen Beziehungen zwischen Tod und Migration als Formen der permanenten bzw. temporären Abwesenheit am Beispiel der Tragödie von Otranto 1997 untersucht. Die Koinzidenz von Migration und Tod führte in diesem Fall zu einer kulturellen Reaktion und zur Schaffung zahlreicher Lieder, in denen sich Migration als „nationale Mythengeschichte“ wiederfindet.

Les plantes aromatiques et médicinales en Albanie constituent un secteur économique qui exerce de fortes pressions sur la ressource naturelle et entraine la dégradation des habitats des plantes, voire même les expose à des risques d'extinction. L'objectif global de la thèse est de proposer de nouvelles approches complémentaires pour améliorer la base de connaissance sur la ressource des PAM en Albanie. La première partie de la thèse traite du travail qu'il a fallu réaliser sur l'existant (inventaires et études) pour en tirer les enseignements et détecter les manques éventuels. Le travail sur les archives albanaises recouvrant la période allant de 1920 à 1986 et différentes études réalisées entre 1988 et 2010 ont permit de cerner les différents dispositifs de gestion de la ressource. Une partie des données historiques exploitables a été rassemblée et structurée sous forme de base de données. La seconde partie de la thèse propose une méthode de modélisation de l'habitat exploitée à partir des traces GPS des cueilleurs en utilisant essentiellement des concepts issues de la « Time Geography ». La collecte de l'information repose sur une approche participative (crowdsourcing) associant les cueilleurs en tant que contributeur d'information. Les traces GPS sont traitées et analysées par un modèle qui met en œuvre un ensemble de filtres pour ne retenir que les portions de trace qui appartiennent à l'action de cueillette stricto sensu. Déterminer l'action de cueillette reviens à détecter indirectement l'emplacement d'une plante. L'application successive des filtres de la vitesse instantanée, de la densité spatio-temporelle, de la surface et de la moyenne des variations d'angles sert à modéliser la zone de cueillette (zc) qui par agrégation à différentes échelles permet de reconstituer l'habitat exploité. La construction du modèle théorique a été traduite en langage SQL et implémentée dans une base de données spatiale pour faciliter le traitement automatisé des données. Ce modèle a été testé sur trois types plantes : la sauge, le romarin et le tilleul. La comparaison des résultats de la modélisation, représentés sous forme de cartographies synthétiques, d'un côté, avec les données terrains (photos géoréférencées) de l'autre, ont permis de faire évoluer le modèle dans un premier temps et de valider les résultats dans un second temps. La construction d'une base de données capable d'intégrer le résultat du traitement des traces GPS et les données historiques d'archives, tout en les restituant sous forme de vues cartographiques ou statistiques permet de démontrer qu'il est possible de faire cohabiter et de croiser des données provenant de sources d'origine et de nature différente. Malgré un nombre d'expérimentions limités, le modèle couplé à la base de données «BD OPAM», jette les premières bases d'un observatoire préfigurant la gestion évolutive des PAM. / Medicinal and aromatic plants in Albania is an economic sector that exerts great pressure on the natural resource and causes the deterioration of the habitats of plants and even puts them at risk of extinction. The overall aim of the thesis is to provide new complementary approaches to improve the knowledge base on PAM resource in Albania. The first part of the thesis deals with the work that had to be made on the existing (inventories and studies) to draw lessons and identify potential gaps. The Work on the Albanian archives covering the period from 1920 to 1986 and various studies conducted between 1988 and 2010 have made it possible to identify the various devices of resource management. A harvestable part was collected as historical data and structured as a database. The second part of the thesis proposes a method of habitat modeling operated from GPS traces of the gatherers using mainly concepts from the "Time Geography." The collection of information is based on a participatory approach (crowdsourcing) involving gatherers as information contributor. GPS tracks are processed and analyzed by a model that uses a set of filters to select only those portions that belong to trace's action of picking in strict sense. Determine the action of gathering come back to indirectly detect the location of a plant. The successive application filters of the instantaneous speed, of the spatio-temporal density, of the surface and the mean variation of angles used to model the collection area (zc) that the aggregation at the different scales used to reconstruct the exploited habitat. The construction of the theoretical model has been translated into the SQL language and implemented in a spatial database to facilitate automated data processing. This model has been tested on three herbs: sage, rosemary and linden. Comparison of the results of modeling, represented as synthetic maps on one side, with the land data (photos georeferenced) on the other, have helped to change the model initially and validate results a second time. Building a database that can integrate the treatment outcome of GPS tracks and historical data archives, while restoring the form of map views or statistics used to demonstrate that it is possible to integrate and crossing data from sources of different nature and origin. Despite a limited number of experimenting, the coupled to the database "BD OPAM" model, laying the first foundations of a monitoring foreshadowing adaptive management of PAM.

Geographically Albania is divided into two main regions: northern Ghegeria and southern Toskeria. The southern part (Toskeria) consists of two sub-regions, Toske and Laberia. These share many commonalities yet the musical styles of each are distinctly different. The Shkumbini River serves as a boundary between the two main regions, as well as a cultural divide distinguishing the varying musical performances and styles. Monodic music is practiced mainly in the north whilst polyphonic music is most commonly performed in the south. These two diverse systems impact on the folk songs of the two regions making them sound significantly different. In addition, different folk instruments are used in both regions. The instrumental and vocal monodic music of the north (Ghegeria) is based on the modal system, with Dorian, Aeolian, Mixolydian, Phrygian, Lydian, Ionian and Hypolydian modes being used. The songs of the north typically portray important historical events or heroic deeds, while the southern songs are not as nationalistic and cover various social themes. They are in general a lot softer and more melodic in character. The folk music of the south (Toskeria) is based on the pentatonic scale, with significant differences which are noticed within the two sub-regions (Toske and Laberia). The vocal music of the south consists of two, three or four vocal parts singing a capella, although sometimes instrumental accompaniment is added. The polyphonic music of the sub-region of Toske is characterized by imitative elements utilized in both the melodies and rhythms of the songs, providing a sense of thematic unity, whereas in Laberia contrasting elements are more dominant throughout the songs. Despite these differences, iso (or drone) is performed similarly in both sub-regions, and is another important element in the polyphonic music of the south. A notable form of instrumental polyphonic music of Toskeria is that of Kaba, performed by Saze folk ensembles. What distinguishes Albanian polyphonic folk music from its counterparts in other areas of the world is that it has not only survived but is flourishing in modern times. Unlike many other cultures that have excluded polyphonic music from mainstream society, Albanian polyphonic music is known by most Albanians and is well practiced and enjoyed by all age groups, and rural as well as urban Albanians, regardless of their degree of formal musical training / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Music / unrestricted