Modern Albania : : From Dictatorship to Democracy in Europe / / Fred C. Abrahams.

• VerfasserIn: Abrahams, Fred C.,
• Place / Publishing House: New York, NY : : New York University Press, , [2015]; ©2015
• Year of Publication: 2015
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource

In the early 1990s, Albania, arguably Europe’s most closed and repressive state, began a startling transition out of forty years of self-imposed Communist isolation. Albanians who were not allowed to practice religion, travel abroad, wear jeans, or read “decadent” Western literature began to devour the outside world. They opened cafés, companies, and newspapers. Previously banned rock music blared in the streets.Modern Albania offers a vivid history of the Albanian Communist regime’s fall and the trials and tribulations that led the country to become the state it is today. The book provides an in-depth look at the Communists' last Politburo meetings and the first student revolts, the fall of the Stalinist regime, the outflows of refugees, the crash of the massive pyramid-loan schemes, the war in neighboring Kosovo, and Albania’s relationship with the United States. Fred Abrahams weaves together personal experience from more than twenty years of work in Albania, interviews with key Albanians and foreigners who played a role in the country’s politics since 1990-including former Politburo members, opposition leaders, intelligence agents, diplomats, and founders of the Kosovo Liberation Army-and a close examination of hundreds of previously secret government records from Albania and the United States. A rich, narratively-driven account, Modern Albania gives readers a front-row seat to the dramatic events of the last battle of Cold War Europe.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Map of Albania -- Map of Tirana -- Introduction -- Prologue: On the Boulevard -- Part I Out of the Dark: The Leader’s Demise, 1985–1990 -- 1 Hoxha’s Heart -- 2 Fences Fall -- 3 The System Shakes -- Part II Blinded by Light: The Democratic Movement, 1990–1992 -- 4 Student City -- 5 A Democratic Party -- 6 Vote for the Future -- Part III Red to Blue: Democratic Party Rules, 1992–1996 -- 7 Rebuild the State -- 8 One-Party Town -- 9 The Fall -- Part IV Blinded by Gold: Crash of the Pyramids, 1997 -- 10 Profiteers’ Pact -- 11 Revolt -- 12 A Horrible End -- Part V Return to Red: Ex-Communists Rule, 1998 -- 13 Democracy 2.0 -- 14 Illegal but Necessary -- 15 A Shot, a Coup -- Part VI Red and Black: The Kosovo War, 1998–1999 -- 16 Argument of Force -- 17 A Formula -- 18 To War -- Part VII Black and Blue: Battered Politics of Transition, 2000–2014 -- 19 Busts in Our Heads -- 20 The Doctor Is Back -- 21 Pendulum Swing -- Epilogue -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Sources -- Index -- About the Author