[alst-l] Isa Blumi

[Isa Blumi]

I make my initial formal contribution to this
discussion forum with the hope that this can be a
fruitful medium for exchanging ideas, info and the
like.  I will begin with a brief biographical
description but will quickly get down to business. 
My father was a Kosovar from Peja, I personally have
lived outside the Kosovar community most of my life
due to my mothers German heritage, therefore I have,
I think, a somewhat different impression about being
Albanian.  I am writing my PhD Dissertation at New
York University for the joint Middle Eastern
studies/History program on Identity and state
formation both the Northern Highlands of ALbania and
Yemen during the last 50 years of the Ottoman Empire.
  I am currently in Ýstanbul conducting archival
research which has produced a wealth of information
which will prove ground-breaking in many ways.  I
have published in journals such as East European
Quarterly, East European Politics and Society and the
Ýnternational Journal for Albanian Studies of which I
am a member of the editorial board.

Now to business.  

First item;  I currently seeking original
well-written and researched articles (previously
published in other languages my be alright)to put
together an edited volume for publication within the
next year.  While I intend to edit the volume I would
welcome a co-editor who has experience.  I am not
sure there is a large enough number of us,
unfortunately who are producing research on Albanian
related topics to justify restricting the topic to
some narrow definition or theme, I think the content
and number of papers I can get my hands on will
dictate the overall theme of the volume but I do
believe we are in serious need of such a volume to
address the many of the serious misconceptions and
misrepresentations the rest of the world (and
Albanians for that matter) have of the regions
neglected issue.  The recent publications on Kosova
prove unrewarding in many aspects and attempts to
understand Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Italy
etc with a strong historical focus from the
perspective of Albanians is lacking at best.  Please
be forthcoming with proposals, references or
recommendations, I have two university presses who
expressed priliminary interest if I could get
together a volume (this is a most important aspect
for the ALbanian community which to date has been
neglected)  Please send all inquiries to my e-mail
address---ngapeja at hotmail.com


Issue two---I am  terribly concerned with recent
developments in Kosova regarding media coverage (what
else is new!?)  I see a dramatic shift in attention
away from Albanians as a collective community in the
abbreviated  articles I am picking up in Turkey from
UPÝ, NYT,  etc....I am troubled that the  --human
side of this media event---has clearly shifted to the
Serbs, there are no longer stories of the homeless
Albanians, the children who brave the elements,
violence etc,  recent stories have focused on teh
Serb population giving them an imbalanced level of
humanity while reporters seem to only emphsize the
KLA and its commanders, looking for the military
details of its capacity (which I am dissappointed to
note the answers are confident, verbose and overly
cocky).  I remember that period in late spring of 98
when KLA was in control of large tracks of land in
Kosova and similar rhetoric was coming out of Demacý
and commanders of imminent victory etc....NATO and
the West responded with the infamous --Green
Light--and we know what happened then.  Someone must
tell those in charge of media relations for KLA to
tell their commanders to keep down the confidence,
the boasting and insist reporters do stories about
the human side of our plight, otherwise, I see the
attitude the French are spewing out, that is we are
far too deferential to the KLA (read albanians for
they are the provocateurs--read terrorists in Serb
media circles) We must demand that media represent
our situation with less emphasis on our military
activities and return the focus on the human  pain
this is causing our people...let us not let the world
forget that it is we who are the victims and it is we
who are fighting for our lives.

I hope this will stimulate a responce.

Tung

Isa





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