TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE IN ALBANIA
A Compilation of Papers by Young Albanian Researches
FOREWORD
In 2019 - as part of a broader effort to foster the conduct of research and critical inquiry in the field
of transitional justice, enhance academic analysis and contribute to a better-informed public and
academic discourse on how to deal with the past - the OSCE Presence in Albania in collaboration
with Konrad- Adenauer-Stiftung supported the development and implementation of a research
programme on Transitional Justice in Albania.
A number of young researchers were selected to embark on year-long studies on different topics
of justice and transformation in Albania, including art during the communism time, lustration
and vetting in the post-communist Albania, reparation of former political prisoners, etc.
The Programme started with an intensive Autumn School in November 2018, which offered the
researchers the necessary background on transitional justice methodologies, and was followed
by continuous working on, and reshaping of the research topics based on literature review,
collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data generated by State’s archive databases,
public discussions in the media, archives of non-governmental organizations in the country and
interviews with victims and witnesses of the violations of human rights in communist time.
Under the guidance and support of highly regarded international and national experts, the
researchers have been through a fascinating journey of learning and developing new skills on
how to investigate Albania’s communist past and its effects on the contemporary society.
The results of this intensive work were presented to an audience of young students of the
University of Tirana in December 2019. The researchers had the opportunity to introduce their
research concepts and findings to the students and engage in lively discussion on the current
challenges in conducting research on transitional justice in Albania.
The present compilation marks the completion of the program and gathers the outcome of the
research efforts. It contains the research papers received by 8th of November 2019.
This publication aims to promote the research on Albania’s communist past and transitional
justice processes, leading to a better-informed and facts-based discourse with a wider and
multi-angle focus, to further enhance public information and knowledge about the country’s
Communist past, and to foster debate among students.
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