Student Movements for the Republic of Kosovo

This book analyzes the central vision of three student movements organized by different generations of Kosovo Albanian students in 1968, 1981 and 1997. By examining the dynamics of the demonstrations, the author explores the dimensions, forms and implications of student uprisings and resistance, as well as the struggles for dominance by local (Kosovo), federal (SFRY), regional (Albania and Serbia) and international actors (outside the Balkans). While these demonstrations were organized by students, the book shows that these were not necessarily academic but political, highlighting the impact that students had on society to demonstrate. It examines how the vision for Republic status or independence impacted the first and subsequent student movements. Moreover, due to the richness of the empirical data included, this book contributes toward further discussions on social movements, nationalism and state theories.

Explores the importance of the student movements organized by three different generations of Kosovo Albanian students Draws on oral histories from those involved and a rich range of archival sources Highlights the societal impact of these student movements, reaching far beyond academic circles

Autorentext

Atdhe Hetemi completed his PhD at the University of Ghent, Belgium, in 2020. He has led and participated in various programs with the UNDP, USAID, the Centre on Social Movement Studies of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Hungary and the University of Regensberg in Germany.

Zusammenfassung
"The volume clearly fills a gap. The author combines deep insights into the student movements with well-documented research on Albanian-language (higher) education in Kosovo, in particular on the (tumultuous) process leading to the establishment of the University of Prishtinë/Pristina in 1969-1970 and the challenges it faced in the first decades of its existence. Hetemi's multidisciplinary approach, combining historical and ethnographic research, makes the publication appealing to a broad range of social scientists and historians interested in (South-)Eastern Europe." (Julia Nietsch, Comparative Southeast European Studies, Vol. 70 (1), 2022)

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. Uneasy Liaison: Albanians and South Slavs in the Former Yugoslavia.- 3. Social Movements Between Demands for Social Change, Justice and Nationalism (the 1960s).- 4. The University of Prishtina (UP): Between Politics and Academia.- 5. Propaganda: Different Responses to the 1981 Demonstrations.- 6. The Unfolding of Kosovar Activism (the 1990s).- 7. Conclusions.- Epilogue.