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Academy of Albanological Studies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Institutet e Albanologjisë
Founder(s)Albanian Council of Ministers
EstablishedAugust 22, 2007 (2007-08-22)
Location,
Tirana
,
Albania
Websiteasa.edu.al

The Academy of Albanological Studies (AAS) (Albanian: Akademia e Studimeve Albanologjike; stylised asa) is the main institution of albanology in Albania.

History

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The Academy of Albanological Studies started as part of the reconstruction and modernization of the Albanian academical and university system. The decision was taken by the Albanian Government in August 2007.[1] It derived from joining the four existing institutions: Institute of Archaeology, Institute of Linguistics and Literature, Institute of History, and Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Art Studies, with two research units: Art Studies and Albanian Encyclopedia which used to belong Albanian Academy of Sciences.

The centre was reorganised on 10 March 2008 as a scientific research institute and received the status of the inter-university organ. It inherited the staff of specialist and a rich archive of a high importance. Along with the research in the fields of history, archaeology, cultural anthropology, art study, linguistics, literature, etc., part of its work focus is the investigation, evaluation, conservation, and promotion of the material and spiritual inheritance of the Albanian culture, both past and present. It is one of the core albanology institutes in overall. It also offers master and PhD courses and studies on all the fields that the institute covers.[2]

Institutes

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Institute of Archaeology

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The scientific work on archaeology in Albanian started after World War II, when all the cultural and historical valuable entities were placed under state protection. The first institution of this nature was the Archaeological-Ethnographic Museum (Albanian: Muzeu Arkeologjik-Etnografik), established in Tirana in 1948. With the establishment of the Institute of History and Linguistics in 1955, an Archaeology Section was also created. It handled archaeological research and studies countrywide. In 1976, the section was transformed into the Centre of Archaeological Research (Albanian: Qendra e Kërkimeve Arkeologjike), as part of the Academy of Sciences, with threes scientific sectors: prehistory, Illyrian antiquity, and Middle Ages. Eight scientific groups were established in various towns of the country. In 1992, the centre gained the "institute" status and became the Institute of Archaeology.[3]

Its main activities consist of excavations and archaeological studies throughout the Albanian territory, and the scientific and methodical direction of the archaeologic museum that it has under its jurisdiction, in Tirana, Durrës, Apollonia, Butrint, and Korçë. Structurally, the institute contains the following departments: Department of Prehistory, Department of Antiquity, and Department of Late Antiquity and Middle Age.[3]

Directors:

Periodicals:

  • Iliria (Illyria) magazine, OCLC 2661500.
  • Separate section in other periodicals:

Institute of Linguistics and Literature

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The institute traces its origin in the Institute of Albanian Studies of April 1940. In 1946, the Institute of Scientific Research (Albanian: Instituti i Kërkimeve Shkencore) took over, and was renamed in 1948 to Institute of Sciences (Albanian: Instituti i Shkencave). As its activity spread, it split in 1955 as the Institute of History and Linguistics. In 1972, the history and linguistics-literature section split, each creating its own institute as part of the Academy of Sciences.[4]

The main objective of its scientific-research work is the Albanian language and literature. In the field of linguistics, the institute focuses on studying the Albanian dialects, their current status and historical transgression, compilation of scientific grammars, technical terminology dictionaries, study on standard Albanian language, language norms, and language-related culture. In the field of literature, it focuses on studying the historical development of the Albanian literature, bibliographies on the life and work of its prominent protagonists, compilation of generalizing literary-historical work, and scientific-critical publications on the classics of the Albanian literary tradition.[4]

The archive conserved manuscripts on the old Albanian texts, documentary materials, and monographs on linguistic and literary-historical works, published or not. The library conserved over 50,000 volumes and a huge number of periodical issues. The file archive contains 3 million lexical files.[4]

Directors:

Periodicals:

Institute of History

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The institute started as a scientific-research institute in 1972. The first attempts for establishing such institute had started in April 1940. After World War II, the Institute of Albanian Studies (Albanian: Instituti i Studimeve Shqiptare), was established in 1946, comprising the sections of history and sociology. Other departments were added on the way: archaeology, ancient history, medieval history, recent history, medieval art, ethnography, and other linguistic-literary sections which were all included under the Institute of History and Linguistics (Albanian: Instituti i Historisë e i Gjuhësisë) in 1955.[5] With the establishment of the University of Tirana (UT) in 1957, the institute was placed under UT's umbrella. With the establishment of the Academy of Sciences in 1972, the sections related to history went apart and formed the Institute of History. During the '70s, the section of ethnography and archaeology split from it and became independent parallel institutes.[6]

The institute's main focus is on:[6]

  • Studying the history of the Albanian people inside and outside the territory of Albania, from antiquity till today.
  • Preparation and publishing of documentary collections, articles, and monographs.
  • Organization of scientific activities as symposiums, round tables, workshops, and conferences for presenting the history of the political, socioeconomic, cultural, and diplomatic events of Albania in Balkanic, European, and wider perspective.
  • Lecturing in various universities in Albania, diploma and PhD thesis recenses.

Its main activities dedicate the departmental structure as well, based on epochs:[6]

The institute contains a huge archive of documents and monographs, most of them provided by foreign archives worldwide. Its library contains 70,000 copies of books and magazines on Albannological studies, the second in Albania after the National Library.[6]

Directors:

  • Stefanaq Pollo 1972–1989
  • Selami Pulaha 1989–1990
  • Kristaq Prifti 1990–1993
  • Kasem Bicoku 1993–1997
  • Ana Lalaj 1997–2005
  • Marenglen Verli 2005–

Periodicals:

  • Buletini i Shkencave (Bulletin of Sciences) magazine, before being restructured in 1957 as:
    • Buletini i Universitetit të Tiranës [Seria e Shkencave Shoqërore] (Bulletin of the University of Tirana [Social Sciences Series]) magazine, before being restructured in 1964 as:
  • Kosova (Kosovo) magazine.

Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Art Studies

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The institute started in 1979 as a merge project between the Institute of Folklore and the Ethnography section of the Institute of History. It was under the umbrella of the Academy of Sciences and was named Institute of Folkloric Culture (Albanian: Instituti i Kulturës Popullore). The Institute of Folklore itself had started in 1961, based on the Folklore Section of the former "Institute of Studies" (Alb: Instituti i Studimeve) of 1947. The Ethnography Section was established in 1947 as well. In 2008, a special structure focusing in art studies was added, thus resulting in the current "Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Art Studies".[8]

Its activity covers field research, collection, registration of different genres of ethno-folklore, archiving and filing, studies, publication of periodicals and scientific resumes, publishing of monographs and collections of materials, illustrative publishing, and in particular publishing the "Albanian Cultural Heritage" series.[8]

In the beginning, its work focused on collecting the Albanian material cultural pieces in the terrain. It built a collection of songs, dances, musical instruments, prose and poetry, etc. As a result, the first six archives were created: the archive of the objects and material culture, the archive of written ethnography, photothèque, sketch archive, archive of music, and the written folklore archive. The archive of the objects and material culture conserves about 33,000 objects representing various aspects of life such as agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, folkloric art, traditional dresses, ornaments, work tools, etc. The archive of written ethnography conserves material noted by the researches during expeditions, materials and notes provided by the foreign collaborators, translations from the original materials of former travelers and researches during their expedition in Albania, etc. The photothèque conserves over 22,000 photo negatives and dispositives in different media depicting traditional dresses since the start of the 20th century, fragments from work, various ceremonies, folkloric activities, etc. The sketch archive conserves over 3500 sketches and planimetries of traditional home environments and constructions. The music archive conserves over 35,000 songs, melodies, dances, and ceremonials, while the archive of written folklore conserves over 1.5 million verses, and around 200,000 pages of folkloric prose.[8]

Another field of its activity is the organisation of folkloric activities, the establishment of the ethnography museums, and ethnographic exhibits. A considerable number[clarification needed] of exhibits have been gone through in Greece, Romania, Hungary, Italy, France, Austria, Nordic countries, former Soviet Union countries, China, etc.[8]

Directors:

  • Zihni Sako 1961–1979
  • Alfred Uçi 1979–1988
  • Ali Xhiku 1988–1993
  • Beniamin Kruta 1993–1995
  • Agron Xhagolli 1995–1999
  • Afërdita Onuzi 1999–

Periodicals:

  • Etnografia Shqiptare (Albanian Ethnography), started in 1962. ISSN 0425-466X. It publishes researches and studies. 18 volumes published so far.
  • Kultura Popullore (Folkloric Culture), semiannual, started in 1980. ISSN 0257-6082.
  • Çështje të folklorit shqiptar (Albanian Folklore Topics), collections, started in 1982. Covers problematic topics, studies and approaches on folkloric prose, poetry, music, dance, instruments, etc. OCLC 15404050.

Academic Senate

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The Academic Senate as of 2015:[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Council of Ministers
  2. ^ "History (in Albanian)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  3. ^ a b "Council of Ministers, Center of Research, Technology and Innovation – Instituti i Arkeologjisë (in Albanian)". Archived from the original on 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  4. ^ a b c "Council of Ministers, Centre of Research, Technology and Innovation – Instituti i Ghuhësisë dhe Letërsisë (in Albanian)". Archived from the original on 2018-06-30. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  5. ^ Aleks Buda (1985), Fjalor enciklopedik shqiptar, Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë, p. 419, OCLC 15296028
  6. ^ a b c d "Council of Ministers, Agency for Research, Technology, and Innovation – Instituti i Historisë (in Albanian)". Archived from the original on 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  7. ^ Marenglen Verli (2014-12-28), "Milosao", Histori për botimin e historisë [History of History Publication], Gazeta Shqiptare, p. 16, OCLC 777718670
  8. ^ a b c d "Albanian Council of Ministers, Agency for Research, Technology, and Innovation – Instituti i Kulturës Popullore (in Albanian)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  9. ^ "Senate list of members". Archived from the original on 2016-12-25. Retrieved 2015-05-11.