Albania in Transition

(Hardback)

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Description

The historical events 20 years ago changed the world profoundly, as the end of the Cold War ushered in the democratisation of the countries of Eastern Europe. Albania was also swept up in the wave of the regime's critical movements, and with the overthrow of the communist government hopes for prosperity and freedom took root. Hans Peter Jost's photographs of that time document a country marked by communism in the throes of change. They recall a time when there were no private automobiles on the streets, when Coca-Cola and ATMs were not yet part of the urban landscape and the house facades were not yet adorned with satellite dishes. The images of this time with its roots in the past are juxtaposed with photographs from the Albania of today. They underscore vividly the discrepancies between the dreams of 20 years ago and the reality of today.

Author Bio

Hans Peter Jost, born 1953 in Zurich, works as a freelance photographer with focus on documentary photography and portraiture. His main interest is in social issues, which he often pursues for years. He is a member of the VFG (Association of photographic designers) and the Swiss Werkbund. Kleineidam Christina, born 1961 in Bad Nauheim, works as an architect and journalist. In 2010 the photo-text book 'Cotton Worlwide', a project in collaboration with Hans Peter Jost, was released. Fatos Lubonja, born in 1951 in Tirana, is an author and editor of the literary magazine 'Perpjekja' (effort). From 1974 until 1991 he was under arrest because of his dissident position. He has already published several novels, essays and critical newspaper articles. In 2004 he was awarded the Herder Prize in Literature.