@misc{Brendel2018,
  author    = {Brendel, Heiko},
  title     = {'Hasty observations'?},
  series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam Philosophische Reihe},
  journal   = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam Philosophische Reihe},
  number    = {166},
  issn      = {1866-8380},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-43500},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-435000},
  pages     = {184 -- 208},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {This article examines geographical field research in Albania and Montenegro under Austro-Hungarian occupation, which lasted from 1916 to 1918. It focusses on one of the most important German-speaking geographers of the early 20 th century, Eugen Oberhummer (1859-1944), a pupil of Friedrich Ratzel, the founder of German geo-politics. In 1917 and 1918, Oberhummer went on two expeditions to Montenegro and Albania during the First World War. He already had travelled in four continents and vaguely knew the Western Balkans from an expedition in 1907. It will be argued that the actual situation in Albania and Montenegro did not alter, but did rather reinforce Oberhummer's attitudes and opinions on the 'other' he encountered. Thus, the two war expeditions - Oberhummer primarily met high-ranking Austro-Hungarian officials and only few locals - confirmed his expectations basing on his 'Ratzelian' theoretical conceptions. It will further be argued that - in contrast to the much younger and less experienced 'scholars-at-arms' of the expedition of 1916 - war and violence were of secondary relevance for the well-travelled and renowned professor of geography in his late 50s. Neither in Oberhummer's articles nor in his diaries the war and the occupation of Albania and Montenegro made up an important part. In Oberhummer's 'Ratzelian' view, humans could not change or over-come the basic features of geography, as humans were clearly subordinated to the elemental forces of geography. People, over generations, adapted to geography, not the other way round. The on-going First World War was an opportunity for Oberhummer to travel to Albania and Montenegro, but the guerrilla warfare in large parts of Montenegro, the violence against the civilian population, and the fighting at the Albanian front were of secondary relevance and interest for him. Nevertheless, what Oberhummer observed offers great insights into the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Montenegro and Albania from the perspective of a renowned and - given the general circumstances - pleasantly relaxed Ratzelian geographer at the height of his academic career.},
  language  = {en}
}
@book{Xhindi2013,
  author    = {Xhindi, Nevila},
  title     = {Albania towards a sustainable regional development},
  series = {Praxis Kultur- und Sozialgeographie | PKS},
  journal   = {Praxis Kultur- und Sozialgeographie | PKS},
  number    = {56},
  publisher = {Universit{\"a}tsverlag Potsdam},
  address   = {Potsdam},
  isbn      = {978-3-86956-223-0},
  issn      = {0934-716X},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-62691},
  publisher      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {As Albania is accelerating its preparations towards the European Union candidate status, numerous areas of public policy and practices undergo intensive development processes. Regional development policy is a very new area of public policy in Albania, and needs research and development. This study focuses on the process of sustainable development in Albania, by analyzing and comparing the regional development of regions of Tirana, Shkodra and Kukes. The methodology used consists of a literature/desk review; analytical and comparative approach; qualitative interviews; quantitative data collection; analysis. The research is organized in five chapters. First chapter provides an overview of the study framework. The second outlines the theory and scientific framework for sustainable and regional development in relation with geography. The third chapter presents the picture of the regional development in Albania, analyzing the disparities and regional development in the light of EU requirements and NUTS division. Chapter 4 continues by analyzing and comparing the regional development of the regions: Tirana - driver for change, Shkodra - the North in Development and Kukes - the "shrinking" region. Chapter 5 presents the conclusions and recommendations. This research comes to the conclusions that if growth in Albania is to be increased and sustained, a regional development policy needs to be established.},
  language  = {en}
}