Chairs:

Anila Hyka Smørgrav, Conference Scientific Committee,

Diaspora Coordinating Council, France

&

Besim GOLLOPENI, University of Mitrovica Isa Boletini & Institute of Sociology, Demography and Innovation, KOSOVO

Within: The 21st International & Interdisciplinary Conference “Toward an Intelligent Society: Challenges & Opportunities”

Venue: University “Fehmi Agani” Gjakove, Kosovo

Dates: 22–23 May 2026

Format: Hybrid participation (In-person & Online)

  • Kosovo and Albania have been widely regarded as two empirical “laboratories” for the study of migration and diaspora in contemporary Europe and the globalized world. Although they share strong cultural, historical, and linguistic affinities, their migration experiences, forms of diasporic engagement, and relationships with the state of origin reveal distinct yet complementary trajectories that are particularly suitable for comparative analysis. Kosovo has often been examined as a paradigmatic case of forced migration shaped by conflict, repression, genocide, and political insecurity, as well as a model of Active Diasporic Engagement in processes of liberation, state-building, and the preservation of national identity. The Kosovar diaspora has played multiple roles—political, financial, symbolic, and diplomatic—exerting a direct influence on the country’s historical developments and institutional consolidation.
  • Albania, by contrast, has been analyzed as a paradigmatic case of mass emigration following the collapse of communism, interpreted by various scholars as an “escape from freedom,” but also as a profound process of social, economic, and cultural transformation. The interrelations between migration, development, remittances, return, and transnationalism have been central to scholarly analyses of post-socialist Albanian society.

This Special Session aims to create an interdisciplinary space for discussion on the following themes:

  • New forms of relations between diaspora, state, and society
  • Public policies toward diaspora communities and their limits
  • Diaspora as a political, economic, cultural, and symbolic actor
  • Comparative perspectives on Kosovo and Albania in relation to other European and global models
  • Differences between idealized narratives of diaspora and empirical realities
  • Diaspora voting from the perspective of political-sociological theory and best practices concerning referenda, general elections, and/or local elections
  • Concrete policy recommendations for Albania, Kosovo, and beyond

We invite theoretical and empirical contributions from sociology, political science, migration studies, anthropology, economics, cultural studies, and related fields. The session seeks to strengthen dialogue between academic research and public debate on diaspora-related issues.

Keywords: Diaspora; migration; emigrant voting; transnationalism; Kosovo; Albania; development; public policy; identity; Europe; globalization.