100 professors and researchers from universities and organizations open letter against the closure of Albanology

100 professors and researchers from universities and organizations have written an open letter to come together in unanimity, against the closure of the Academy of Albanological Studies.

In the letter, researchers and professors write that ASA has created institutional frameworks for enabling critical discourse and deepening knowledge about Albanians in various disciplines. Also, they state that the institution has been open to new theoretical paradigms and inter-societal, interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research practices.

They state that criticism of any institution, including ASA, is certainly necessary and welcome, but it should be constructive and aimed at their further construction and development.

Researchers and professors stand in solidarity with ASA colleagues and any legal initiative that will be taken in defense of the institution.

OPEN LETTER

In solidarity and support of the demands of the Academy of Albanological Studies for its development rather than closure

We, researchers and scientific researchers inside and outside Albania, writers, publicists, journalists, activists, engaged citizens, associations, organizations and various collectives, we have followed with deep concern the decision of the Council of Ministers dated May 31, 2023 to close the Academy of Albanian Studies (ASA) and to merge it within the Academy of Sciences. We share our disagreement with this arbitrary and harmful decision for the future of Albanological Studies, which we also consider harmful to academic freedom and the development of theoretical thought in the humanities, specifically in comparative and critical Albanian studies.

With this open letter, we would like to once again draw attention to the importance of ASA with its four research institutes not only for academia and the Albanian public, but also for the contribution of the researchers working there in the pluralization of knowledge at the regional and global level. Despite numerous limitations, the team of researchers at ASA has created institutional frameworks for enabling critical discourse and deepening knowledge about Albanians in various disciplines of cultural anthropology and art studies, archaeology, language-literature, history, etc. This institution has addressed previously little-explored topics and has been open to new theoretical paradigms and inter-societal, interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research practices.

Në formë të përmbledhur, ASA ka kontribuar që puna me dijen shkencore në Shqipëri të jetë më e hapur, më demokratike, më e lirë dhe me më shumë diversitet, parakushte këto për dije njëherazi plurale dhe të avancuara. Këto praktika

institucionale janë vlera të shtuara për shoqërinë shqiptare dhe do të duheshin marrë si shembull për t’u ndjekur dhe mbështetur dhe jo për t’u ndërprerë.

Kritika ndaj çdo institucioni, përfshirë ASA-n, është sigurisht e nevojshme dhe e mirëseardhur por duhet të jetë konstruktive dhe të synojë sendërtimin dhe zhvillimin e tyre të mëtejshëm. ASA dhe të gjitha institucionet e arsimit të lartë duhen fuqizuar dhe mbështetur për zhvillimin e hulumtimit dhe përparimin e dijes shkencore në mënyrë të decentralizuar, demokratike dhe me pavarësi akademike. Është e papranueshme që ndryshime dhe ristrukturime të përmasave të tilla të ndërmerren në mënyrë të njëanshme, pa u bazuar në ligj, pa u konsultuar me grupet e interesit, pa përfillur interesat akademike, dhe jo në përputhje me interesat e gjera publike.

Bearing in mind the above, we reiterate our solidarity with the engaged researchers of ASA and support every legal, administrative and social initiative that will be taken in defense of this institution and academic freedom in Albania.

We will continue to follow closely the further actions of the government regarding this issue of vital interest to the Albanian academic world.