This comprehensive study covers the past and present of Albanian migration while putting emphasis on the situation in countries of origin. Apart from rudimentary information about Albanian communities in medieval southern Europe, the study describes a number of essentially unknown events, e.g. the controlled migration of Albanians from Yugoslavia to the Turkish Kurdistan in the 1950s or the migratory situation in Albania during the civil war in the 1990s. The historical overview of Albanian emigration ends with an analysis of the origins and development of the phenomenon of Albanian guest workers (gastarbeiters) in the context of social realities of a patriarchal society. The author reflects on the impact of visa policies introduced by European countries on the flows of Albanian migrants and their target countries. The final part examines the impact of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s on the Albanian society and migration and also maps out the current situation in countries of origin and the key migratory routes of Albanians in Europe.

Note: This is a draft version of a study to be published in the near future.