Diasporas and democratization in the post-communist world

If diaspora communities are socialized with democratic values in Western societies, they could be expected to be sympathetic to the democratization of their home countries. However, there is a high degree of variation in their behavior. Contrary to the predominant understanding in the literature that diasporas act in exclusively nationalist ways, this article argues that they do engage with the democratization of their home countries. Various challenges to the sovereignty of their homelands explain whether diasporas involve with procedural or liberal aspects of democratization. Drawing evidence from the activities of the Ukrainian, Serbian, Albanian and Armenian diasporas after the end of communism, I argue that unless diasporas are linked to home countries that enjoy both international legal and domestic sovereignty, they will involve only with procedural aspects of democratization. Diasporas filter international pressure to democratize post-communist societies by utilizing democratic procedures to advance unresolved nationalist goals

From the IBPP Research Associates. Albania.

This article -Tirana Sets Out Emergency Procedures - written by a staff writer at the Albanian Daily News/Evening Report of Independent Albanian Economic Tribune and illustrates the political psychological crisis engendered among citizens of Albania concerning the Kosovo crisis. It discusses practical steps for citizens to take in the event of emergency. Copyright permissions for open access were not available, and the article could not be posted for download. Please contact Albanian Daily News ( http://www.albaniannews.com/index.php?mod=22) for details