The Democratization of Albania: Democracy from Within

The Democratization of Albania describes a multi-year project designed to promote democracy in Albania through the country’s entire educational system. Instructional materials were developed, including a basic manual, to introduce open and interactive teaching by a network of almost 3000 teachers and educators, who were trained through the project on the proper application of the materials developed. To sustain the network, five democratic civic education centers were established in as many universities throughout the country. Success with young people led the author to go beyond describing the project and propose in the book a new model for accelerating the process of democratization. This can be achieved by empowering ordinary citizens through education to actively participate in building their country’s democracy.

Theodore Kaltsounis is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, Seattle, as well as Honorary Professor at the University of Elbasan. Born in Southern Albania, he escaped to Greece at the age of 15, following the establishment of the communist regime in that country. He became a teacher and briefly taught in Greece. He continued his studies in the United States under the Fulbright program and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. After serving for six years as a faculty member at the State University of New York at Oswego, he joined the University of Washington where for many years he served in a number of capacities, including Chair of the university’s Faculty Senate. But mainly, he taught social studies and civic education. He has been active in those fields nationally and internationally. In 1981, he was elected President of the National Council for the Social Studies. During the last 25 years of his career, Professor Kaltsounis focused his teaching and other professional activities in the study and advancement of democracy. He is convinced that democracy cannot be achieved, sustained or advanced without the involvement of ordinary people who have been empowered through education that is deliberately focused on democracy.