Robert Hislope, assistant professor of political science, traveled recently to Macedonia to research cross-border Albanian networks (legal and illegal) and their impact on Macedonian stability and regional security.
Hislope is particularly interested in the relative stability of the former Yugoslavian republic, particularly at a time when ethnic and political turmoil affect neighboring countries. Among the contributing factors are that Albanians and Macedonians live closely among each other (ethnic Albanians comprise about 23 percent of the population, with most of the largely-Muslim group concentrated on the western border) and that Macedonian governments have long had Albanian participation.
Over the last several weeks, however, an Albanian paramilitary group has been clashing with Macedonian army units along the border of Kosovo.
During his trip to Macedonia, Hislope interviewed Arben Xhaferi, leader of the Democratic Party of Albanians, the most prominent Albanian politician in the country. (He was aided in this interview by translator Mjellma Mehmeti, sister of Vlora Mehmeti '03, a native Albanian from Macedonia who is a political science and history major and advisee of Hislope's. Mehmeti's family also took Hislope to several Albanian cultural events.) He also interviewed the former president and founder of the state, Kiro Gligorov, and 15 other top journalists, academicians, and public figures.
In addition, he participated in two scholarly conferences in Macedonia (one in Skopje, one in Ohrid), and was televised on Macedonian national TV, and interviewed by the BBC. His research is supported by a grant from the National Research Council.