Reconstructing the image of a nation through exotic narratives. The case of Albanian authors writing in Italian

Italian language narratives of Albanian authors hold a substantial presence in the Italian publishing arena. While frequently addressing themes associated with their homeland, these authors explore a diverse array of genres, including novels, memoirs, detective fiction, and poetry. This discussion, however, will not delve into the latter genre, as its unique aesthetic and formal characteristics would warrant a separate analysis. Despite the diversity of content and individualities of its authors, this narrative persists in being categorized either under the all-encompassing label of "migrant literature" or examined through a gender-focused lens, with predominant emphasis on some of the most renowned female writers. In our view, this peculiarity of the Italian literary criticism regarding Albanian literature can be attributed to a not yet entirely refined framing of the Albanian literary landscape itself and the historical-cultural context of a nation that, having endured nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule, was perceived as a mysterious Islamic outpost in the heart of Europe. Consequently, it remained one of the least explored European countries until relatively recently.