Book Publication: Society without Culture

VILDANA-Foundation is a promising initiative that makes its contribution to the urgently needed progress as well as to the development and promotion of talents.

The book of Labinot Kunushevci has been recently published. One of the books to be in great demand, which unfolds the Kosovan society within the contest of critical reality, published by “Artini” House in Prishtina, contains 327 pages, five chapters, and was reviewed by Prof. Ibrahim Berisha. The book was edited by Deme Topalli and designed by Arsim Murseli.

The author sets forth a sharp sociological criticism and pokes with a satirical blow. He divides the book into five chapters, beginning with education and public culture; further with identity and conflict; Kosova as a forgotten colony buried in oblivion; kitsch academy and university; and draws a conclusion about the promising perspective of the VILDANA-Foundation and its role on promoting talented students, a project of Albanian Diaspora in Switzerland, which raises hope for the discovery of high potential students. In addition, Labinot describes the foundation, its organization, and the success of this endeavor.

In this book, Labinot warns us about the absence of collective consciousness. This book is about egoism and arrogance, demagogy and mediocrity, misuse and abuse, discriminations and injustice, frailty and improvisation, irresponsible public communication, privileges not based on accomplishments, pseudointellectuals and elite corruption, strange decision-making by institutions, of moral hazard and primitive mentality, of hedonism as a way of life and perverse behaviors as a modern tragicomedy, anomalies, and paradoxes of everyday life.

The book reviewer, professor Ibrahim Berisha, writes:

“For the most part, this book contains a series of sociological topics, which are observed with a critical approach, hence it becomes a genre not known previously in sociological writings. In the aspect of the genre, these (writings) are blended, to create a clear and consolidate the public-intellectual profile of the author. The quality and content of public communication, an important indicator for standard and progress, although a proclaimed goal, even normed, from the research carried out, leaves a lot to be desired. The Author tells us also about the social crisis within the contest of processes and social-cultural tendencies, thus offering a valuable contribution in overcoming such difficulty, as an important task, so that the citizen of Kosova can live and prosper in one purposeful and ideal society, encircled with peace and real public responsibility.”

These issues are treated by the sociologist Kunushevci on the basis of research, analysis, facts, phenomena, experiences, cases, and social realities, with a unique writing style, a high critical sense, and diversity that gives the curious, critical, and passionate reader the feeling of entering a wide colorful horizon. The author also encompasses the human dimension of society and brings to the reader the basic cultural and emancipatory values, in particular solidarity, sacrifice, responsibility, humanism, communication, and public behavior, with various examples from public life.

The author Labinot Kunushevci lives in Prishtina. He holds a master’s degree in sociology and works as a social studies teacher. The book “Society without Culture” is his second book. He is also the coordinator and professional representative of the VILDANA-Foundation.