The Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin is continuing with its Ottoman Urban Studies Seminar; as far as I can tell, for the third year in a row. Between November 10, 2008, and June 22, 2009, those resident in the German capital will be able to attend the 14 bimonthly lectures (program/.pdf) on urban history in the Ottoman realm. While in past years' there were some scattered contributions on the Balkans (Hanndes Grandits, Bojan Aleksov, and Gergana Georgieva), this year the European provinces are completely absent, save for perhaps Johann Strauss' talk on “Linguistic Diversity and Every Day Life in Ottoman Cities of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans" on April 20. The locales highlighted this academic year, in addition to the more theoretical/general lectures, are Izmir, Aleppo, Istanbul, Cairo, Damascus, Eregli, Algiers, Tunis, and Trabzon.

BalkanInsight.com ran some potentially interesting stories about Kosovo and Albania that I wasn't able to access as they are "premium content" now (and I'm not yet ready to pay for internet content). Here, at least, the headlines and "teasters":

- Dangers Abound in Kosovo Building Boom: Construction firms are transforming Kosovo’s skyline with one high-rise after another - but as most have no planning permission, buyers could lose in the end.

- Developers Ravage Cultural Heritage of Albania: Historic sites are being flattened or transformed out of recognition by out-of-control real estate boom, muddles over property rights, corruption and a lack of funds to preserve listed buildings.   

- Gay Festival Tests Bosnia’s ‘City of Tolerance’: Sarajevo’s first gay festival has triggered public uproar and cast a shadow over the city’s once famous reputation for tolerance.