Shinasi Rama, PH.D.

The Clinical Professor of Politics and Director of the Master’s Programs at New York University first discovered his passion for politics when he protested against the oppressive Albanian government and helped open the doors to Democracy. 

Shinasi Rama hails from Northern Albania. He attended the Military Academy before continuing his studies in Literature and English at the University of Tirana. Fed up with the depressive state of Albania, Rama and other students organized several demonstrations and a hunger strike, becoming directly responsible for opening the doors to political pluralism and the rest of the world. Professor Rama seized his chance at pursuing knowledge in the free world and moved to the United States in 1992. He followed his academic destiny, earning a Master’s degree from South Carolina University, and then a Master’s and Doctorate from Columbia University in New York City. During and after his studies, Rama published many articles, both in Albanian and English, and was recognized for his fresh viewpoints and sharp analysis of international politics. He is also the author of two acclaimed and much discussed books, Përrallat e tranzicionit shqiptar (Tales of Albanian Transition) and In Search of the Effective State: The Evolution of Albanian Nationalism.