Abit Hoxha

Lecturer

Department of Nordic and Media Studies

Email: abit.hoxha@uia.no
Phone: +47 38141406
Mobile phone: +4746916333

Office D4026A (Universitetsveien 25, 4630 Kristiansand, Norway)

Research groups

Areas of responsibility

Abit Hoxha is Assistant Professor and Researcher at the Institute of Nordic and Media Studies at University of Agder in Norway. He is currently working on his PhD titled Conflict News Production at LMU Munich, Germany where he is focusing on comparing journalistic news production in Western Balkans, Middle East and Great Lakes through reconstructing news coverage with journalists to find out influences on news production and how news comes into being. He holds a MSc from Durham Global Security Institute at Durham University in UK as well as an MA on Journalism from the Kosovo Institute of Journalism and Communication and BA degree in Political Science from the University of Prishtina. Originally from Kosovo, Abit is engaged in both academic discussions and research of transitional societies as well as in training journalists on sensitive reporting. He has worked in several research projects in relation to dealing with the past including research on narratives of the second world war in history books in Kosovo which was published as a report “Fostering a Critical Account of History in Kosovo: Engaging with History Teacher’s Narratives of the Second World War.” Prior to joining LMU Munich, he worked for UNDP, UNFAO, World Bank, UNWomen and Civil Society in Kosovo. Prior to joining UiA, he worked in the FP7 funded project INFOCORE at the LMU Munich.

Research

Selected publications

Vera Slavtcheva-Petkova, Jyotika Ramaprasad, Nina Springer, Sallie Hughes, Thomas Hanitzsch, Basyouni Hamada, Abit Hoxha & Nina Steindl (2023) Conceptualizing Journalists’ Safety around the Globe, Digital Journalism, DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2022.2162429
Hoxha, A., & Andresen, K. (2019). The Development of Roles in Kosovo: From Fixers to Journalists. Journalism Studies, 20(12), 1732-1746.
Gonen, Y., & Hoxha, A. (2019). Interactions between Journalists Located in Different Sides of a Conflict: A Comparative Study of Two Conflict Zones. Journalism Studies, 1-18.
Hoxha, A. (2019). Investigative Journalism. The International Encyclopedia of Journalism Studies, 1-6.
Hanitzsch, T., & Hoxha, A. (2018). Journalism of War and Conflict: Generic and Conflict-Related Influences on News Production. In Media in War and Armed Conflict (pp. 169-190). Routledge.
Hoxha, A., & Hanitzsch, T. (2017). How conflict news comes into being: Reconstructing ‘reality’through telling stories. Media, War & Conflict, 1750635217727313.
Hoxha, A and Andresen, K. (2017). Training Journalists in times of transition: the case of Kosovo. Journalism Education. Vol. 6. Nr. 2. P. 37- 47.
Dilellio, A., Fridman, O., Herzigonja, S and Hoxha, A. (2017) Fostering a Critical Account of History in Kosovo: Engaging with History Teacher’s Narratives of the Second World War. Oral History Kosova Initiative
Andresen, K., Hoxha, A., & Godole, J. (2017). New Roles for Media in the Western Balkans: A study of transitional journalism. Journalism Studies, 18(5), 614-628.
Hoxha, A., Andersen, K., and Hoxha-Dobrunaj, A. (2016). Journalists in Kosovo: Country Report. Worlds of Journalism Study: https://epub.ub.unimuenchen.de/31986/7/Abit_Hoxha_Kenneth_Andresen_%26_Arbesa_Hoxha-Dobrunaj__Journalists_in_Kosovo.pdf
Jungblut, M. and Hoxha, A. (2016) Journalistic self-censorship in post conflict societies: a qualitative perspective on the news production in Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia. Media, War & Conflict 1–17
Hoxha, A., Ahmeti, A., & Musliu, A. (2015). Russian Influence in the Western Balkans. Carrot or Stick?. Russia in the Balkans. Threat or Opportunity?, 61.
Hanitzsch, T. & Hoxha, A. (2014). News Production: Theory and Conceptual Framework. Generic and Conflict influences on the news production process. INFOCORE WP1 Working Paper. LMU
Hanitzsch, T. & Hoxha, A. (2015). Methodological Framework: Journalistic Production. INFOCORE WP1 Working Paper. LMU
Hoxha, A. and Emini, D. (2014) Bosnia and Herzegovina in Kosovar Perspective: An Agenda for International Cooperation Institute of East-Central EuropeVolume 12, Issue 3, ISSN 1732-1395
Paterson, C., Andresen, K., Hoxha, A. (2012) The manufacture of an international news event: The day Kosovo was born. SAGE. Journalism13: 103
Hoxha, A. (2012) Russia’s Foreign Policy in Kosovo. http://www.e-ir.info/author/abit-hoxha/
Hoxha, A. (2010) Reporting in Kosovo: War and Post-War; Challenges and Responsibilities. VDM.

Hoxha, Abit; Andresen, Kenneth; Paschalidis, Panagiotis & Fiedler, Anke (2024). Producing indefinite drafts of history: Journalists’ roles in historic revisionism in Europe and beyond. Journalism - Theory, Practice & Criticism. ISSN 1464-8849. doi: 10.1177/14648849241233381.
Slavtcheva-Petkova, Vera; Ramaprasad, Jyotika; Springer, Nina; Hughes, Sallie; Hanitzsch, Thomas & Hamada, Basyouni [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). Conceptualizing Journalists’ Safety around the Globe. Digital Journalism. ISSN 2167-0811. doi: 10.1080/21670811.2022.2162429. Full text in Research Archive
Nicolaidou, Iolie; Zupancic, Rok; Fiedler, Anke; Andresen, Kenneth; Hoxha, Abit & Ntaltagianni, Christina [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Virtual tours as emerging technologies to engage children and youth with their country’s historical conflicts. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET). ISSN 1868-8799. 17(21), p. 164–183. doi: 10.3991/ijet.v17i21.32853. Full text in Research Archive
Andresen, Kenneth; Siapera, Eugenia; Fiedler, Anke; Hoxha, Abit & Traunspurger, Julia (2020). Report on the state of the art in the field of memory, conflict and media. Troubled Pasts in Journalistic and Citizen-led Media . CORDIS, the European Commission's official information service for Research & Development - 'Technology Marketplace'. doi: 10.3030/769252.
Hoxha, Abit & Andresen, Kenneth (2020). Violence, War, and Gender: Collective Memory and Politics of Remembrance in Kosovo. In Ana, Milosevic & Tamara, Trost (Ed.), Europeanisation and Memory Politics in the Western Balkans. Memory Politics and Transitional Justice. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 978-3-030-54699-1. p. 263–283. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-54700-4_11.
Sweeney, James; Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2020). Transitional Justice and Transitional Journalism: Case-Study on Kosovo. International Journal of Transitional Justice. ISSN 1752-7716. 14(3), p. 483–503. doi: 10.1093/ijtj/ijaa017.
Gonen, Yonatan & Hoxha, Abit (2019). Interactions between Journalists Located in Different Sides of a Conflict: A Comparative Study of Two Conflict Zones. Journalism Studies. ISSN 1461-670X. p. 2495–2512. doi: 10.1080/1461670X.2019.1604154.
Skjerdal, Terje; Josephi, Beate; Hanusch, Folker; Alonso, Martin Oller; Shapiro, Ivor & Andresen, Kenneth [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2019). Profiles of journalists: Demographic and employment patterns. In Hanitzsch, Thomas; Hanusch, Folker; Ramaprasad, Jyotika & de Beer, Arnold S. (Ed.), Worlds of Journalism. Journalistic Cultures Around the Globe. Columbia University Press. ISSN 9780231186438. p. 67–102. doi: 10.7312/hani18642-005.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2019). The Development of Roles in Kosovo: From Fixers to Journalists. Journalism Studies. ISSN 1461-670X. 20(12), p. 1732–1746. doi: 10.1080/1461670X.2019.1639539.

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Zupancic, Rok; Kocan, Faris; Andresen, Kenneth; Bojarska, Katarzyna; Farrell, Seamus & Dacosta, Ricardo [Show all 17 contributors for this article] (2023). Troubled Pasts in Europe. Bristol University Press. ISBN 9781529233629. 205 p. Show summary
Based on the findings of a major research project, this book investigates how European societies confront their troubled pasts. The text explores what measures can be taken and which strategies endorsed to overcome difficult historic legacies in seven European states, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Cyprus and Poland

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Hoxha, Abit (2023). Media Mapping and Dealing with the Past.
Hoxha, Abit (2023). USes and abuses of history. Show summary
A workshop on the uses and abuses of history in Norway and presentation of RePAST's innovative tools.
Hoxha, Abit (2023). Dealing with the troubled past in Kosovo and Norway. Show summary
Presentation of RePAST and REPAST-NOR - dealing with the troubled past and how innovative tools can help us.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2023). Unveiling the Dark Secrets: Exploring Kristiansand’s Dark Tourism . [Internet]. ClioMuse hjemmeside (Athen, Hellas). Show summary
Feature story about the development of the WWII digital walkong tour in Kristiansand, a cooperation between ClioMuse, UiA, and Arkivet.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2023). Du kan få den versjonen av fortiden som passer for deg (Kronikk i Fædrelandsvennen). Fædrelandsvennen. ISSN 0805-3790.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2023). Seminar: Lansering av nytt spill og unik vandretur om andre verdenskrig i Kristiansand. Show summary
Sluttseminar med presentasjon og evaluering av RePASTs aktiviteter Vi arrangerte et sluttseminar for RePAST-NOR 1. juni 2023, i samarbeid med Arkivet freds- og menneskerettighetssenter. Vi inviterte deltakere fra høyere utdanning, videregående skoler, reiseliv, frivillige organisasjoner og privatpersoner. Det var ca. 80 deltakere fra alle disse sektorene. Seminaret inneholdt foredrag om Dark Tourism ved Dr. Philip Stone (verdens ledende forsker på området), presentasjoner av den digitale vandreturen og «Historiejakten», samt at alle deltakerne testet ut begge deler. Det ble en workshop med verdifulle tilbakemeldinger på hvordan RePASTs ulike produkter fungerte. Program: Program: 09.00-09.15 Kaffe/te/drikke og forfriskninger 09.15-09.25 Velkommen og informasjon om dagen 09.30-10.15 Dr. Philip Stone: Dark Tourism and Difficult Heritage: Concepts, & Consequences 10.15-10.30 Pause med kaffe/te 10.30-10.45 Lansering av vandreturen i fotsporene fra andre verdenskrig i Kristiansand – fra Odderøya til ARKIVET 11.00-12.30 Vi tar vandreturen!' Avgang fra ARKIVET med buss til Odderøya. Så går vi i grupper gjennom Kvadraturen og stopper ved stedene som er lagt inn i appen/vandreturen og ender opp i ARKIVET. 12.00-13:00 Lunsj serveres på ARKIVET 13.00-13.15 Samtale om vandreturen 13.15-14:00 Lansering av dataspillet Historiejakten – en jakt på kilder om andre verdenskrig i Kristiansand. Vi spiller! 14.00 Tilbakemelding på spillet, oppsummering og avslutning.
Hoxha, Abit & Andresen, Kenneth (2023). Mørk turisme (Dark Tourism) - undervisningsopplegg - 10 ukers emne for høyere utdanning innen reiseliv og turisme. Show summary
Vi har oversatt og utviklet RePASTs undervisningsmateriale om Dark Tourism til norsk og tilbudt dem til norsk reiseliv. Opplegget er basert på arbeidet vi gjennomførte i RePAST-prosjektet, og det består av to kurs om temaet. Begge kursene inneholder teoretiske drøftinger, oppgaver og oppdatert litteratur. Denne registreringen gjelder et 10 ukers emne rettet mot høyere utdanning inne reiseliv og turisme
Hoxha, Abit & Andresen, Kenneth (2023). Mørk turisme (Dark Tourism) - et online kurs på 6 uker for reiselivssektoren. Show summary
Utvikling av undervisningsmateriale om Dark Tourism og presentasjon av dem for reiselivssektoren Vi har oversatt og utviklet undervisningsmateriale om Dark Tourism til norsk og tilbudt dem til norsk reiseliv. Opplegget er basert på arbeidet vi gjennomførte i RePAST-prosjektet, og det består av to kurs om temaet. Begge kursene inneholder teoretiske drøftinger, oppgaver og oppdatert litteratur. Denne registreringen er et 6 ukers online kurs rettet spesielt mot ansatte i reiselivsbransjen.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2023). Historiejakten - et dataspill/app om kildekritikk. Show summary
RePAST-NOR har utviklet «Historiejakten», en app / dataspill der spillerne skal kritisk vurdere ulike kilder som vil fortelle om hendelser fra andre verdenskrig i Norge, Kristiansand og på Arkivet (som har Gestapos hovedkverter på Sørlandet). Spillet er bygd på malen som RePASTs «Fact Finders» hadde, men det nye norske spillet har fått et helt nytt norsk innhold. Dette arbeidet er utført av UiA i samarbeid med Arkivet i Kristiansand og spillutviklingsselskapet Serious Games Interactive (SGI) i København (som samarbeidet med RePAST om «Fact Finders». Spillet brukes i dag som en del av Arkivets undervisningsopplegg for elever i videregådende skole (ca. 3000 elever pr. år). Vi skal også markedsføre det ut til videregående skoler ellers på Sørlandet, universiteteer og høgskoler, i tillegg til frivillige oprganisasjoner. Spillet tilbys gratis som app gjennom AppStore https://apps.apple.com/us/app/historiejakten/id6448941958 , Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SeriousGamesInteractive.Historiejakten , i tillegg til en desktop-versjon som snart kan lastes ned fra SGIs hjemmesider.
Hoxha, Abit & Andresen, Kenneth (2023). Digital walk: World War II in Kristiansand: Choices and Values. Show summary
Through RePAST-NOR, we have developed a digital/physical walking tour through the center of Kristiansand with stops where key events in the Second World War took place. This has been in collaboration with the Arkivet Peace and Human Rights Center in Kristiansand, which has developed the content. The technology company ClioMuse in Athens (Greece) has been responsible for the technical production and platform. ClioMuse also produced the walking tours in RePAST. The walking tour is now offered free of charge through CliMuse's website (link: https://cliomusetours.com/tours/world-war-ii-in-kristiansandon-choices-and-values/ ). The walking tour is used today by Arkivet in its teaching of students and guests. We are now promoting this for schools and the tourism sector in Southern Norway. The walking tour has been developed in both Norwegian and English languages.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2022). Andre verdskrig i Kristiansand blir digitalt formidla. [Internet]. uia.no. Show summary
Artikkel i forbindelse med lanseringen av RePAST-NORs aktiviteter 1. juni 2023. Intervju med Kenneth Andresen, Abit Hoxha og direktør ved Arkivet, Kristine Storesletten Sødal.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2022). RePAST - findings and lessons learned. Show summary
ABSTRACT RePAST investigated how European societies deal with their troubled pasts in the present through the analysis of conflict discourses rooted in those pasts. The project also explored the impact of those discourses on European integration, and focused on four fundamental spaces of civil society and sources of informal education: oral and official history; journalistic and citizen-led media; arts and culture; and formal and informal politics. Eight countries were selected as cases: Cyprus, Germany, Poland, Greece, Bosnia, Kosovo, Ireland and Spain. RePAST interdisciplinary approach involved cross-country comparative analysis and innovative actions for citizens’ engagement with troubled pasts. UiA led a work package on professional media, cutting across all countries under study. The talk will focus on three main findings: The respondents with indirect conflict experience (e.g. those who fled conflict or are part of families who directly experienced conflict) are less likely to reconcile with the troubled past than those with direct experience in conflict. For those with indirect experience, media, family and social context provide an amplified view of the conflict, whereas those who experienced the conflict troubles during their life time, are more likely to move on. Narratives from the troubled past have an influence on what is going on today. Narratives of past injustice and improper dealing with the troubled past do influence the present, as manifested with the decrease in trust in political and justice institutions but also in media. There is a need for more history teaching. The formal curriculum should include oral history, alternative sources and other sources of information, so that a broader range of views are represented in historical accounts. This should be done with technology and digital means such as games and other innovative tools (RePAST-NOR)
Hoxha, Abit; Andresen, Kenneth & Karsrud, Signe Tørå (2021). Promo for dokumentarfilmen "Five days a human". Show summary
1) Dokumentarfilm, arbeidstittel «Five days half human» (pilot og manusutvikling) Vi har utviklet en pilot og en del av manus til en dokumentarfilm basert på livet til en av de overlevende fra Kosovo-krigen i 1998-1999. Han forteller sin historie, hvordan han har det i dag og besøker området i Kosovo der han og familien måtte flykte til. Dette er utviklet i et samarbeid mellom Universitetet i Agder og produksjonsselskapet Dokufilm AS i Kristiansand. Neste steg blir å sikre finansiering for videre opptak og produksjon.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2019). Preliminary results from Kosovo in the Horizon2020 Project RePAST.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2019). Challenges to freedom of expression and safety of journalists, implementation of rule of law in ending impunity for crimes against journalists & Gender equality in media.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2019). Politics of Memory in Post-War Kosovo: Restarting collective memory.
Andresen, Kenneth & Hoxha, Abit (2019). Divided societies and divided past.How journalists deal with the past in Kosovo .
Andresen, Kenneth; Fiedler, Anke; Siapera, Eugenia & Hoxha, Abit (2021). Troubled pasts and the media. European Commission. Show summary
Abstract This report presents the empirical findings of the research into the media, conflict and memory of troubled pasts. Theoretically, the report relies on the circuit of culture, which understands media and cultural artefacts as emerging out of five processes connected in a circuit. Building upon the discussion of previous iterature in the report D3.1, the research design focuses on the processes or production, representation, reception and identity, where we had previously identified conceptual openings and lack of data across all eight case studies. In approaching the process of production, we conducted in depth interviews with journalists covering the memory of conflict; to address openings in the study of representation, we conducted a discourse analysis in different significant moments of time; in understanding reception and use, we conducted focus group discussions with members of the lay public and social media analyses across three digital platforms. The findings are discussed both in terms of the national case studies and their specificities and in a comparative manner. The analysis and discussion of the key findings indicate that in media memories of past conflict, the circuit of culture is characterised by disconnects, interruptions, and blockages. In production, we identified contradictions between journalists’ perceived role of objective observer and polarized and ethnically segmented news outlets; Representations tended to follow well trodden paths and were resistant to change; reception and use showed a polyphony and diversity of views and experiences, introduced new dimensions, such as the role of socio-economic divisions and everyday life concerns, and a concern with healing the traumas left by the conflict. Finally, we present the findings in terms of a typology of conflict discourses in the media while paying attention to power asymmetries between hegemonic, counter and silenced memories.

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Published Apr. 16, 2024 11:07 AM