This event is part of the activities of SeeFfield and is organized by the Institute for Slavic Studies at the University of Regensburg, in collaboration with the Slavic Seminar / Eastern European Institute at the University of Zurich, and co-organized with the Institute for Slavistics at the University of Hamburg.

The symposium contributes to the internationalization of Albanian linguistics and Southeastern European Studies, fostering the development of Albanian Studies in Regensburg within the framework of SeeFfield.

The symposium focuses, among other topics, on multilingual practices, integration, and identity of Albanian heritage speakers in Germany and Switzerland. Particular attention will be given to the role of different linguistic varieties (standard and dialects) in maintaining Albanian as a heritage language in German-speaking countries. An additional focus is the impact of teachers’ ideological attitudes on language learning and awareness among heritage speakers.

Given the interdisciplinary potential of this topic, the symposium will bring together linguistic, literary, and cultural perspectives. Contributions may explore, among others:

• The role of standard and dialectal varieties in heritage language maintenance
• Language ideologies in education and their effects on learning outcomes
• Transnational migration literature reflecting the experiences and identity negotiations of Albanian heritage speakers
• Broader discussions on digital resources of Albanian and the role of AI-based tools

The symposium will be divided into two sessions:

1. Language Ideologies and Heritage Speakers’ Attitudes – focusing on the challenges posed by standardization and dialectal variation
2. General Topics Related to Albanian – including multilingualism, corpus studies, and language variation