The lightning sheet: control and public shaming in the Albanian communist regime

Abstract

The article addresses the phenomenon of fletërrufe, literally lightning sheet, which became epidemic in Albania since 1967. Animated by denunciation, mainly concerning work and socialist morality, the lightning sheet cultivated public humili- ation. Exploring mostly unpublished records and press articles, the research seeks to answer the following questions: What are the origins, the functions, the contents, and the consequences of fletërrufe? How does it turns into a device of public shaming, control, and conformism?