https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131574 2026-05-06T00:20:55Z 2026-05-06T00:20:55Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/139178 2025-12-24T10:22:24Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Stories of change : unveiling 1950s and 1960s Malta through Guido Stilon’s lens Abstract: For the past three years, my weekends have been dedicated to working on Guido Stilon’s photographic collection, identify each photograph which remains stored in the Magna Żmien archive, working alongside Dr. Andrew Pace and Kristina Polidano (Kris). Though the process was long and trying, being exposed to these visual snippets of Malta’s past gave me a renewed perspective on the period in which Stilon was active, namely the 1950s and 1960s. The period has always intrigued me and while Stilon’s photographs were undoubtedly shaped by his privileged position, they remain valuable to the broader scope of historical research, offering a fresh outlook to an already well-studied era in Malta’s history. The idea of creating a visual narrative and analysis using Stilon’s collection was influenced by my personal interest in historical movies, since being a visual learner myself, movies help me to better understand and visualise historical contexts. When it came came to select a dissertation topic, I had recently watched a biographical movie called Lee, starring Kate Winslet as Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller, a wartime photographer. The movie makes use of Miller’s photographs as a narrative device, tracing her journey through war-torn Europe as she captured stills of what everyday life looked for millions experiencing the war at the frontlines. The idea behind the movie intrigued me and prompted me to incorporate a similar methodology in my own dissertation. However, the size and availability of Stilon’s archive posed a challenge since his photographs, which span a wide range of themes — including family, friendship, youth, society, sport, travel, education, politics, religion, and labour — made the selection process quite difficult. While I wanted to showcase as much of his work as possible to present a well-rounded depiction of the period, the restrictive word count and timeframe made this unfeasible. As a compromise, the structure of the main chapters revolve around three broad themes, including economic development, societal changes concerning women, and political identity, allowing for further expansion. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/139042 2025-09-16T10:43:42Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: An analysis on Soviet-Maltese diplomatic relations in Maltese newspapers during the 1970s Abstract: During the 1970s, Soviet-Maltese diplomatic relations played a big role in Malta’s foreign policy as the island nation navigated its position of neutrality within the wider context of the Cold War. This dissertation examines how these relations were portrayed in Maltese newspapers, focusing on the framing and narratives employed by numerous key publications such as Times of Malta and L-Orizzont. By using qualitative content analysis and drawing on framing theory, the study explores recurring themes and trends in newspaper articles during important and significant diplomatic events, such as official visits and trade agreements. The findings reveal that political affiliation of newspapers strongly influenced their coverage, with pro-Labour publications portraying the relationship between the Soviet Union and Malta as an opportunity for economic and political diversification, while the more conservative outlets expressed skepticism, often aligning with Western concerns about Soviet influence and intentions. This research contributes to the historiography of Malta’s Cold War-era diplomacy and media studies by highlighting the interplay between media coverage and foreign policy. It also underscores the important role of the media in shaping public perceptions during a time of global ideological tensions between the two superpowers. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/139041 2025-09-16T10:39:41Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Urban growth in motion : a study of Mosta's transformation from a rural village to urban centre, 1900-2000 Abstract: In 1839, a pocket handbook for visitors to the island of Malta entitled, “A Hand book, or Guide, for Strangers Visiting Malta” was published, with the aim of guiding foreign visitors around Malta, and showing them many sights across the islands. This handbook mentions the small village of Mosta, and the “new and unique” church being erected there, stating that there is “nothing of equal elegance in Italy, France, or England”. Indeed, it would be hard to miss the iconic skyline imposed by the Rotunda of Mosta during even a brief visit to Malta. This town in the heart of the Maltese islands has for the past century and a half been a hotspot for tourists and Maltese alike which come to the town to gaze at the Rotunda, a subject of pride for many of the locals. Once a small town made up mostly of farmers, Mosta today is the third largest town in the country, with a population of over 23,000 residents, solidifying itself as a primary location for commerce, tourism and transport. The visitors utilising the aforementioned handbook would see little resemblance to Mosta today when compared to Mosta in the 1840s. Naturally, nowhere on earth looks anything like it did almost 200 years ago, but a large amount of the change experienced by the town of Mosta happened in the span of just a few decades. This thesis explores the changes experienced by the town in the 20th century, focusing on the social, physical, economic and population changes, starting from around 1900, and ending in the year 2000. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/139039 2025-09-16T10:35:01Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: An analysis of the Malta relief fund applications Abstract: The years 1940 to 1943 in Malta’s history revolve around the Second World War and the island’s involvement. Throughout the years, several authors have contributed their work to this theme, covering several aspects of this war from either a political/military perspective or from a social/cultural angle. Despite all these contributions, the MRF has not yet been explored in depth. A study of this Fund through the different documentation found within the corresponding collection at the NAM shows how its activities reflect the social conditions prevailing amongst the Maltese population during and in the wake of the war. Moreover, such a study offers a distinct perspective from the ones already available shedding light on the lives of individuals and families during such an exceptional event, whilst also providing a unique insight into the actual struggles experienced by these same people. The objective of this dissertation is to provide an assessment of the various aspects that make up the MRF, which was in operation from 1941 to the late 1970s. Firstly, this study presents a general overview of the context prevailing at several intervals in parallel with the development of the Fund in order to identify how events mentioned in the context are supported by the documentation of the Fund. The rest of the study is dedicated to the Fund’s setup, management, its relations with other organisations and Government departments, and, most importantly, a detailed analysis of the applications found within this collection which reveal multiple personal stories of women, men, and children. This research is split up into five chapters. Chapter 1 is dedicated to the context focusing on the period from the 1940s to the 1970s, the methodology providing a detailed description of the procedure of this research, and a literature review providing an analysis of all the secondary sources with an explanation for why they were chosen for this study. Chapter 2 delves into the evolution of the MRF from its inception till the period after Malta became a Republic. Chapter 3 begins the analysis of the applications, focusing on the first three schemes related to compensation for property lost or damaged due to enemy action; support for individuals injured or killed in air raids and their families; and assistance for those afflicted by war-related illnesses, particularly tuberculosis (TB), who required financial aid for medical treatment or family support. Chapter 4 examines the next four schemes introduced to broaden their assistance: clothing relief managed by the Help the Homeless Fund (HFF) for those who lost their garments; a special grant scheme for cases outside the requirements of the other schemes but still deemed worthy of aid; an emigration scheme to support those wishing to leave or return to the islands; and an emergency grant scheme which provided urgent financial help to applicants in desperate need. Lastly, Chapter 5 explores the final schemes opened by the Fund: the marriage scheme for couples planning to marry but required assistance to start their married lives; the large families scheme which specifically assisted households with more than seven members; the Layette and Infantile Paralysis Rehabilitation Funds (IPR) which offered support in relation to infant care and to children with special needs; and an educational scheme which provided additional assistance to parents by covering any school-related expenses such as books, tuition, and exam fees. Through the study of the MRF, one can note the level of need and dependency these individuals and families had on these social service providers during the trying years of the war, but also afterwards. One of the primary reasons why this Fund stayed in operation for so many years was because this assistance remained crucial, and withdrawing support would have caused further difficulties for the dependents. Such a study also sheds light onto the multiple struggles faced by the Maltese demonstrating that not all challenges were necessarily related to poverty alone. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z