https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6272 2026-10-20T11:06:53Z 2026-10-20T11:06:53Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150103 2026-10-16T08:33:26Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: It-trawma u l-korporalità fil-poeżija ta’ Doreen Micallef : il-potenzjal tal-lingwa poetika għas-sofferenza umana Abstract: Din ir-riċerka teżamina l-poeżija ta’ Doreen Micallef fid-dawl tat-trawma, ilkonfessjoni u l-korporalità, bil-għan li turi kif il-kitba tagħha ma tirrappreżentax biss l-uġigħ, iżda tinkorporah fil-forma poetika nnifisha. Permezz ta’ qafas teoretiku dwar it-trawma bħala esperjenza multidimensjonali, it-teżi turi li t-trawma f’Micallef ma tistax tinftiehem bħala ġrajja psikoloġika iżolata, iżda bħala esperjenza li tmiss il-lingwa, il-ġisem, il-memorja, ilfidi u l-identità. Il-poeżija tagħha turi kif it-trawma tfixkel in-narrattiva lineari u tagħti lok għal forom frammentati, repetittivi u mimlijin skiet. Il-konfessjoni, min-naħa tagħha, tippermetti qari tal- “jien” liriku, mhux bħala trasparenza bijografika sempliċi, iżda bħala pożizzjoni poetika li tixhed mill-vulnerabbiltà. Fl-istess ħin, il-ġisem jidher bħala arkivju tat-trawma: spazju fejn ilferita, l-uġigħ, il-biża’ u l-memorja jinħażnu u jerġgħu jitfaċċaw fil-lingwa. Għalhekk, din it-teżi targumenta li l-qawwa tal-poeżija ta’ Micallef tinsab fil-mod kif mill-ksur tikkrea forma, mill-ġisem xhieda, u mil-lingwa frammentata mezz ta’ sopravivenza poetika. Description: M.A.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150093 2026-10-15T13:43:33Z 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: L-immaniġġjar tal-lingwa fl-amministrazzjoni pubblika Abstract: Malta ilha snin twal uffiċjalment bilingwi. Hekk insibu wkoll iddikjarat bil-miktub mill1849 fil-kostituzzjonijiet tagħha. Fl-aħħar snin, mal-Malti u l-Ingliż, żdiedet il-Lingwa tasSinjali Maltija bħala t-tielet lingwa uffiċjali. Dan ifisser li t-tliet ilsna għandhom jintużaw fil-ħajja pubblika, bħalma jistqarru wkoll liġijiet oħrajn. Jgħidu li bejn il-kliem u l-fatti hemm baħar jikkumbatti. Il-mistoqsija li jagħmel dan listudju hi dwar jekk dawn id-dispożizzjonijiet legali humiex riflessi tabilħaqq fil-prattika. Jekk nagħtu ħarsa madwarna, il-Malti u l-Ingliż ikunu dejjem preżenti fil-karti uffiċjali li nirċievu? Huma viżibbli t-tnejn fit-tabelli pubbliċi, u jintużaw b’konsistenza fis-servizzi diġitali tad-dipartimenti tal-gvern? F’din it-teżi nistudjaw sewwasew dan. Bis-saħħa ta’ għadd ta’ intervisti ma’ uffiċjali għolja fl-amministrazzjoni pubblika (elite interviewing) naraw l-attitudnijiet u lperċezzjonijiet li għandhom dawn in-nies influwenti fiċ-ċivil fuq il-lingwi u nifhmu aħjar il-kultura u s-sitwazzjoni attwali tal-post tax-xogħol tagħhom fejn jidħol l-użu tal-lingwi uffiċjali fil-komunikazzjoni mal-pubbliku. L-istudju juri li hemm diversi fatturi li jinfluwenzaw l-użu taż-żewġ lingwi fil-pubbliku, bħall-ġrajjiet storiċi u l-qagħda ġeografika, fost l-oħrajn. Fih nistħarrġu l-profil lingwistiku ta’ Malta u ta’ tliet pajjiżi oħra, il-Lussemburgu, l-Iżlanda u l-Irlanda, biex minnhom nisiltu ideat ta’ x’direzzjoni politika tista’ tittieħed lokalment fil-prattika favur l-użu tal-bilingwiżmu bilanċjat fil-pubbliku. Description: M.A.(Melit.)

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150067 2026-10-15T11:49:35Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Underwater cultural heritage in Kuwait : out of sight, out of mind? Abstract: In 2001, the world’s oldest known sea vessel remains, dated between 5500 and 5000 BCE, were discovered at a terrestrial archaeological site north of Kuwait Bay. Related ceramic finds included a miniature boat model and a circular disc decorated with a sailing vessel. Despite evidence of nautical technology dating back to the Arabian Neolithic, the extent of underwater cultural heritage within the State of Kuwait’s territorial waters remains unclear. The first archaeological mission dedicated to investigating underwater cultural heritage (UCH) in Kuwait took place between 2013 and 2019, during which members of the Kuwaiti-Polish Archaeological Mission (KPAM) surveyed and documented various stone structures along the coastline of Failaka Island. Although the mission marked a crucial step in evaluating archaeological features embedded in the maritime landscape, a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) noted, ‘The investigation did not extend underwater; it was limited to the foreshore and intertidal zone.’ (Khalil 2021, p. 14). Kuwait ratified the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2017. However, there are no maritime or underwater archaeologists working in academia, heritage, tourism, science, or industry, hindering the effective protection and management of UCH. Meanwhile, news articles about UCH are rare, suggesting the public is poorly informed. This multimedia dissertation—drawing on action-based research and utilising audio visual elements—delves into Kuwait's nascent maritime archaeology sector to understand why it is underdeveloped. It examines the UCH research landscape with a particular focus on Failaka Island, engages with experts in archaeology and complementary fields, and surveys scuba divers and heritage practitioners. A marine archaeology forum in Kuwait co-organised by the author demonstrates that interest in the topic can be fostered among different groups and that stakeholders in Kuwait’s latent UCH value chain can be unified. Description: M.A.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149688 2026-10-05T12:43:56Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The geography of catechism : understanding the determinants of parental choices in Malta Abstract: This study explores the spatial factors influencing the choice of catechism centres in three localities in Malta, Naxxar, Ħaż-Żabbar and Marsascala. The analysis investigates how proximity, accessibility, available facilities, transport and urban form affect parental choices when selecting a catechism centre for their children. A quantitative methodology is applied which combines self-reported questionnaire survey data collected from parents of children preparing for First Holy Communion, use of Fisher's Exact Tests, GIS and urban morphology measurements. Urban compactness was measured using the composite indicator framework developed by Kakar and Prasad (2020). This classified Naxxar as sprawled, Żabbar as marginally compact, and Marsascala as clearly compact. The findings show that the determinants of centre selection are specific to the localities rather than universal. Perceived accessibility and well-equipped classrooms were significant in sprawled Naxxar, outdoor facilities mattered most in compact Żabbar, and transport mode was decisive in Marsascala, where a single dominant centre attracts respondents from across the locality. Proximity establishes the locality-level catchment and influences choice at smaller, close-neighbourhood anchored centres, but is overridden at larger centres, a pattern interpreted through Christaller's (1933) central place theory. In Naxxar, the most geographically accessible centre received the poorest perceived accessibility ratings, indicating that the experience of reaching a centre matters as much as the distance itself. Facility preferences emerge as significant only when urban morphology creates the conditions for comparison, with outdoor facilities decisive in Żabbar's overlapping catchments and well-equipped classrooms decisive in Naxxar's longer travel distances. Transport mode becomes important in Marsascala, where a single dominant centre forces car use despite locality-level compactness, while cognitive dissonance reinforces the existing travel modes of both drivers and walkers. A gap emerges between parents' stated reasons and their revealed behaviour, with spatial conditions quietly shaping decisions that parents attribute to social and personal factors. The study extends established geographical frameworks into a previously unexamined catechetical context. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z