https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/321 2026-11-14T23:59:20Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150989 Title: Gender inequality in fashion industry Authors: Arvanitidou, Zoi Abstract: Fashion is a gendered cultural field and a female-dominated industrial sector associated with the female gender, its construction and performance, and female consumerism, with a strong outward glamour. It is a primitive, wild world where everyone sees the others as competitors, especially the best performers (Pickles at all, 2006). Most of the women work in the fashion industry as designers, models, and clothing salespeople and mostly in production in garment factories (Mears 2011). Fashion has been accused of imposing unrealistic to unhealthy standards of female beauty (Bordo 1993), being unconcerned with environmental issues, and contributing to the miserable conditions of workers in producing garments by subcontracting them to low-cost developing countries (Gereffi & Memedovic, 2003). 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150984 Title: Family resilience and community support in the face of trauma Authors: Desira, Thelma; Cassar, Joanne Abstract: We explore family resilience and family dynamic processes that are linked with community support within the context of Maltese communities. We ask whether community support impacts resilience and post-traumatic growth within families facing trauma. We explore pathways of community support that these families seek. The study focuses on individuals’ experiences and perceptions of resilience within the family context, rather than examining family resilience as a collective process. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 8 adults, whose immediate family faced trauma. We draw on Garmezy’s theory of resilience (1991a, 1991b, 1992, 1993) to analyse the interplay between personal, familial, and communitarian support mechanisms to understand how families navigate and adapt to significant challenges. The findings indicate that family members were able to maintain effective personal and family functioning, as they prioritised mutual care during prolonged periods of adversity. Community support was not only useful as a coping mechanism for the whole family, but functioned as an important pathway for family members to become resilient. Moving away temporarily from community support was also a result of family resilience. The study indicates that families hold the capacity for adaptation in the face of adversity, and that resilience and post-traumatic growth are characterised by flexible family roles, open communication, and shared problem-solving. We highlight the importance of social networks and community support in bolstering family stability. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors that facilitate family resilience in the face of ongoing challenges, offering recommendations for community work practice and policy development within the Maltese context. 2027-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150751 Title: Active ageing good practices : promoting intergenerational communication and understanding Authors: Fenech, Maria Aurora; Borg Mizzi, Edel Abstract: Persistent negative stereotypes on the aging process and the older person are noticeable within the current youth-orientated culture. Older persons may also hold negative stereotypes about the younger generation. These undesirable typecasts co-exist because younger and older persons often have limited contact with each other. Indeed, the younger generation, only gets to engage in communication with the older person within the family unit, rarely outside their own familial structures. Similarly, older persons, residents of long-term care have limited opportunities of interacting with the younger generation. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150750 Title: Insights into the lived experience of long-term care and end of life transitions in Malta Authors: Borg Xuereb, Christian Abstract: In this keynote presentation, I explore the profound implications of the global demographic shift towards an ageing population. I delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by this shift, using Malta as a unique case study with 25% of its citizens aged 60 and older. The dense population poses challenges for infrastructure, healthcare access, and the overall well-being of older individuals.; Taking a closer look at one of Europe's largest Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities, I highlight the pivotal decision-making process for older individuals entering residential care. Themes of loss, adjustment, and the struggle for autonomy emerge, providing insights into the complex experiences within LTC settings. A second study is also discussed exploring residents' perceptions of death and dying which uncovered a nuanced understanding of mortality within LTC environments. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z