https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/3472 2026-04-21T02:16:16Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143662 Title: Mapping traditional and local knowledge to foster climate change adaptation : the case of cultural heritage in small islands Authors: Sobral Pombo, Pedro Manuel; Moncada, Stefano Abstract: This chapter shares the research and methodologies of the Heritage Ecologies project, based at the Islands and Small States Institute (ISSI) of the University of Malta and funded by the European Commission under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action programme (grant agreement No. 101090288). Fully titled “Heritage Ecologies: Culture, resilience and development in island states,” this project investigates how cultural heritages are impacted by climate change and the role played by heritage and local knowledge in promoting climate change adaptation and sustaining social and environmental resiliencies, focusing on insular geographies.; By adopting the term “ecologies,” we aim to highlight the relational aspects connecting cultural heritage, in its multiple expressions and materialities, environmental histories, and sustainable futures. Curiously, the concept of heritage ecologies is equally used, although with a different focus, in the title of the book edited by Bangstad and Pétursdóttir. Here the authors use the concept to express “an ecological understanding of heritage” and it involves “human and other-than-human actors” (Bangstad & Þóra Pétursdóttir, 2021). For our research, the interconnections, and interdependence, between culture and environment are central. [excerpt] 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141308 Title: Measuring governance performance across countries according to four global databases : a focus on small states Authors: Briguglio, Lino Abstract: The objective of this paper is mainly to assess the governance scores of small states on four well-known global indices, comparing such scores with those of larger countries. In doing so, the paper briefly discusses the meaning of governance and compares the four global indices with each other. In this analysis, small states are considered to be those with a population of 2 million or less. One of the findings of this study is that the four indices show that small states, on average, tend to register higher scores when compared to other categories of countries, but there is a wide dispersion of government scores within each country category, in all four indices. The paper concludes, therefore, that one cannot argue that small countrysize is necessarily a factor leading to better or worse governance simply by averaging the governance across scores. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/140704 Title: United States-Caribbean trade relations : geopolitical challenges, economic dynamics and policy pathways Authors: Dookeran, Winston; Valenciano, Andres; Perroti, Daniel E. Abstract: The U.S.-Caribbean relationship sits at a crossroads. As power shifts to a multipolar world, Caribbean states are moving from dependency to strategic multi-alignment to protect autonomy and widen partnerships. Despite decades of trade preferences, economies remain narrow and vulnerable to shocks; COVID-19 has accelerated the pivot. We offer a six-pillar framework - export diversification, regional integration, and institutional strengthening among them - to recalibrate ties while honouring sovereignty. The analysis shows how small states can reshape partnerships for stability and shared prosperity, and how renewed U.S.–Caribbean cooperation can build regional resilience in an interdependent era. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/140689 Title: Recent trends in the United States and Caribbean trade relations Authors: Dookeran, Winston; Valenciano, Andres; Perrotti, Daniel E. Abstract: This paper examines recent trends in United States-Caribbean trade relations (2021–2024), highlighting persistent structural asymmetries and limited diversification. Goods exchanges remain concentrated in energy, transportation, and food, while services are dominated by tourism, leaving the region vulnerable to external shocks. Using concentration measures, the study confirms high dependence on a narrow range of products and partners. While identifying emerging opportunities in digital services, renewable energy, and the blue economy, it underscores the need for comprehensive strategies to foster resilience. A companion paper by the same authors complements this analysis by outlining policy proposals to address these vulnerabilities. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z