https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22538 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:10:41 GMT 2026-04-09T03:10:41Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67434 Title: Reconfiguring community : an analysis of ‘Black Lives Matter’ Abstract: This dissertation questions how social media reconfigures the ways in which people form communities. Taking Black Lives Matter as an example of a hybrid contemporary social movement, this work adopts Paolo Gerbaudo’s conceptualisation of social media as ‘crucial emotional conduits’ through which ‘individual sentiments of indignation and anger’ are condensed into an emotional narration. The first chapter looks at the construction of emotional narration by analysing the narrative that the movement constructs. It also explores how collective identity is reconfigured through the use of technological platforms by bringing in Stefania Milan’s concept of the ‘cloud’ as well as W. Lance Bennett and Alexandra Segerberg’s ‘connective action’. This drives protestors to the streets, generating new forms of physical proximity fuelled by social media platforms, while emphasising the importance of physical place. Chapter 2 argues that, in Gerbaudo’s terms, social media messages create a sense of allure around occupied squares that act as ‘sources of identification for the movement’, which contrasts with Castells’ vision of ‘society as a network without centres’, thus identifying physical places as nodes of the movement. The third chapter questions who is being asked to participate in the movement and who the leaders behind it are. The extent of participation is explored alongside Geert Lovink’s work on the size of networks, while the nature of ‘soft’ leadership choreographing the movement behind the scenes reconfigures community by identifying contemporary movements as leader-full. In conclusion, this research highlights that although social media reconfigures aspects of community formation, it also serves to reinforce the importance of what lies at the heart of community formation; physical place, leadership, and most importantly, narrative. Description: M.A.ENGLISH Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67434 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67431 Title: (Dis)placing the contemporary : violence and noncoincidence in our time Abstract: This dissertation will deal with the notion of contemporariness as understood by Giorgio Agamben, which acknowledges the necessity of anachrony. Agamben believes that in order for one to engage effectively with one’s present, one simultaneously has to counter it. However, this leads to the aporia of how one can commit to the now if contemporariness entails being outside of one’s time. While Agamben’s attempt at coming to terms with this matter is through an endorsement of violence, Alain Badiou questions the ethics of this, as to him violence is merely a destructive force, an ecstasy of cruelty. Aside from this primary aporia, a second issue also arises: who, if there is such an individual, can be deemed a contemporary in our time? The first chapter to this dissertation will set the context, as well as engage with the shift towards the now in recent theory and philosophy. The second chapter will revolve around the issue of violence in relation to Agamben and Badiou, a discussion which will then progress into the third chapter through Gilles Deleuze’s concept of becoming. The fourth chapter will attempt to identify the figure of the contemporary as portrayed by Agamben, with a special focus on the poet-contemporary. Finally, all the points raised throughout this dissertation will be evaluated in the conclusion, where some options regarding future research will also be mentioned. Description: M.A.ENGLISH Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67431 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67409 Title: Variation in yes/no questions in non-native language among Polish people living in Malta Abstract: The study focuses on the question formation of Polish speakers of English living in Malta. The research involves six participants aged 20-40. Three of them are from the mixed Polish and Maltese environments and the other three come mostly from the Polish environment, working or living with other Poles in Malta. Participants had to complete a task, which elicited yes/no questions. The main aim of the study was to observe the way non-native speakers of English acquire variation in MaltE in question formation. The reason behind it was that similar question formation can be found in the Polish language. Similarly to MaltE, question formation in Polish is free and the use of auxiliary verbs is not strict. The use of question forms of both Polish- Maltese and Polish- Polish groups was compared and analyzed. The results of the study showed that both groups make questions with and without auxiliary verbs. However, it is hard to state what is the reason of the omission of auxiliaries. It can be related to many factors, e.g. L1 interference or level of English, but not necessarily MaltE interference. The most important finding of this research study confirms that the exposure to English language at school is an important factor that influences the production of questions marked with auxiliary verbs. Description: M.A.ENGLISH Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67409 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67393 Title: A stylistic investigation of the manifestations of Spring in E.E. Cummings : a graphological and morphological analysis Abstract: This project undertakes an in depth graphological and morphological analysis of spring themed poems taken from revolutionary poet E. E. Cummings’ repertoire. This investigation equates the constant renewal and innovation of language in the poet’s verses with the cyclical arrival of spring with its promise of freshness and rebirth. It will be shown how the joys and wonders of spring are expressed and mirrored in the ludic experimentation of graphological and morphological devices. Furthermore, it will be illustrated how the concept of movement, so characteristic of this season, is being reflected in the distinct images of immediacy and spontaneity that the systematic deviations bring about. It will additionally be evidenced how these stylistic foregrounding techniques not only affect meaning but also affect the readers in that they are challenged to examine the texts more closely and to come up with new interpretations. Finally, the development and changes in the poet’s attitude to his beloved spring will be traced, as will the resulting manifestations thereof in the linguistic and stylistic techniques employed by Cummings. Description: M.A.ENGLISH Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67393 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z