https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2538 Mon, 13 Jul 2026 11:42:22 GMT 2026-07-13T11:42:22Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147476 Title: Embodied civic intimacy : small states, symbolic power, and the lived experience of democracy Abstract: How is democracy embodied in everyday life, and how can lived experience enrich how we measure it? Procedural indices offer fine-grained measurement of institutional architecture but capture less of the affective, embodied, and reputational textures of civic life in small, densely networked polities. Mainstream political sociology compounds this gap by centring large Western states and reducing small-state democracies to narratives of clientelism or elite capture. This thesis develops Embodied Civic Intimacy (ECI), a mechanism most legible in small state conditions but portable to compressed publics more broadly, to explain how compliance, dissent, and belonging are negotiated where visibility and proximity are inescapable, and where democracy is constituted through bodies, silences, and rituals as much as through institutions. The analysis is organised around three strands: the infiltration of elitism, the state management of dissent, and civil society's navigation of patronage networks. The question matters increasingly as compressed visibility, long characteristic of small states, now diffuses through digital publics and surveillance capitalism. Malta and Singapore are compared through a most-similar systems design: postcolonial island states sharing density and colonial inheritance yet diverging sharply in regime trajectory. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design integrates political ethnography, forty elite interviews, discourse analysis, and longitudinal V-Dem and Freedom House data (2004–2024), with divergence between strands treated as analytical evidence rather than measurement error. Extending Bourdieu's symbolic violence and building on Machin's embodied democracy, the thesis shows that despite divergent index scores, both states display convergent civic textures in which neutrality is conspicuous, absence is legible, and silence carries political weight. ECI operates through reputational sanction rather than material inducement or legal coercion. The contribution is empirical (small-state experience), theoretical (a relational, affective lens for ECI), and methodological (enriching quantitative indices with embodied evidence). Description: Ph.D.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147476 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147100 Title: The symmetrical family : a sociological investigation amongst dual-earner families within the Maltese context Abstract: The rise in dual-earner families has perhaps been one of the most prominent contemporary changes in the domain of the sociology of the family, representing a transformation which goes beyond merely changes in the structure of the family unit, involving, amongst others, challenges to traditional gender ideologies. The trend towards adopting a dual-earner family was first analysed empirically in Malta by Saviour Rizzo (2006) in collaboration with the Centre for Labour Studies at the University of Malta. In his study, Rizzo attempted to understand the social reasons behind the prevalence of this family formation as well as other related concepts to this emerging family type, such as work-life balance. This dissertation presents a sociological study of the surge in dual-earner families whilst closely intertwining it with the sociology of gender by examining this family structure through the focus point of gender equality. Although there have been other studies which looked at this family type, rare attempts have been made to build upon Rizzo’s work and investigate the changing factors behind this family formation. This study endeavours to bridge this research gap by repeating Rizzo's focus on examining the primary factors responsible for the rise in this family configuration. Additionally, it also adopts a gendered perspective as it tries to investigate the different experiences heterosexual individuals have in this family structure, pointing to possible gender inequalities executed through the sociological concepts of the dual burden and triple shift. Aiming at generalizability of results, a quantitative methodology was adopted through the use of self-completion questionnaires. To provide the study with a defined study population, the dissertation focused upon a specific social group, namely heterosexual, dual-earner University of Malta staff (including both academic and non-academic, part-time and full-time, and staff employed both at the University and at Ġ. F. Abela Junior College). Through descriptive analysis and correlation analysis, this study resulted in four main conclusions. Firstly, that structural factors are still essentially the main contributors to the Maltese dual-earner family, though acknowledging also the influence of cultural factors. Secondly, that traditional gender roles are pretty much still in effect in dual-earner heterosexual families even in a country which promotes a society where males and females have equal social standing and value. Thirdly, though data showed that both partners in the couple endure the second shift, thorough analysis showed that females experience the greatest burden of this shift, shouldering the societal expectation that they are still the main ones responsible for housework and childcare. In terms of the triple shift, it was ascertained that females do indeed experience it. However, difficulty was found in attempting to compare it with the emotional labour men provide due to inconsistent data provided by males. Lastly, it was found that gender inequality still dominates the Maltese dual-earner family household, showing a concerning finding that males believe that it executes gender equality whilst females believe that it executes gender inequality, highlighting the different lived experiences both genders have within this family composition. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147100 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145387 Title: The emotional state of nurses who provide end-of-life care in a geriatric setting Abstract: As the demand for end-of-life care in geriatric settings continues to grow, nurses play a vital role in providing compassionate, patient-centred care while managing their own emotional well-being. This delicate balance between professional responsibilities and personal emotional investment often exposes nurses to significant emotional strain. Forming close relationships with patients and their families while witnessing patient deterioration and death can lead to profound emotional challenges. At the same time, the opportunity to offer comfort, dignity, and support at the end of life provides a deep sense of fulfilment, shaping the emotional experiences of nurses in complex and meaningful ways. This study adopts a qualitative approach to explore the emotional state of nurses who provide end-of-life care in long-term geriatric settings. It investigates how nurses navigate grief, maintain emotional boundaries, and cope with the pressures of their role. Additionally, it examines the impact of patient relationships on their emotional health and how they balance empathy with professional detachment. The study also considers the role of relationships and institutional support in promoting emotional resilience. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, the research captures the nuanced emotional experiences of nurses working in this specialised field. It highlights both the challenges and rewards inherent in end-of-life care and identifies effective coping strategies employed by nurses. Finally, the study offers practical recommendations to enhance emotional support for nursing staff, improve workplace well-being, and strengthen the overall quality of end-of-life care in geriatric settings. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145387 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145385 Title: Beautiful broken bodies : exploring embodiment and risk in boxing Abstract: This dissertation investigates how local Maltese boxers embody a boxer’s habitus and risk culture. This is achieved using a qualitative research design, incorporating both semi-structured interviews and a vignette interview. Specific attention is given to how boxers internalise training habits and routine whilst analysing the lived experience of boxers with special reference to the physical and psychological risks faced within the industry. Findings reveal that boxers embrace a strong sense of boxer’s habitus, characterised by rigorous training regimens and a deep sense of a boxer’s identity. A correlation between this and a high extent of risk acceptance is discovered. In fact, boxers are desensitised to injury and trivialise risk, viewing it as an inevitable element to achieve excellence in the sport, despite being aware of the potential long-term health consequences. The dissertation also explores factors which shape risk perception, including family, work, coaching and the risk culture existing within the industry. It highlights how dedication to boxing, echoed within the embodiment of the sport, often supersedes concerns for personal safety. The dissertation provides valuable insights into the lived experiences of Maltese boxers and offers a foundation for further research into risk culture and embodiment in other sport contexts. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145385 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z