Walking by the spirit : an anthropological journey through a Maltese monastery

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation has been to understand the life of Catholic monastic nuns. I carried out ethnographic fieldwork through participant observation and semi-structured interviews over the course of a month in the summer of 2022. By adopting a reflexive approach and the ‘ontological turn’ throughout the study, I endeavoured to view the world through the nuns’ eyes. The study investigated the social construction found within the Monastery and the resulting effect that it has on the nuns. This revealed a deeply intimate relationship that is experienced between God and the monastic nuns, as well as, a strong sense of community found between the nuns. I conclude that these factors, and the boundaries that characterise their lifestyle, propel the nuns to undergo a journey of self-transformation through purification.