Experiences of community and mobility within Ħal Qormi San Bastjan

Abstract

This article addresses the ways in which notions of community and mobility are intertwined and how these unfold within the context of the area of the parish of Saint Sebastian in Ħal Qormi, which is located in the central part of Malta. Data for this research was collected primarily through semi-structured qualitative interviews with people who have a connection with Ħal Qormi San Bastjan, specifically residents, people who have family ties in the locality, members from community-based organisations, people who used to live in Ħal Qormi San Bastjan, people who run local businesses in the area, as well as the parish priest and the mayor. In addition to this, first-hand experiences and observations within the locality as well as the consultation of online media sources, such as community Facebook pages and online newspaper articles, further enriched the research, providing a wider context for the better interpretation of data. This article problematises the relationship between community and mobility and argues that community can and does accommodate a range of mobilities. Therefore, this research paper argues that mobility and community do not cancel each other out.