Conservationists’ hide-and-seek with seabirds
Better information for smarter decisions
Information alone rarely changes behaviour. Fossil fuel cars are no exception. Dr Thérèse Bajada (Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, University of Malta) searches for an optimal mix of facts and emotions to engage people on their mobility choices.
Continue readingPandemic breather
Barely two weeks of the coronavirus lockdown measures had passed before people started posting images of cleaner waters and purified air over industrial zones; nature was healing in our absence. Some of them proved to be hoaxes, but others helped us imagine a better world. Martina Borg spoke to some of Malta’s leading researchers and environmentalists to make sense of the feel-good news.
Continue readingFor the price of a coffee
The global pandemic is a further blow to already struggling local media. Prof. Mary Anne Lauri, media researcher and Editorial Board member at Beacon Media Group, unpacks this trend.
Continue readingSocial networks to support mental health
The COVID-19 situation has taken a toll on people’s wellbeing. The constant flow of information can amplify the stress. Dr Josianne Scerri and Dr Paulann Grech, together with their colleagues and students, carved out a space on social networks where people could practise self-care – and get their facts right. They share their experience here.
Continue readingCoronanomics in Malta
In 2019, 2.8 million tourists came to Malta and spent on average over €800 each. Maltese households spent in total €826.8 million on eating out and takeaways in 2018. In March 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic arrived in Malta. Subsequent containment measures swept most of this spending away. Prof. Joseph Falzon crunches the numbers of the predicted economic impact.
Continue readingUnmute yourselves!
COVID-19 pandemic containment measures pushed lecturing and studying to home environments. Some academics appreciated it more than others – they share their experience with editor Daiva Repeckaite.
Continue readingCOVID-19 Crisis: have we done this before?
Popular wisdom warns that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Will the current COVID-19 pandemic prove the adage true? Cassi Camilleri writes.
Continue readingWhen trust is lost in translation
Author: Marcelle Bugre
Social workers are in close contact with people; it’s the nature of their job. But when migrant survivors of domestic violence seek help, they often perceive social workers to be representatives of a more powerful group. Thus, survivors may be wary of trusting social workers, or fear losing their children, being reported to immigration authorities, or blamed for what happened. To engage with a growing number of migrants and minorities today, social workers need cross-cultural competence – the ability to work effectively across cultures.
Continue readingStepping up in strange times
Author: Edward De Gabriele
During my final year of studies, I was meant to focus on exams and clinical placements. COVID-19 has upended everything. I felt that volunteering will be my way to keep busy and continue contributing to the general public.
Continue reading