The Humanities, Medicine, and Science (HUMS) Symposia at the University of Malta offer a unique platform where experts from diverse fields come together to explore a single theme from multiple disciplinary perspectives. This academic year, the HUMS first event, entitled ‘The Sun’, provided an interdisciplinary deep dive into the scientific, cultural, and existential significance of our closest star.
Continue readingBeyond Books: The UM Library as a Hub for Connection
In a time when academic life can feel overwhelmingly digital and impersonal, libraries are trying to step up to create something invaluable – a community. University libraries, which used to be primarily quiet spaces with towering bookshelves, are now reinventing themselves as inclusive ‘third places’. The University of Malta Library interns offer THINK an insight into how the Library is becoming a third place on Campus.
Continue readingOur Post-Truth Reality
Post-truth populism has secured a powerful mandate in the United States of America. This reflects a trend that extends through the world’s liberal democracies and will invite global imitation. In this opinion piece, Jonathan Firbank describes how post-truth populism works, why it works, and why the American election might show us how to fight it.
Continue readingAGORA: Elections 2024 – Youth Absence and the Far Right Surge
During the run-up to the European Parliament Elections, Prof. Mario Thomas Vassallo grilled two MEP candidates on AGORA, a political talk show broadcast on Campus 103.7. Against the backdrop of numerous elections around the globe, a lack of youth representation, and the rise of the far right, the discussion got us thinking.
Continue readingFinding a Home in Malta
Getting on the property ladder is incredibly difficult. Unless you are fortunate enough that your parents already own several properties, you will most likely be stuck for the rest of your adult life paying off your first (and possibly only) one-bedroom apartment. Is this grim future set in stone, or are there more creative solutions?
Continue readingWater, Malta and a Fraught Future
Water is the last resource. The politics, deprivation and conflict created by water insecurity will define the future. Malta, as one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, will be ahead of the historical and technological curve.
Continue readingSynchronicities between Tourism and Translation
Translation is both a science and an art with practical applications. Let’s explore how translation can address cultural and linguistic misunderstandings in the tourism industry.
Continue readingAGORA: The Maltese Economy and Labour Market
Malta has the fastest-growing economy in the EU, yet simultaneously the largest number of soup kitchens. How is such an anomaly possible?
Continue readingBeyond Patriarchy: Sexuality and Womanhood in a Man’s World
We live in a world that thrives on societal norms and stereotypes. For women, the battle for sexual autonomy means challenging expectations and breaking out beyond the confines of patriarchy.
Continue readingFenkata – Science and Symbolism in Rabbit Stew
Fenkata, Maltese rabbit stew, is a delicious cultural staple. Jonathan Firbank explores the boozy chemistry behind its deliciousness and the dramatic history behind its cultural significance.
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