Society Archives – Page 19 of 37

Lights, camera, activism

Author: Raisa Galea

In 2019, hardly anyone personifies activism more conspicuously than Greta Thunberg. Since August 2018, the teenager’s solitary calls for climate action have inspired millions of people to follow her example and take to the streets. The resulting wave of climate strikes is every activist’s dream come true: inspiring a mass movement to support a cause, passing on the flame of resistance, stirring the power of a democratic collective. What can we learn from this phenomenon?

Designing success

Author: Daniela Quacinella

Picture the following. You are a museum director or curator who wants more locals in your space. You are confident that your next art event will attract them: a prestigious artist from London, a series of exciting talks… You are certain it will be a success, because your passion and knowledge are behind this activity. On the day, as you stand near the entrance with excitement tingling across your fingertips, you slowly begin to despair. Despite a great marketing campaign, the local residents congregate anywhere but the museum. What went wrong?

Daniela Quacinella december 2019 design design thinking prototype success testing think 30

Unwrapping intimacy

From drama groups to their own committee, people with intellectual disabilities are finding their voice to reject overprotection and prejudice as they pursue relationships. Researchers at the University of Malta (UM) are supporting them with evidence. Words by Daiva Repeckaite.

Aġenzija Sapport Anne-Marie Callus Catholic Church Claire Azzopardi Lane Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability Daiva Repeckaite disability intellectual disability overprotection parenting relationships romance september 2019 sexuality special olympics stigma think 29

What’s love got to do with it?

While some of us are privileged to be shielded from it, the truth remains — violence in Malta is rampant. From popular songs to neighbours’ conversations, the normalisation of abuse is shaping our communities and our basic understanding of healthy relationships. Words by Cassi Camilleri.

activism activist Aġenzija Appoġġ cassi camilleri Children Clarissa Sammut Scerri domestic violence family Francesca Fenech Conti gender based violence intimate partner violence september 2019 survivor think 29 Victim Support Malta women for women Women's Rights Foundation

The language of <3

Can emojis replace words, or are they pretty decorations to our verbal communication? Latasha Barbara looks into the science behind our use of emojis.

Communication cultural differences emoji heart language Latasha Barbara linguist linguistics love paralinguistics Patrizia Paggio pictorial september 2019 social media think 29 twitter

Tying the second knot

In May 2011, three quarters of the electorate went to cast their vote on whether or not divorce should be legal in Malta. The verdict came in strong with 53% voting in favour of legalising divorce. But how do people really feel about love and remarrying? Words by Emma Clarke.

Angela Abela Catholic Church couple divorce Emma Clarke family family studies generations Joseph Muscat Lawrence Gonzi liberal marriage religion remarriage september 2019 think 29 vatican

How beep is your love?

Love is mysterious territory for many. Particularly when we talk about love between a human and an artificial being. Prof. Alexiei Dingli writes.

alexiei dingli android artificial intelligence brothel chatbot intellectual stimulation Kissenger love physical attraction pornography robot september 2019 think 29 virtual reality virtual world

Rejecting apathy at all costs

Now an unwavering campaigner for women’s rights, lawyer Dr Lara Dimitrijevic tells Teodor Reljić about how the academic community’s action, inaction, and reaction to injustice shaped her life and activism.

From hurdles in reporting domestic violence to Malta’s budding pro-choice movement, hardly any discussion on women’s freedoms goes by without a word from family lawyer Dr Lara Dimitrijevic. Recently nominated for the US Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award, Dimitrijevic represents mistreated women in court. She has also founded vocal NGO Women’s Rights Foundation, which trains police enforcement, the judiciary, social workers, lawyers, and activist organisations to treat victims of gender-based violence fairly.

activism apathy feminism feminist human rights Lara Dimitrijevic lawyer september 2019 Teodor Reljić think 29 women work-life balance young mother

The limits of loyalty

Author: Raphael Vassallo

In a country where ‘political allegiance’ often seems like an end in itself, it should have to take extraordinary circumstances to shake up one’s political allegiances.

Yet recent history seems to point in a different direction. Limits to party loyalty do exist, but they are often rooted in matters of the heart: issues that may be unrelated to ‘politics’ in the narrower sense; and which may even appear trivial to anyone who doesn’t share such emotional bonds.

civil society columnist Labour Maltese politics Nationalist opinion political polarisation Rabat road Raphael Vassallo september 2019 think 29 trees

The scent collector

After trying her hand as a chef and creative consultant, Marina Fabic discovered her true passion in marrying her refined palate and senses with a never-ending wanderlust to create a series of perfumes. Chris Styles writes.

When you think about the senses that inform your world, would smell come up at the top of the list? Probably not, despite the fact that everyone’s sense of smell is unique.

Unlike other senses, olfactory nerves are hardwired directly into the primitive part of our brains. Smells can trigger the amygdala and hippocampus regions, areas of the brain that processes memory and emotion. This is why the smell of freshly cut grass or rain after a hot afternoon can transport you back to summers long gone. This is the very feeling that Marina Fabic hopes to capture in her scent creations.

Chris Styles entrepreneur Marina Fabic Phileae september 2019 Start-Up takeoff TAKEOFF Seed Fund Award think 29