/library/oar/handle/123456789/1164 2025-12-20T20:32:04Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/141828 Title: Id-demokrazija... għal min? Authors: Chircop, Louise Abstract: Id-demokrazija hija kelma li nħobbu nużaw spiss imma qajla nieqfu u naħsbu xi tfisser tassew. Ħafna jaħsbu li pajjiż ikun demokratiku għaliex ikun hemm elezzjoni kull tant żmien u ċ-ċittadini jistgħu jagħmlu għażliet ħielsa tal-kandidati u tal-partiti. Din hi idea xejn profonda ta’ x’inhi d-demokrazija, għaliex iċ-ċittadin għandu rwol żgħir fejn tidħol it-tmexxija tal-pajjiż. Rwol limitat għal ftit minuti fil-kamra tal-votazzjoni. Ħafna drabi n-nies ftit jixtarru għal xiex ikunu qed jivvutaw. Jaf ikollhom grazzja ma’ kandidat, jew dejjem ivvutaw għall-istess partit. Ġieli biddlu l-partit għax talbu pjaċir li ma ngħatalhomx. Tant ma naħsbux dwar lil min nivvutaw, li nħoloq terminu – donkey vote – għal dawk li jivvotaw billi jibdew iniżżlu l-preferenzi tagħhom minn fuq tal-lista tal-kandidati u jibqgħu niżlin, mingħajr biss jaraw lil min qed jagħtu appoġġ u jekk il-kandidat ħaqqux l-appoġġ. Dan il-mod ta’ votazzjoni fih innifsu huwa wkoll theddida għall-proċess demokratiku. [excerpt] 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/141788 Title: “Until they fit in.” Maltese educators’ practices and attitudes towards migrant students in middle and secondary schools Authors: Chircop, Louise Abstract: Purpose -This paper aims to explore the attitudes of Maltese educators towards migrant students and how these attitudes impinge on their practices. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach, informed by critical theory, was taken to conduct this study. Nineteen middle and secondary school educators were recruited through snowball sampling. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. Critical discourse analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings: The presence of migrant students in schools has caught the Maltese education system unprepared. As yet there are no policies to guide educators on practices that would enhance migrant students’ sense of belonging. This paper shows how many of the educators engaged in exclusionary practices and argued that migrant students had to fit in within the present education system. While the language barrier was the greatest bone of contention, the presence of non-Catholic students was also seen as problematic. However, one could also observe accommodating practices and there were educators who embraced this diversity and implemented inclusive practices whenever possible. Originality/value: This study, locally new in its field, highlights the need for adequate training both in terms of pedagogies and methodologies that are inclusive, as well as professional development that targets the intellectual growth of educators in terms of exposure to sociological and philosophical theories, to become more conscious of the political implications of their actions and hopefully strive to create a more equitable educational experience for their students. 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/141701 Title: Educators' constructions of Maltese society Authors: Chircop, Louise Abstract: In the span of a few decades, Maltese society witnessed rapid social, cultural and political changes, transforming itself from a primarily monocultural society into a multicultural one. The introduction of progressive civil rights legislation brought forth new understandings of gender, gender identity and family constructs. The Catholic Church is slowly losing its potential to influence its followers. These changes might be seen as a threat to the moral fibre of Maltese society, or an opportunity to see beyond the insularity of an island state. The aim of this paper is to explore the yet largely uncharted waters of how Maltese educators construct Maltese society and social diversity, which ultimately influence their practices in school. The study draws on social constructionism as a theoretical framework. I argue that teachers’ constructions of, and attitudes towards social diversity in Maltese society cannot be taken out of the context in which these have been socialised, nurtured, and perhaps sustained or otherwise challenged. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with 19 participants hailing from State, Church and Independent schools. Critical Discourse Analysis was applied to analyse the data gathered. Educators’ constructions of Maltese society and the social diversity within it reflected their location as citizens of an island nation, with some of the participants seeking to preserve their visions and traditions of an imagined community, while others looked outward and embraced change as something positive. They provided multiple constructions of Maltese society and social diversity, reflecting the geopolitics, history, religion and size of the island. 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/141698 Title: The teaching of one religion in a pluralist society : implications on curriculum, school ethos and teacher attitudes in the Maltese public school system Authors: Chircop, Louise Abstract: The Roman Catholic Religion is entrenched in the Constitution of Malta as being the religion ‘of the Maltese people’, a fact that has been taken for granted and rarely challenged. The Constitution also provides for the freedom of religious belief and while the teaching of the Catholic Religion is confessional, a good number of non-Catholic students are present in schools. There has never been a provision for non-Catholics to have lessons in their faith. The National Curriculum Framework (2012), provided for the teaching of Ethics for those students who opt out of Catholic Religious Education. However, Catholicism is imbued in the curriculum and ethos of state schools, and is not limited to the religion lessons. Thus, while Ethics is being offered in a number of schools, the curriculum and school ethos have not changed to reflect the pluralistic and multicultural presence in them. This paper seeks to do two things: firstly, to locate the ways in which the Catholic Religion influences the everyday school experience and how this impacts those students who do not identify with this religion. Secondly, it seeks to explore how the entrenching of the Catholic Religion in the ethos and practices of the school influence teachers’ attitudes towards students who are not Catholic. 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z