THE HUMANITIES ON MIGRATION

Transcription

1 FACULTY OF ARTS THE HUMANITIES ON MIGRATION SAT28FEB :00-13:00hrs ARTS LECTURE THEATRE, University of Malta 1

2 PROGRAMME 9:00 9:15 Welcome Session Prof. Dominic Fenech, Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Malta Mr Jon P. Hoisaeter, Head, U.N.H.C.R. Office in Malta 9:15 10:30 Feature Presentations I Chair: Prof. Mark Anthony Falzon Dr Timmy Gambin: It Happened Then It Happens Now: Migration and the Mediterranean Prof. Joseph M. Brincat: L-Immigrazzjoni u l-lingwa: Kif il-belt Valletta tat Xejra Ġdida lill-malti Dr Carmen Sammut: Immigration News in Receiving Countries: The Case of Malta Prof. John A. Schembri and Prof. Maria Attard: Immigration to Malta: Geo-demographic Aspects 10:30 11:00 11:00 12:05 Coffee Break Feature Presentations II Chair: Prof. Mark Anthony Falzon Dr Adrian Grima: L-Art Miksija bid-dollari Dr Kathrin Schödel, Ms Katrin Dautel and Dr Elise Billiard: Talking About the Migrant : A Short Analysis of German and French Language Use Prof. Stella Borg Barthet: Challenging Borders Through the Migrant Novel 12:05 12:50 Closing Presentation by Mr Raphael Vassallo and General Discussion 12:50 13:30 Light Refreshments 2 1

3 A welcome note by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Dominic Fenech Merħba mingħand id-dekan tal-fakultà tal-arti, il-professur Dominic Fenech The Humanities have never been more flourishing. This is not just because the Faculty which houses them has grown from a handful of departments to a handsome spread. Neither is it because of the growth experienced by individual departments, which used to be understaffed and over-reliant on visiting part-timers. Our departments are still lean and may they ever remain so but lean, not skeletal, capable of delivering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of the highest quality, as consistently attested by independent external assessors and examiners. The academic members of staff are among the most research active in the University. They are also the most soughtafter for their expert contribution to public debate and to decision-making public bodies. The Humanities are as relevant as we succeed in making them. And we do. Student numbers tell us so too. Three hundred or so undergraduate recruits each year, another odd hundred postgraduates, as well as a steady stream of exchange students cannot be wrong. This does not mean that we churn out graduates on a conveyor belt. Our students have access to the best possible individual attention and to the broadest range of what contemporary pedagogues call transferable skills, that is, the intellectual maturity with which tertiary education is meant to endow its students, equipping them for life after university. Furthermore, confounding the imagination of the myopic, graduates of the humanities move on to successful careers, quite possibly because they are not hedged in along a single professional lane. A recent tracer study among alumni found that, with a few exceptions, humanities graduates not only were gainfully employed but held positions of responsibility that met their aspirations. The Faculty of Arts is vibrant in many other respects. Individually or through their departments, its members are constantly engaged in new initiatives, whether it is an innovative departmental, interdepartmental or Master s course, or programmes linking up with other faculties, or breaking into new territories like, most recently, creative writing, the fine arts and film. The Faculty s bustling calendar of public lectures, readings, book launches, symposia, seminars, workshops, conferences and other events testifies to its energy, to how much it has to share, and contributes to its visibility. To the University and to society it contributes soul, besides substance. L-oqsma umanistiċi qatt ma kienu daqshekk f saħħithom bħalma huma dan iż-żmien. Dan mhux biss għax il-fakultà li tħaddanhom illum kibret minn waħda modesta ta ftit dipartimenti għal waħda mill-akbar fl-università. Lanqas mhu għax id-dipartimenti nnifishom illum huma armati sew u m għadhomx jiddubbaw kif jistgħu minn hawn u minn hemm u jistrieħu żżejjed fuq għalliema part time. Ma tistax tgħid li kibru wisq u m għandhomx għalfejn jikbru żżejjed iżda ma jonqoshom xejn meta jiġu biex joffru programmi akkademiċi fil-livelli kollha ta tagħlim, li huma ta kwalità mill-aktar għolja, kif ċertifikati minn assessuri u eżaminaturi indipendenti. Il-membri tal-fakultà jispikkaw għall-profil qawwi ta riċerka li jgawdu fost il-korp akkademiku tal- Università. Bis-saħħa ta ħiliethom, huma mill-aktar imfittxija biex jagħtu s-sehem espert tagħhom fid-diskussjoni pubblika u f korpi pubbliċi ta responsabbiltà. Ir-relevanza tal-umanistika tiddependi ħafna minn kemm jirnexxilna nagħmluha relevanti aħna. U dan qed iseħħilna nagħmluh. L-għadd ta studenti wkoll jitkellem waħdu. Ta kull sena jingħaqdu magħna mat-tliet mitt student u studenta biex jibdew l-istudju tagħhom u xi mija oħra biex jissuktaw fi grad ogħla, apparti l-għadd kbir ta studenti li jżuruna minn barra. Dan ma jfissirx li qed nipproduċu gradwati bil-gzuz. Lill-istudenti nipprovdulhom attenzjoni individwali flimkien ma medda wiesgħa ta dak li pedagoġi kontemporanji isejħu ħiliet trasferibbli, jiġifieri dik il-maturità intellettwali li l-edukazzjoni universitarja minn dejjem stinkat li trawwem fl-istudenti bi tħejjija għall-ħajja. U kontra dak li jista jimmaġina min ma jarax l-istampa kollha, dawk li jiggradwaw fl-umanistika qed jispikkaw u jirnexxu f karrieri tajbin, x aktarx għax mhumiex marbutin b mod riġidu mat-tħejjija għal professjoni waħda. Riċerka li saret dan l-aħħar fost il-gradwati tal-fakultà tal-arti wriet li, tneħħi xi eċċezzjonijiet, il-parti l-kbira ta dawn il-gradwati mhux biss sabu impjiegi tajbin ta responsabbiltà imma qabdu karrieri li jissodisfaw l-aspirazzjonijiet tagħhom. L-enerġija tal-fakultà tal-arti tesprimi ruħa f aspetti oħra. Il-membri u d-dipartimenti tagħha jimpenjaw ruħhom il-ħin kollu f inizjattivi ġodda, sew jekk huma korsijiet innovattivi dipartimentali, interdipartimentali jew ta Master s, programmi bi sħab ma fakultajiet oħra, jew esplorazzjoni ta territorju ġdid, bħalma bdejna dan l-aħħar fl-oqsma tal-kitba kreattiva, l-arti, u l-film. Il-kalendarju mimli ta preżentazzjonijiet u taħditiet pubbliċi, qari minn kittieba ċelebri, tnedijiet ta kotba ġodda, seminars, workshops, konferenzi, u attivitajiet oħra ta kull xorta huma xhieda tar-riżorsi li jinstabu u jitħaddmu fil-fakultà, ta kemm għandha x toffri, u kemm hi mifruxa l-ħidma tagħha. Lill-Università u lis-soċjetà, il-fakultà tqawwilhom ir-ruħ u tmantnihom. 2 3

4 Dr Timmy Gambin Department of Classics and Archaeology It Happened Then It Happens Now: Migration and the Mediterranean The current flow and ebb of people across the Mediterranean is brought about by specific circumstances, many of which originate beyond its shores. In some cases the sea is simply a transitory phase of a journey that takes men, women and children from sub-saharan Africa to Scandinavia (via a quarantine period on a small Mediterranean Island such as Lampedusa). Others have made the Mediterranean their home. With them, these people have brought their language, beliefs and culture. This presentation explores the validity of using modern migration movements in the Mediterranean as analogies for past phenomena that involved the wholesale relocation of people from, as well as to, various parts of the region. Archaeological, historical and ethnographical bodies of evidence are combined to reveal how the Humanities can help shed light on current affairs and possibly create common ground for what is currently a misinformed discussion. Professor Joseph M. Brincat Department of Italian Migration and Language: How Valletta Reshaped Maltese Most of the major modern languages were standardised in the capital cities of their respective states. This happened in France, England and Spain where the dialect of the area where the monarchy had its seat was spoken at court and acquired official status. As the capital city grew in size and population, its dialect acquired prestige above all the others, literary works were produced, their language was codified (grammar rules were established and dictionaries issued) and soon became the written language in all the other regions. In most cases the dialect had been extant before the establishment of the monarchy. The case of Valletta was different. The city was founded in 1566 on a hill which was uninhabited, but it grew very rapidly, drawing in people from all over Malta and it also attracted a large number of foreigners, most of whom learned to speak like the locals, especially through marriage. In this way a koiné developed that dropped the peculiar characteristics of the regional accents and, moreover, its vocabulary absorbed an ever-increasing amount of Romance words without undergoing language shift. This new variety became the basis for standard Maltese. Dr Timmy Gambin Dipartiment tal-klassiċi u l-arkeoloġija Seħħet fl-imgħoddi u Għadha Sseħħ Illum: Il-Migrazzjoni u l-mediterran Iċ-ċaqliq tan-nies minn naħa għal oħra tal-mediterran iseħħ minħabba ċirkostanzi speċifiċi li ħafna minnhom għandhom in-nisel tagħhom lil hinn mix-xtut ta dan ir-reġjun. F ċerti każijiet il-baħar huwa sempliċement fażi tranżitorja fi vjaġġ li jieħu lill-irġiel, in-nisa u t-tfal mill-afrika sub-saħarjana sal-iskandinavja (wara li jqattgħu perjodu ta kwarantina fuq gżira ċkejkna Mediterranja bħal Lampedusa). Oħrajn għamlu l-mediterran darhom, u ġabu magħhom il-lingwa, it-twemmin u l-kultura tagħhom. Din il-preżentazzjoni tħares lejn kemm nistgħu nużaw il-movimenti migratorji moderni fil-mediterran bħala analoġiji għall-fenomeni tal-imgħoddi li fihom in-nies kienu jġorru kulma kellhom minn, kif ukoll lejn żoni varji tar-reġjun. Se tintuża evidenza arkeoloġika, storika u etnografika biex turi kif l-istudji Umanistiċi jistgħu jgħinu sabiex jintefa dawl fuq il-ġrajjiet kurrenti. Dan jista jwassal biex jinħoloq spazju komuni li fih tista ssir diskussjoni li mhix bbażata fuq tagħrif żbaljat, kif inhi llum. Il-Professur Joseph M. Brincat Dipartiment tat-taljan Il-Migrazzjoni u l-lingwa: Kif il-belt Valletta tat Xejra Ġdida lill-malti Il-biċċa l-kbira tal-lingwi moderni ġew standardizzati fil-bliet kapitali tal-istati rispettivi. Hekk ġara fi Franza, fl-ingilterra u fi Spanja fejn id-djalett taż-żona fejn twaqqfet il-monarkija kien mitkellem mill-kollaboraturi tar-re, kemm bħala rispett lejh kif ukoll għax ħafna minnhom kienu minn dawk l-akkwati, u akkwista rikonoxximent uffiċjali. Maż-żmien, il-belt kapitali kibret u d-djalett tagħha sar aktar prestiġjuż mid-djaletti l-oħra, beda jinkiteb, żviluppa letteratura, ġie kodifikat (inkitbet il-grammatika u ħarġu dizzjunarji) u fi ftit żmien sar il-lingwa miktuba tar- Renju kollu. Dan id-djalett ġeneralment kien jeżisti qabel ma twaqqfet il-monarkija. Il-każ tal-belt Valletta kien differenti. Il-Belt twaqqfet fl-1566 fuq għolja li kienet diżabitata, imma kibret malajr għax ġibdet lejha nies minn Malta kollha u anki bosta barranin. Ħafna minn dawn tgħallmu jitkellmu bħan-nies tal-post, l-aktar permezz ta żwieġ ma Maltin. B dan il-mod issawret koiné billi l-kelliema waqqgħu il-pekuljaritajiet tal- aċċenti reġjonali tagħhom u, aktar minn hekk, adottaw mijiet ta kelmiet ġodda mill-isqalli u mit-taljan mingħajr ma tilfu l-bażi semitika tal-morfoloġija u tal-kliem fondamentali. Din il-varjetà ġdida saret il-bażi tal-malti standard. 4 5

5 Dr Carmen Sammut Department of International Relations Immigration News in Receiving Countries: The Case of Malta The news media can play an important role in the promotion of integrated societies that include diverse cultures. They are often seen as key resources in the struggles for visibility, presence, community, influence and symbolic power which many, if not all, minority groups seek (Silverstone & Georgiou 2005, p. 432). Yet, media systems are in themselves the outcome of internal processes and so the context remains an important influence on the production, dissemination and reception of news. While news content is influenced by factors such as the journalists professional ideology, cultural attitudes towards immigrants and the demands of the public, it will be argued that our analysis also needs to take into account political and economic factors, which determine whether media systems open up to migrants. Such considerations also affect the complex and ambivalent roles of journalists, as critical public intellectuals scrutinizing responses to the influx of immigrants and as producers of texts that may reinforce social and cultural stereotypes. This presentation will explore dilemmas for journalists in Malta as they cover stories on immigration in a context overwhelmed by massive public anxieties and concerns about sub-saharan immigration. It will be argued that some media organisations still have not resolved how to adapt to the new realities as they did not extend their deliberative democratic role to encourage a critical mass on integrative processes. Professor John A. Schembri and Professor Maria Attard Department of Geography Immigration to Malta: Geo-demographic Aspects Immigration into Malta has a geography that reflects migrant origins mainly from the Mediterranean. However, migration into Malta also followed the coloniser who ruled over the Islands with British and other English speaking residents also apparent. The problems associated with sub-saharan Africa that generated an influx of immigrants to southern Europe and also affected Malta, brought the issue into the forefront of the local psyche. This paper will present results from the Census of Population and Housing (2011). The demographic variables that will be put forward throw light on the country of origin, the age at ten-year intervals and the sex of the immigrants. Data includes also the locality of residence in Malta. The detailed demographic analysis gives the totals for each ten-year age group of the immigrants with their country of origin. Indices developed for each locality per thousand Maltese resident population throw light on the foreign population as it affects the different localities. The paper by focusing at the locality level should first of all place each town and village within its proper demographic scenario visà-vis immigrants thus giving a detailed perspective of the situation at the micro-level, offer the general public a sense of what the Humanities stand for within the spatial and demographic fora, and showcase the work of the Faculty within the immigration debate. Dr Carmen Sammut Dipartiment tar-relazzjonijiet Internazzjonali L-Aħbarijiet dwar l-immigrazzjoni fil-pajjiżi fejn Jaslu: Il-Każ ta Malta Il-mezzi tal-informazzjoni jista jkollhom rwol importanti fil-promozzjoni ta soċjetajiet li fihom jintegraw ruħhom diversi kulturi. Sikwit narawhom bħala riżorsi fundamentali fit-taqbidiet għall-viżibilità, għall-preżenza, għall-komunità, għall-influwenza, u għall-poter simboliku li jfittxu ħafna gruppi ta minoranza, jekk mhux kollha (Silverstone & Georgiou 2005, p. 432). Madankollu, is-sistemi tal-mezzi tax-xandir huma fihom infushom ir-riżultat ta proċessi interni u għalhekk ilkuntest jibqa influwenza importanti fuq il-produzzjoni, it-tixrid u l-mod kif nirċievu l-aħbarijiet. Filwaqt li l-kontenut tal-aħbarjiiet huwa influwenzat minn fatturi bħall-ideoloġija professjonali tal-ġurnalisti, l-attitudnijiet kulturali tagħhom lejn l-immigranti u dak li jkun qed jistenna l-pubbliku, jeħtieġ ukoll li l-analiżi tagħna tqis il-fatturi politiċi u ekonomiċi li jiddeterminaw jekk is-sistemi tal-mezzi tax-xandir jinfetħux għall-immigranti. Dawn il-konsiderazzjonijiet jaffettwaw ukoll ir-rwoli kumplessi u ambivalenti tal-ġurnalisti, kemm bħala intellettwali pubbliċi kritiċi li jistħarrġu bir-reqqa r-reazzjonijiet għall-influss tal-immigranti, kif ukoll bħala dawk li jipproduċu testi li jistgħu jsaħħu l-isterjotipi soċjali u kulturali. Din il-preżentazzjoni se tesplora d-dilemmi li jħabbtu wiċċhom magħhom il-ġurnalisti f Malta huma u jistħarrġu stejjer dwar l-immigrazzjoni f kuntest maħkum mill-ansjetajiet kbar u l-inkwiet tal-pubbliku dwar l-immigrazzjoni mill-pajjiżi Afrikani sub-saħarjani. Uħud mill-organizzazzjonijiet tal-mezzi tax-xandir għadhom ma għarfux kif se jaddattaw irwieħhom għal realtajiet ġodda peress li għadhom ma ħadux pożizzjoni dwar prattiċi favur proċessi ta integrazzjoni ta minoranzi etniċi f pajjiżna. Il-Professur John A. Schembri u l-professur Maria Attard Dipartiment tal-ġeografija L-Immigrazzjoni f Malta: Aspetti Ġeodemografiċi L-immigrazzjoni f Malta għandha ġeografija li tirrifletti n-nisel tal-migranti, l-aktar mill- Mediterran. Madankollu, f Malta waslu wkoll għadd ta immigranti permezz tal-kolonizzaturi u hawn għadd ta residenti Brittaniċi u nies oħrajn li l-lingwa tagħhom hija l-ingliż. Minħabba l-problemi marbuta mal-pajjiżi Afrikani sub-saħarjani, kien hemm influss ta immigranti finnofsinhar tal-ewropa li affettwa lil Malta u ġibed l-attenzjoni tal-maltin lejn il-fenomenu talimmigrazzjoni. Din it-taħdita se tistħarreġ ir-riżultati taċ-ċensiment tal-popolazzjoni u d-djar (2011). Il-fatturi demografiċi li se jiġu ppreżentati jixħtu dawl fuq il-pajjiżi minn fejn ġejjin l-immigranti, l-età tagħhom f intervalli ta għaxar snin u s-sess tagħhom. It-tagħrif jinkludi wkoll il-lokalità fejn qed jgħixu f Malta. L-analiżi demografika ddettaljata tagħti t-totali għal kull wieħed mill-gruppi ta età kull għaxar snin u l-pajjiż minn fejn ġew. Indikaturi għal kull lokalità għal kull elf persuna Maltija residenti jixħtu dawl fuq il-popolazzjoni tal-barranin u kif taffettwa l-lokalitajiet differenti. It-taħdita se tiffoka fuq il-livell lokali, u tqiegħed kull belt u raħal fix-xenarju demografiku tiegħu fejn jidħlu l-immigranti, u għalhekk tagħti stampa ddettaljata tas-sitwazzjoni fuq livell żgħir. B dan il-mod it-taħdita se toffri lill-pubbliku ġenerali togħma ta dak li jirrappreżentaw l-oqsma Umanistiċi fi ħdan il-fora dwar l-ispazju u d-demografija, u turi x-xogħol tal-fakultà fi ħdan id-dibattitu dwar l-immigrazzjoni. 6 7

6 Dr Adrian Grima Department of Maltese The Ground Strewn with Dollar Bills Over the past two centuries, tens of thousands of Maltese have emigrated to start a new life in lands they often knew next to nothing about. In turn, Maltese literature has written very little about their experiences, the challenges they faced, their suffering, their adventures. The bestknown literary work on the subject is Ulied in-nanna Venut fl-amerka (Grandma Venut s Children in America) by Juann Mamo, an unorthodox and irreverent novel that was serialised by the author between 1930 and Although it was welcomed by many readers, it also raised eyebrows. Mamo accuses the educated Maltese of exploiting and abandoning their own compatriots, but he does not attack the British colonisers who did not do much to help the vast majority of the population to work their way out of poverty. The novel therefore raises questions about the stand it takes in the face of complex political and social situations. Post-colonial criticism offers ideal resources to analyse both the story itself and our role as readers of this novel in the 21st century, more than 80 years after it was written. Dr Kathrin Schödel Ms Katrin Dautel Department of German Dr Elise Billiard Department of Sociology Talking About the Migrant : A Short Analysis of German and French Language Use This paper attempts a historicisation and contextualisation of linguistic expressions and the different circumstances of the people described by them, with the aim of deconstructing problematic, generalising views of the migrant. Among the examples discussed are the terms gasterbeiter (guest workers), used in Germany in the 1960s, and the recent coinage of a politically correct term: person with a migrant background. In this context, the concept of political correctness will be explored: language can be considered an instrument of violence, but politically correct expressions designed to be less violent might in turn downplay social issues. Looking at the use of terms such as immigrant and beur ( Arab ) in French will provide further examples of how language can stigmatise individuals beyond their nationality, orienting identity towards racial or ethnic categories. As a concluding thesis, the paper will propose a generally less strong focus in language, culture and politics on the question of territorial origins and national identities, in favour of a more differentiated and inclusive way of talking about and to as well as of treating human beings. Dr Adrian Grima Dipartiment tal-malti L-Art Miksija bid-dollari Minkejja li matul dawn l-aħħar mitejn sena mill-gżejjer Maltin telqu għaxriet ta eluf ta emigranti biex jibdew ħajja ġdida f artijiet li ħafna drabi ma kinux jafuhom, il-letteratura Maltija ftit li xejn irrakkontat l-esperjenzi tagħhom, l-isfidi, it-tbatijiet u l-avventuri tal-emigrazzjoni. L-iktar xogħol magħruf huwa Ulied in-nanna Venut fl-amerka ta Juann Mamo, rumanz imqareb u irreverenti li tqassam bħala faxxikli bejn l-1930 u l Għalkemm ġibed ċerta simpatija, qanqal ukoll ħafna kritika. Mamo jixli lill-maltin ta skola li sfruttaw u abbandunaw lil ħuthom stess, iżda ma jeħodhiex kontra l-kolonizzaturi Brittaniċi li m għamlux wisq biex jgħinu lill-massa tal-poplu biex toħroġ mill-faqar. Għaldaqstant ir-rumanz iqajjem ħafna mistoqsijiet dwar il-pożizzjoni tarrumanz quddiem sitwazzjonijiet politiċi u soċjali kumplessi. L-għodod tal-kritika postkolonjalista joffru riżorsi ideali biex issir analiżi ta dan ir-rakkont, kif ukoll analiżi dwarna bħala qarrejja li qed naqrawh iktar minn tmenin sena wara, fis-seklu 21. Dr Kathrin Schödel - Ms Katrin Dautel Dipartiment tal-ġermaniż Dr Elise Billiard Dipartiment tas-soċjoloġija Id-Diskors dwar il-migrant : Stħarriġ fil-qosor tal-użu tal-ġermaniż u l-franċiż Din it-taħdita se tqis lill-migranti u l-espressjonijiet li jintużaw biex jirreferu għalihom fil-kuntest storiku u lingwistiku tagħhom biex tiddeskostruwixxi l-fehmiet problematiċi li joqogħdu jiġġeneralizzaw dwar il- migranti. F din l-analiżi se jsir riferiment għall- gasterbeiter, terminu li kien jintuża fil-ġermanja fis-snin sittin tas-seklu għoxrin, u għall-espressjoni reċenti politikament korretta li tirreferi għall- persuni li għandhom storja ta migrazzjoni. F dan ilkuntest, il-kelliema se jisħarrġu l-kunċett tal-korrettezza politika: il-lingwa tista titqies bħala għodda ta vjolenza, iżda l-espressjonijiet politikament korretti li jinħolqu biex ikunu inqas vjolenti jistgħu jimminimizzaw ċerti kwistjonijiet soċjali. Kelmiet bħal immigrant/a u beur (Għarab) fil-franċiż joffru eżempji ta kif il-lingwa kapaċi toħloq stigma dwar ċerti nies u waqt li tinjora n-nazzjonalità tagħhom torjenta l-identità lejn kategoriji razzjali jew etniċi. Bħala konklużjoni, din it-taħdita tipproponi li fil-lingwa, il-kultura u l-politika nagħtu inqas kas talkwistjoni tal-oriġni territorjali u l-identitajiet nazzjonali u nfittxu modi aktar varjati u inklużivi ta kif nitkellmu dwar il-bnedmin, ta kif inkellmu lill-bnedmin, u ta kif inġibu ruħna magħhom. 8 9

7 Professor Stella Borg Barthet Department of English Challenging Borders Through the Migrant Novel The European Union has collapsed the boundaries between most European states so that the one significant frontier is now the Mediterranean Sea, separating Europe from North Africa. This sea is in fact a border between the first world and the third, the people who (despite the credit crunch) still have access to a dignified livelihood and the wretched of the earth displaced by war, by hunger or by unemployment. Ian Chambers writes of an asymmetrical human economy in which many lose the right to immediate liberties secured by food, health, and education, and calls attention to the increasing attention and weight applied to the legal framing and construction of the immigrant. The state assiduously emphasizes borders, visas, and detention, walling up the migrant and preventing encounters with citizens and nationals. Migrant and asylum narratives can mine under state-sanctioned barriers to deliver the neighbour, the fellow human-being. This paper emerges from the study of recent migrant novels such as A Distant Shore by Caryl Phillips, Uomini Liberi by Maria Giovanna Mirano, Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami, Leaving Tangiers by Tahar Ben Jelloun and Children of the Revolution by Dinaw Mengestu. Representations of migrants, of the people who organise the illegal transportation of migrants, of the motives for migrating to another country, and of the reactions of the communities adopted by migrants are explored, highlighting the means by which the novelists challenge the fixity of national character and portray alternative modes of community building. THE FACULTY OF ARTS The Faculty of Arts is one of the largest Faculties at the University of Malta with a student population totalling some 1,300. Sixteen departments Anthropological Sciences, Classics and Archaeology, English, French, Geography, German, History, History of Art, International Relations, Italian, Maltese, Oriental Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, Spanish and Latin American Studies, and Translation and Interpreting make up the Faculty of Arts. Undergraduate Courses Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Bachelor of Arts Honours (B.A.(Hons)) The B.A. and B.A.(Hons) are the Faculty s staple undergraduate degrees. They differ from each other mainly in that the B.A. is spread equally over two areas of study, whereas the B.A.(Hons) focuses on a single area, with a secondary area as subsidiary. All undergraduate students follow two areas of study during the first year. Those who wish and qualify to proceed to the honours track continue with one area of study, in addition to a limited number of credits in the subsidiary area to be taken during the second year. The duration of the degree courses is three years. Bachelor in Humanities (B.Hums) Il-Professur Stella Borg Barthet Dipartiment tal-ingliż Kif Tisfida l-konfini permezz tar-rumanz tal-emigrazzjoni L-Unjoni Ewropea xejnet il-konfini bejn il-biċċa l-kbira tal-istati Ewropej u llum, l-iktar fruntiera sinifikanti hija l-baħar Mediterran li jifred lill-ewropa mill-afrika ta Fuq. Fil-fatt dan il-baħar jifred l-ewwel dinja mit-tielet dinja, dawk in-nies li (minkejja l-kriżi finanzjarja) għad għandhom aċċess għal ħajja dinjituża, mill- misħutin tad-dinja li kellhom jaħarbu mill-gwerra, mill-ġuħ jew min-nuqqas ta xogħol. Ian Chambers jikteb dwar ekonomija umana asimmetrika li fiha ħafna nies jitilfu l-jedd għal libertajiet immedjati garantiti permezz tal-ikel, is-saħħa u l-edukazzjoni, u jġegħelna nħarsu lejn l-attenzjoni u l-piż dejjem ikbar li jingħataw lill-ħolqien tal-qafas legali u l-kostruzzjoni tal-immigrant/a. L-istat jinsisti ħafna fuq il-konfini, il-viżi, u d-detenzjoni, u b hekk jifred b ħajt l-immigranti miċ-ċittadini. Il-letteratura tal-migranti timmina taħt il-ħajt li jrid l-istat, u twassal qarib tagħna, il-bniedem bħalna. Din il-preżentazzjoni hija msejsa fuq l-istudju ta rumanzi reċenti tal-migranti bħal A Distant Shore ta Caryl Phillips, Uomini Liberi ta Maria Giovanna Mirano, Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits ta Laila Lalami, Leaving Tangiers ta Tahar Ben Jelloun u Children of the Revolution ta Dinaw Mengestu. Il-preżentazzjoni se tistħarreġ ir-rappreżentazzjoni tal-migranti, tat-traffikanti li jorganizzaw it-trasportazzjoni illegali tal-migranti, u tal-motivi li jġiegħlu lin-nies jemigraw, u se tiffoka fuq il-mezzi li bihom irrumanziera jisfidaw in-natura fissa tal-karattru nazzjonali u juru modi alternattivi ta kif tinbena komunità. The B.Hums is a new degree of the Faculty of Arts launched in October The concept behind the B.Hums degree is that students are free to build their own undergraduate programme by registering for any study-units (time-table permitting) from any area of study which they consider most suitable for their academic interest and career plans. Postgraduate Courses The Faculty of Arts offers two types of M.A. courses. The traditional M.A. (M.A. by Research), which was originally associated exclusively with the Faculty, is mostly based on original research, with each student being assisted by a dedicated supervisor. Increasingly, departments are also offering taught M.A. courses, which include a short dissertation or long essay. Faculty-based taught M.A. Programmes involving contributions from across departments Master of Arts in Literary Tradition and Popular Culture gloria.lauri-lucente@um.edu.mt Master of Arts in Mediterranean Studies emanuel.buttigieg@um.edu.mt 10 11

8 Departmental Programmes Master of Arts in Hospitaller Studies Master of Arts in Contemporary Western Philosophy Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies Master of Arts in Translation and Terminology Studies Master of Arts in English Master of Arts in English Language Master of Arts in English and the Media Master of Arts in English (Modern and Contemporary Literature and Criticism) Master of Arts in Tesol (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Master of Arts in Humanitarian Action Master of Arts in Fine Arts Master of Arts in Archaeological Practice Master of Arts in Global Maritime Archaeology / Masters/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy (Distance Learning) Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy - Internet Governance Specialization (Distance Learning) tanjan@diplomacy.edu 12 13

9 The Faculty of Arts Committee for the Public Understanding of the Humanities Professor Maria Attard (Chair) Dr Emanuel Buttigieg Dr James Corby Dr Timmy Gambin Dr Adrian Grima Dr Dennis Mizzi Professor Keith Sciberras Ms Annabelle Cutajar