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Anthropologist Jeremy Boissevain will be the guest speaker at the Today seminar to be held at Palazzo Capua, Sliema next Wednesday, 22 March. The theme chosen is ‘Malta: Taking Stock after 50 years. Where to now?’
Professor Boissevain has a long relationship with Malta back to the mid-1950s when he served as Chief of Mission for CARE. He is Emeritus professor of social anthropology at the University of Amsterdam and a fellow of the Amsterdam School of Social Research.
It was as an official with the relief organisation CARE that he discovered Malta, its people, the politicians and the landscape. His anthropological studies in Malta coincided with his PhD in social anthropology which he read at the London School of Economics in the early sixties.
His first studies on Malta inspired a new outlook to Maltese society, many of which remain relevant arguments and serve as a basis for further studies. Saints and Fireworks: Religion and Politics in Malta, published in 1965, catapulted him into the quagmire of tribal politics in Malta.
Unknowing to many non-academics, his papers and books served to drive debates about otherwise controversial themes and a cursory look at some of his papers are proof of this. They include ‘Why Maltese ask so few questions’ (1969), ‘Notes on the position of women in Maltese society’ (1972), ‘Friends of Friends, Networks, Manipulators and coalitions’ (1974), ‘Islands on the move: Social Trends in Malta’ (1975), ‘Tourism and development in Malta’ (1977), ‘When Saints go marching out: Reflections on the decline of patronage in Malta’ (1977) and ‘Mintoff and Malta: The Autocracy of Haste’ (1979).
There were other notable contributions namely on tourism and its impact on the natural environment.
His study on Hal-Farrug is also considered to be a significant important contribution. Together with his wife Inga and his four daughters he built up an endless list of acquaintances and made Malta his second home for many years, cultivating friends, local culture and speaking Maltese. He built up deep bonds with the people of Naxxar and Kirkop, where he was known simply as ‘Jerry’.
His latest book, Hal-Kirkop, A Maltese Village 2006, is published by Midsea Books.
There are a few seats still available for next Wednesday’s breakfast seminar. The seminar starts at 8.20am and comes to a close at around 10am. To attend please contact Ms Gillian Bajada at Mediatoday on 2138-2741 ext 172, or by electronic mail at gbajada@mediatoday.com.mt
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