Call For Speakers: Visibility of the Invisible International Webinar - "Exploring Hidden Struggles in Mental Health"

The Malta Sociological Association is pleased to announce the 7th edition of its international webinar series “Visibility of the Invisible”, which will take place online on December 1st, 2025. The working language of the webinar will be English. 

This edition, titled “Exploring Hidden Struggles in Mental Health,” aims to highlight the less visible aspects of mental health challenges and social stigma. We invite 2 to 4 international speakers to share their knowledge, research, or personal perspectives on this important topic. We welcome proposals from sociologists, mental health professionals, researchers, educators, activists, and individuals with lived experience.

To apply, please send a short bio (up to 150 words) and a brief abstract of your proposed talk (up to 250 words) to maltasociologicalassociation@gmail.com by not later than 15 June 2025. Join us in making the invisible visible.

Launch of the MSA Sociology Club – Join us for our first event!

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) is pleased to announce the launch of the MSA Sociology Club. This is a new initiative aimed at creating a space for individuals interested in sociology to meet, engage in discussion and build connections. Our inaugural event will be a Wine and Pizza Night held at ir-Razzett tal-Qasam in Manikata on Thursday, 3rd July at 7:00 PM.

This picturesque rural venue is managed by Koperattiva Rurali Manikata, a farmers' cooperative that emerged in response to a proposed golf course development that would have displaced agricultural land. The cooperative's story is one of community resistance and sustainability which are values closely aligned with sociological inquiry. During the evening, guests will have the opportunity to hear directly from members of the cooperative about their experiences, while enjoying wine and pizza in a relaxed and scenic setting.

 We warmly invite you to attend this first meeting of the Sociology Club, an opportunity to engage in dialogue, learn from real-world social action, and connect with others who share similar interests. The event is against a donation of 5 Euro. Registration for the MSA Sociology Club is via form (click here) until the 26th June.

Malta Sociological Association Newsletter - May 2025

 

Call for Abstracts: #MaltaSociologyConference 2025

 The Malta Sociological Association will be organising the #MaltaSociologyConference 2025 on Saturday 8th November. 

The theme of this year's conference, which is sponsored by APS Bank, is Sustainability and Society. MSA is inviting submissions of abstracts relevant to the conference. Papers may fall under different sociological areas and topics related to sustainability and may deal with aspects of Maltese society and/or adopt a comparative approach with other aspects in other societies.  

To propose a paper, please send a brief abstract (150-300 words) to the email address maltasociologicalassociation@gmail.com by not later than 20th June 2025.

MSA's position on the "Review of the 2006 Local Plan Policies for Rural Settlement"

The Malta Sociological Association welcomes the Planning Authority’s efforts to update and clarify the policies governing rural settlements. 

The MSA emphasises the importance of systematically incorporating Social Impact Assessments (SIAs) into the planning and approval processes for developments in rural settlements. While environmental protection is rightly foregrounded, the social dimensions of rural development — including impacts on community life, social cohesion, heritage, accessibility, and demographic sustainability — deserve equal attention.

The International Association for Impact Assessment defines SIA as being “the processes of analysing, monitoring and managing the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, of planned interventions (policies, programs, plans, projects) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions”. An SIA is an interdisciplinary process, and follows established social-scientific methods, both quantitative and qualitative. Social impact assessments should not be one-off exercises, but ongoing processes which engage with various stakeholders and which report back so as to ensure effective policy processes.

MSA's position on the "Partial Review of the Gozo and Comino Local Plan of 2006 for Ghajnsielem and Xewkija - Phase 2"

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the public consultation for phase 2 of Partial Review of Gozo and Comino Local Plan. 

The MSA reiterates its proposal for the adoption of a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) that follows a comprehensive and scientific approach in conformity with the International Principles for Social Impact Assessment. The International Association for Impact Assessment defines SIA as being “the processes of analysing, monitoring and managing the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, of planned interventions (policies, programs, plans, projects) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions”. An SIA is an interdisciplinary process, and follows established social-scientific methods, both quantitative and qualitative. Social impact assessments should not be one-off exercises, but ongoing processes which engage with various stakeholders and which report back so as to ensure effective policy processes.

MSA's position on the "National Volunteering Strategy 2025–2030"

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) has submitted the following feedback as part of the public consultation on the "National Volunteering Strategy 2025-2030."

The Malta Sociological Association commends the development of the National Volunteering Strategy 2025–2030 and welcomes the opportunity to contribute. Below, we outline some recommendations to strengthen the strategic approach through evidence-based planning, social impact assessment, and conceptual clarity.

Data and Evidence-Based Planning

The strategy would benefit from a stronger commitment to research and data transparency. This includes:

• Ensuring regular, comprehensive research on the state of volunteering that informs strategic decisions and reflects sectoral needs.
• Making up-to-date data on Voluntary Organisations publicly accessible for research, policy, and sectoral planning. Data collection frameworks should be designed by qualified social scientists to ensure methodological robustness.
• In particular is the need for research to understand further the motivations that drive volunteers to engage and maintain their commitment. Formal recognition may indeed drive volunteers away from the sector, and therefore new ways of recognising and acknowledging the value of volunteering need to be factored in.

Social Impact Assessment

The strategy should adopt a dynamic and participatory approach to evaluation by establishing a continuous Social Impact Assessment (SIA) process that not only monitors outcomes but also enables ongoing adjustment of actions in response to changing social contexts. This SIA process should be embedded at the core of the review mechanism outlined in Section 8 (‘Implementation, Monitoring, and Review’, p. 39) and should be co-developed by both Voluntary Organisations (VOs) and the communities they serve. Doing so ensures that evaluation is grounded in lived experiences and enhances the long-term effectiveness of initiatives. A key feature of this approach should include mapping the logical pathways between activities, outcomes, and intended social impacts to maintain coherence between actions and strategic objectives — identifying assumptions, potential barriers, and necessary conditions for success. This mapping should be revisited and refined throughout the SIA process to ensure achievement of goals.

Terminology

Clear and consistent terminology is essential for a shared understanding across stakeholders:

• The strategy should avoid the general use of the term “NGOs” when referring specifically to Voluntary Organisations, as NGOs may include entities outside the voluntary sector.
• At one point (p. 27) the document mentions non-formal volunteering. If such discriminations are to be made at all, the document should clearly outline what it means when it refers to formal, non-formal and informal volunteering.