Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE GEO1011

 
TITLE The Geography of the Maltese Islands: A Geo-Historical Approach

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Geography

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will provide a comprehensive overview of the main geo-historical trends that have shaped the physical and human landscapes of the Maltese Islands.

During the lectures related to the physical landscapes, aspects such as tectonism, geo-stratigraphy, landform evolution, climate and marine processes will be covered. Other elements such as pre-historical, historical/cultural heritage and the cartography of the Maltese Islands will be discussed, in order to better exemplify the meaningful connection between landscapes, landforms and society over the ages.

In the human geography series, aspects of demography, including birth, mortality and migration issues will be discussed together with the range of settlements from isolated farmhouses and hamlets to villages and towns that demonstrate the change from the rural to the urban landscape form. In addition, the changing geographies within the spectrum of economic activities such as agriculture, fishing, construction, manufacturing, and services. The latter include tourism, banking, communications, and IT-related ventures. The geo-historical scenarios of development linked to the broader international situations both within the Mediterranean and the global context will also be covered.

Fieldwork: This session will cover the coastal historical geography of Marsaxlokk Bay under the lecturers’ guidance with, where appropriate, an application of the physical and human features discussed during lectures.

Study-Unit Aims:

• To offer students insights into the study of the geography of the Maltese Islands from an academic perspective, with an emphasis on the historical evolution of landscapes within the realm of an island state but also within the Mediterranean dimension;
• To highlight how landscape development on the Maltese Islands was the result of a meaningful connection between the physical world and society;
• To highlight recent developments in the field of landform evolution, especially related to geology and geomorphology (tectonic, coastal, marine, karstic) in interpreting recent studies about the physical landscapes of the Maltese Islands;
• To make students aware of a multitude of perspectives and points-of-view about Geography as a discipline and as a subject;
• To underscore the interaction between Geography-related issues and the various Mediterranean environments in which these unfold and impact on the Maltese Islands.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• explain what the key conceptual debates in the study of Maltese and Mediterranean geography (physical and human) are;
• highlight and analyze key themes in Maltese and Mediterranean geography studies and issues pertaining to landscape development;
• critically appraise how an interdisciplinary approach to landscape interpretation which takes in a variety of spatial and temporal perspectives provides for a better understanding of situations and events;
• recognize, relate and explain how the geography of the Maltese Islands is characterized by both physical and human elements which create unity but also diversity – in this instance with special reference to human and physical geography issues – in order to go beyond standard interpretations of geography as a discipline.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• review critically and selectively and make sense of a range of secondary sources, journal papers and book chapters about the geography of the Maltese Islands and be aware of the ‘Melitensia’ publications on Malta and Gozo;
• navigate with confidence through online resources and understand how to distinguish between generic web sites and serious academic and professional tools for the study of Geography;
• engage in a fieldwork session to master spatial and visual interpretation of the human and physical landscape elements;
• write a fieldwork report with a clear structure and logical presentation of arguments;
• discern the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach in seeking to gain a geographic perspective of the geo-historical development of the Maltese Islands and become familiar with related development issues in contemporary society.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

• R. Gauci and J. Schembri, Landscapes and Landforms of the Maltese Islands, (Springer Cham, 2019).
• H. Bowen-Jones, J.C. Dewdney, and W.B. Fisher, W.B., Malta: background for development, (Durham, 1961).
• M. Pedley, M. Hughes-Clarke, and P. Galea, Limestone Isles in a Crystal Sea: The Geology of the Maltese Islands, (Malta, 2002).
• G. Zammit-Maempel, An outline of Maltese Geology and guide to the Geology Hall of the Museum of Natural History, Mdina, Malta, (Malta, 1977).

Supplementary Readings:

• J. Schembri, R. Gauci, S. Furlani and R. Mizzi, 'Malta in the First World War: an appraisal through cartography and local newspapers', In Wallis J. and Harvey D. (eds) Commemorative Spaces of the First World War: Historical Geographies at the Centenary, (London, 2017), Chapter 5, pp 68-82.
• R. Gauci and J. Schembri, 'From outcrops to maps: the birth of geological maps of the Maltese Islands in the 19th century – Part I', Malta Map Society Journal, Volume 1, Issue 2, February 2017, pgs 16-26. ISSN: 2412-1622, (2017).
• J. Schembri, The geographies of the Sceberras peninsula: examining its physical contours. In Proceedings of History Week 2015:the 1565 Great Siege, the Founding of Valletta and their lasting effects. Borg, S. Borg, J. and Mallia, D. eds. (2018), pp 22-37.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES This study-unit is solely offered to Undergraduate Diploma in Maltese History in Context students.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Fieldwork

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (1 Hour) Yes 50%
Fieldwork No 50%

 
LECTURER/S Keith Buhagiar
Ritienne Gauci
John A. Schembri

 

 
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The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit