Affinity and connection : Maltese people’s links to their locality

Abstract

This paper examines Maltese people’s affinity and connection towards their locality in the context of conceptions of liveability and wellbeing in the Maltese Islands, namely Malta and Gozo. The participants of this study include a representative sample of the population of the Maltese Islands (n=400), who responded to a telephone survey. The findings of the research indicate that most residents have been living in their locality for more than ten years with a substantial percentage having lived there all their lives. In general, residents experienced a strong affinity and connection to their town/village, epitomised by a sense of belonging and everyday interaction, whether in terms of shopping for amenities or expenditure of leisure activities. While a significant number of participants reported participating in local social and cultural events, a lower number reported being directly and actively involved on a community level. This sense of belonging was lowest for residents in the Northern district, possibly due to the distinct number of foreigners living in the region and highest amongst Gozitans, who were the least likely to consider moving from their locality despite travelling hurdles.