La societa maltese odierna e la cultura italiana

Abstract

Throughout the years the Maltese have witnessed a diffusion of Italian culture, caused mainly by the vicinity of the Italian peninsula to their island. This consistent flow of culture diffusion from neighbouring Italy has influenced vital areas in the life of the Maltese people. There are evident signs that this diffusion o:f' Italian culture in the Maltese islands is still alive today. The main underlying thoughts of my research are - what is the attitude of various sectors of Maltese society today towards this diffusion of Italian culture? Is it a positive or a negative one? And why is it so? Which are the main forces contributing towards the formation of such an attitude? What will the probable attitude be in the near future? The research has been carried out on & sample of 220 Maltese individuals - 60 children (8-10 y·ears), 120 youngsters (14-Jl.6 years), and.40 adults (from 18 years onwards). These three sa1mple groups form the various· sectors of contemporary Maltese society under study. The study is divided into three parts: the first deals with the historical and cultural background of Italian in Malta; the second examines the attitudes of various sectors of Maltese society towards the diffusion of Italian culture today; the third part discusses the main conclusions of the research study.