On Friday 13 October 2023 at the Valletta Campus of the University, a one-day international and interdisciplinary conference on The History of Work was held. The conference was inspired by the work of E.P. Thompson, and organised to coincide with the 60th anniversary of his foundational book, The Making of the English Working Class (1963).
The conference was organised by Dr Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone, Dr Jurgen R. Gatt and Francois Zammit, with the Centre for Labour Studies at the University of Malta. The Centre for Labour Studies aims to strengthen the University's link with working persons, employers and the world of work at large; and promote social dialogue, active involvement and the effective participation of workers, and their representatives, in specific workplaces and in labour policy more generally.
Another contributor in the organisation of the conference was the Works in Progress Seminar series (WIPSS), whose mission is to offer a forum for active and socially-engaged dialogue, through a seminar-based interface in which current research is presented by researchers and academics.
The conference was highly successful, attracting contributions from academics hailing from a variety of fields and interests and representing institutions and universities from around the world. Throughout the day there were a total of twenty papers presented, these offered an analysis of the institution of work and labour over a spectrum of realities, offering a global overview of how diverse societies and communities are affected by the current trends in work and employment. The abstracts are available here.
These speakers were directly or indirectly influenced by the opus of E.P. Thompson and through their contributions have shown the relevance of the theories and ideas developed by Thompson during his productive career.
Furthermore, the conference was addressed by keynote speakers who offered intriguing and highly engaging contributions that added to the impetus of the conference. The keynote speakers are established Maltese academics who are stalwart representatives of the University of Malta. Prof. John Chircop, resident professor in economic and social history at the Department of History and chairperson of the Mediterranean Institute, launched the conference by presenting his paper, ‘Thompson’s Legacy in the Making: Histories of Work and Endurance, Dissent and Resistance’. Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino, who is a Professor of Sociology at the Department of Sociology, addressed the audience offering a critical perspective on the theme titled, 'How to move on from the idea that "work is misery, alienation, exploitation?". The conference was closed off with a closing address by Prof Edward Zammit, who is professor emeritus of industrial sociology at the University of Malta, specialising in industrial relations and human resources.
Dr Bonello Rutter Giappone is a research support officer with the Centre for Labour Studies, and a visiting senior lecturer at the Department of English, Dr Gatt is a medical doctor and a classicist working as an Assistant Lecturer at G. F. Abela Junior College. He is also a casual lecturer at the Dept. of Classics and Archaeology, and Mr Zammit is a PSAO at MATSEC, and a casual lecturer with the Department of Education Studies and the Department of Philosophy.
The conference was very well received by the participants and the proceedings were highly engaging and insightful. Throughout the day there were many discussions and debates and participants had the opportunity to explore new ideas and perspectives on the topic of the history of work.
Chairing the panels were academics from UM, including Dr Luke Fiorini (Centre for Labour Studies), Prof. Anna Borg (Centre for Labour Studies), Prof. Manwel Debono (Centre for Labour Studies), and Prof. Ivan Callus (Department of English).
