Mabel Strickland: Her Political Beliefs and their Context
My latest academic study is published in “Mabel Strickland: Bejn Storja u Miti”, edited by Sergio Grech. The chapter is titled “Mabel Strickland: Il-Battalji Politiċi, It-Twemmin Politiku u l-Kuntest Tagħhom” (Mabel Strickland: The Political Battles, Her Political Beliefs and their Context).
Mabel Strickland is a paradoxical figure in the Maltese political scenario. She was a pioneer in her field and she paved the way for the participation of women in politics and journalism. Her involvement in politics started twenty-seven years before women were granted the right to vote. However, paradoxically, she never occupied any institutional role.
She was Maltese, and in many parts which fell under the influence of the British Empire, her name was synonymous with Malta. However, she couldn’t speak the Maltese language, and her contribution towards Malta’s constitutional development was marginal.
She was a politician; she founded her own party in 1953 – the Progressive Constitutional Party – and she led it until its gradual disintegration in the late 1970's. Her causes and her political battles have been largely forgotten.
This study explores her political role, her political beliefs and her political positions across the years. They are placed within their historic context. Mabel Strickland emerges as a determined and courageous woman who gave a voice to a concerned minority.
This study made use of primary sources, including contemporary newspaper reports, diplomatic dispatches, and autobiographies of contemporary politicians.
Other contributors in this book include former Times of Malta editor Victor Aquilina, the former European Commissioner Tonio Borg, Mgr. Philip Calleja, Prof George Cassar, Max Farrugia, former Times of Malta editor Laurence Grech, Sergio Grech, Prof Chandrika Kaul, Prof Godfrey Pirotta, Prof John Portelli, Dr Simon Mercieca, Prof Carmen Sammut, Nadia Abdilla and Dr Charles Xuereb.
The book may be purchased online or from leading bookshops.
