Negotiating Tradition and Modernity: The Experiences of Maltese Young People in Tertiary Education

The societal changes and transformations occurring in the last two decades have left an impact on the transitional journey of young people. This paper explores the interplay between tradition and modernity in the lives of Maltese young people in tertiary education. Taking a qualitative narrative approach, narrative inquiry gives the participants the opportunity to construct their own stories. Three sets of interviews were held with sixteen participants throughout the course of their studies at the University of Malta. This paper focuses on one common pattern elicited from the data: the traditions of a small island state, Malta, against the backdrop of societal changes. It highlights the transformations in the structure of the family, religion, gender, the labour market and the digital revolution and how these changes impact the transitional journey of Maltese young people. The findings of this study illustrate that Maltese youth are still rooted in tradition and continue to rely, to different extents, on social structures which provide powerful frameworks. However, a number of Maltese young people are ready to embrace new freedoms, providing opportunities for growth and development. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how Maltese young people in tertiary education negotiate their transitional journey, offering insight into the wider theoretical understanding of youth transitions.