Godfrey Baldacchino Explained

Godfrey Baldacchino (born 25 April 1960) is a Maltese and Canadian social scientist.^[1] He was Pro Rector (International Development & Quality Assurance) (2016-2021) and Professor of Sociology at the University of Malta.^[2] Between 2016 and 2020, he was with Jim Randall,^[3] the UNESCO Co-Chair in Island Studies and Sustainability at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada (a title held in partnership with the University of Malta).

Baldacchino is former Director of the Centre for Labour Studies at the University of Malta and is chairman of its board.^[4] With Alexander Gatt, Baldacchino founded the Students Astronomical Circle (SAC) in 1978. In 1984, he was elected as the first President of The Malta Astronomical Society which resulted from the merger of the SAC and the Astronomical Association of Malta.^[5] He was inscribed as Honorary Life Member of the Malta Astronomical Society in 2015.

Career

Baldacchino is founding Vice-President of the University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA) and was elected as member of the Council of the University of Malta for the period 2001–2003. As Chair of the Malta Board of Cooperatives (1998–2003),^[6] Baldacchino presided over a doubling of registered cooperative societies.

Baldacchino served as Canada Research Chair (Island Studies) at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada, from 2003 to 2013.^[7]

Baldacchino has provided consultancy to the Malta Prime Minister and various other Ministers on several topics: the self-management system at Malta Drydocks,^[8] the Student Stipend Scheme,^[9] the workings of the Malta Employment and Training Corporation, a code of practice for worker-directors, and the Planning Council's plans for the South of Malta.

Baldacchino was elected President of the International Small Islands Studies Association in 2014 and Chair of the Scientific Board of RETI, the Network of Island Universities, in 2015. He created the Island Studies Journal, which he edited from 2006 to 2017, and Small States & Territories, an online open access journal, in 2018.

With Elaine Stratford and Elizabeth McMahon, he is Editor of the Rethinking the Island book series with Rowman and Littlefield International.^[10]

In 2021, Baldacchino was appointed Malta's first (thematic) ambassador for islands and small states.^[11]

Publications

Books

• (with contributors) Solution Protocols to Festering Island Disputes: 'Win-Win' Solutions for the Diaoyu / Senkaku Islands, London: Routledge (2017), 230pp
• Introducing Social Studies: A Maltese Reader 3rd edition. Malta: Miller Distributors, 2011.(previous editions: 1988, 2000)., 399pp
• Ninvestigaw is-Socjeta, (Investigating Society). 3rd edition. Malta: Miller Distributors, 2011 (previous editions: 1997, 1999). .
• Island Enclaves: Offshoring Strategies, Creative Governance and Subnational Island Jurisdictions. Montreal QC: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010. (cloth); 978-0-7735-3743-9(paper), 301pp.
• Global Tourism & Informal Labour Relations: The Small Scale Syndrome at Work. London: Mansell, 1997. .

Books edited

• (with Kelly Vodden and Ryan Gibson). Place Peripheral: Place-Based Development in Rural, Island and Remote Regions. St John's NL: ISER Press, 2015. 340pp. .
• Archipelago Tourism: Policies and Practices. Farnham: Ashgate, 2015. . 248pp.
• The Political Economy of Divided Islands: Unified Geographies, Multiple Polities. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013,, 256pp
• (with Eve Hepburn) Independence Movements in Subnational Island Jurisdictions.London: Routledge, 2013. .
• (with Anna Baldacchino) A Taste of Islands: 60 Recipes and Stories from our World of Islands. Charlottetown PE: Island Studies Press, 2012., 264pp.^[12]
• Island Songs: A Global Repertoire. Lanham MD: Scarecrow Press, 2011,, 297pp.
• Extreme Heritage Management: Policies and Practices from Densely Populated Islands. New York & Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2012., 274pp.
• (with Daniel Niles) Island Futures: Conservation and Development across the Asia-Pacific Region. Tokyo, Japan: Springer, 2011., 182pp.
• (with Rob Greenwood and Lawrence Felt) Remote Control: Governance Lessons for and from Small, Insular and Remote Regions. St John's NL: ISER Press, 2009,, 309pp.
• (with David Milne) The Case for Non-Sovereignty: Lessons from Sub-National Island Jurisdictions. London: Routledge. 2008,, 176pp.
• (with Kathleen Stuart) Pulling Strings: Policy Insights for Prince Edward Island from other Sub-National Island Jurisdictions. Charlottetown, PEI, Island Studies Press, 2008,, 198pp. Book Launch video here:^[13]
• Bridging Islands: The Impact of Fixed Links. Charlottetown, Canada: Acorn Press, 2007,, 284pp.
• A World of Islands: An Island Studies Reader. Canada and Malta: Institute of Island Studies & Agenda Academic. 2007., 640pp.
• Extreme Tourism: Lessons from the World's Cold Water Islands. Oxford: Elsevier Science, 2006., 291pp.
• (with Antoinette Caruana and Mario Grixti) Managing People in Malta: Case Studies in Local Human Resource Management Practice. Malta: Agenda Publishers and Foundation for Human Resources Development, 2003.
• (with Charles J. Farrugia) Educational Management and Planning in Small States: Concepts and Experiences. London: Commonwealth Secretariat, 2002., 305pp.
• (with David Milne): Lessons from the Political Economy of Small Islands: The Resourcefulness of Jurisdiction. Basingstoke and New York: Macmillan and St Martin's Press, 2000., 267pp.
• (with Robert Greenwood) Competing Strategies of Socio-Economic Development for Small Islands. Charlottetown, Canada: Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, 1998.
• (with Peter Mayo) Beyond Schooling: Adult Education in Malta. Msida, Malta: Mireva, 1997.
• (with Klitos Symeonides) Cyprus and Malta on the Threshold of the European Union: Challenges to Workers and Trade Unions. Nicosia, Cyprus: Government Press, 1996.
• (with Saviour Rizzo and Edward L. Zammit) Co-operative Ways of Working. Msida, Malta: Workers` Participation Development Centre & Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 1994.
• (with Ronald G. Sultana) Maltese Society: A Sociological Inquiry. Msida, Malta: Mireva, 1994. .

External links

• • • • Profile on OAR@UM

Notes and References

1. Web site: Challenging times for GWU . Timesofmalta.com . 2016-01-07.
2. Web site: A decade-long voyage for UPEI's Canada Research Chair in Island Studies, Dr. Godfrey Baldacchino | Marketing and Communications | UPEI . Upei.ca . 2013-06-28 . 2016-01-07.
3. Web site: James E. Randall's Google Scholar Profile . 2018-08-23.
4. Web site: Board Members - Centre for Labour Studies - University of Malta . Um.edu.mt . 2015-10-19 . 2016-01-07.
5. Web site: Astronomy Week activities from Sunday . Timesofmalta.com . 2016-01-07.
6. Web site: The Co-operatives Board . Economy.gov.mt . 2016-01-07.
7. Web site: A decade-long voyage for UPEI's Canada Research Chair in Island Studies, Dr. Godfrey Baldacchino . 2013-06-28 . 2017-04-02.
8. Web site: Department of Information . Doi-archived.gov.mt . 2004-06-14 . 2016-01-07.
9. Web site: Reflections post Chalmers report . Timesofmalta.com . 2016-01-07.
10. Web site: Series edited by Elaine Stratford, Godfrey Baldacchino and Elizabeth McMahon.
11. Web site: Three 'thematic' ambassadors appointed .
12. Web site: A Taste of Islands | Island Studies Press . Projects.upei.ca . 2016-01-07.
13. Web site: 'Pulling Strings' Book Launch at Province House . YouTube . 2016-01-07.