Bolstering Migrant Political Participation through Open Circle Discussions and Advocacy Initiatives in Malta

Mike Opeyemi Omilusi

Abstract


This article examines the potential of advocacy campaigns and open discourse to enhance the political and democratic representation of migrants. It establishes that migrants are valuable members of their host communities who bring diversity, novel perspectives, and lived experiences that are beneficial to the country at large. With specific reference to third-country nationals (TCNs) the article also highlights the challenges faced by migrants in Malta and how these discussions and initiatives can help overcome them. It contends that Malta can reap the benefits of enhanced political stability and a diverse, inclusive society by fostering migrant political engagement and embracing migrants with dignity.  It is therefore, submitted that the Maltese society should create systems where migrants can safely and securely exercise their political rights in order to encourage a sense of belonging in the country and facilitate greater social inclusion and political empowerment.

Keywords


Advocacy; Open discussion; Migrant; Participation; Social inclusion

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aditus foundation. (2022). Project launch: an added focus on migrant-led advocacy. Retrieved from https://aditus.org.mt/project-launch-an-added-focus-on-migrant-led-advocacy/

Almond, G. A., & Verba, S. (1965). The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations, An Analytic Study (Later Printing ed.). Boston: Little, Brown & Company.

Arrighi, J-Th., Bauböck, R., Collyer, M., Hutcheson, D., Moraru, M., Khadar, L., & Shaw, J. (2013). Franchise and electoral participation of third country citizens residing the European Union and of EU citizens residing in third countries (Study 474.411) [PDF file]. Brussels: European Parliament/Directorate General for Internal Policies. Retrieved from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/474441/IPOL-AFCO_ET%282013%29474441_EN.pdf

Badran, M., & Stoker, T. (2019). Migrant-Led Advocacy Across Europe Challenges and Opportunities. Retrieved from https://www.epim.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Migrant-led-advocacy-across-Europe-Report.pdf

Bartiromo, M. (2021). Aspetti Temporali Della Partecipazione Politica in Italia. Acqui Terme: Impressioni Grafiche.

Bartiromo, M., & Ivaldi, E. (2021). Political Participation in the Risk Society: The Italian Case. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 14(9), 435. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm140904

Bertelli, D. (2019). How do migrants participate politically within restrictive contexts? Citizenship, belonging and participation Italy. Peace Research Institute Oslo. Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Bertelli%2C%20Davide%20-%20How%20Do%20Migrants%20Participate%20Politically%20within%20Restrictive%20Contexts%2C%20PRIO%20Policy%20Brief%2015-2019.pdf

Calise, M., Lowi, T. J., & Musella, F. (2016). Concetti chiave. Capire la Scienza politica. Il Mulino.

Caragiuli, A., & Stenius, V. (2014). The political participation of third country nationals: The Italian case. Retrieved from https://www.cjd-nord.de/fileadmin/assets/nord/Downloads/Migration_Forschung_Beratung/Downloads/Country_Reports/DIVPOL_Final_Report_IT.pdf

Clark, C., Harrison, B., Miller, V., Pettit, J., & VeneKlasen L. (2002). Overview – making change happen: advocacy and citizen participation. PLA Notes, 43, 4–8.

Cotta, M. (1979). IL Concetto di partecipazione politica: Linee di un inquadramento teorico. Italian Political Science Review/Rivista Italiana Di Scienza Politica, 9, 193–227.

Debono, J. (2018, December 12). Voting rights for migrant workers: No taxation without representation? Malta Today.

Entzinger, H. (1999). Immigrants’ political and social participation in the integration process. In Political and Social Participation of Immigrants Through Consultative Bodies. Council of Europe. Retrieved from https://www.coe.int/t/dg3/migration/archives/Documentation/Series_Community_Relations/Participation_public_life_report_en.pdf

European Migrant Advisory Board. (2019). Ask the People. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/inclusion-migrantsand-refugees/ask-people-consultation-report-european-migrant-advisory-board.

Falzon, N. (2022). Political Rights: Turning The Tables. Sustainable Management of Migration Flows. Retrieved from https://humanrights.gov.mt/en/Documents/Political%20Rights%20Publication.pdf

Goksu, F., & Leerkes, A. (2022). Political participation as transformative reactive mobilization: a qualitative study of voter preferences among Turkish origin residents in the Netherlands. Comparative Migration Studies, 10, 47. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-022-00318-9

Groenendijk, K. (2014). Voting Rights for Nationals of Non-EU States. Retrieved from https://www.bpb.de/themen/migration-integration/kurzdossiers/184711/voting-rights-for-nationals-of-non-eu-states/

Harwood, M. (2014). Malta in the European Union. UK: Palgrave.

Ivaldi, E., Bonatti, G., & Soliani, R. (2016). An Indicator for the Measurement of Political. Italy: Springer.

Kaldur, K. (2011). Political Participation of Third Country Nationals on National and Local Level in 3 EU Countries. Retrieved from https://www.ibs.ee/en/projects/political-participation-of-third-country-nationals-on-national-and-local-level-in-3-eu-countries/

Milbrath, L. W. (1977). Political Participation: How and Why Do People get Involved in Politics? (2nd ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally College Pub. Co.

OSCE/ODIHR. (2017). Migrant political participation: a review of policies and integration results in the OSCE region. Retrieved from https://www.osce.org/odihr

Rafał Mańko; Graphic: Samy Chahri (2023). At a Glance: European elections 2024. European Parliamentary Research Service. Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2023/749767/EPRS_ATA(2023)749767_EN.pdf

Raniolo, F. (2007). La partecipazione politica (Vol. 1, pp. 5-291). Il Mulino.

Rosenstone, S. J., & Hansen, J. M. (1993). Mobilization, Participation, and Democracy in America. New York: Macmillan.

Salisbury, R. H. (1975). Research on Political Participation. American Journal of Political Science, 19(2), 323–341.

United Nations Development Programme. (2018). What Does It Mean to Leave No One Behind? A UNDP discussion paper and framework for implementation.

VeneKlasen, L., & Miller, V. (2002). The advocacy debate: changing policy, changing people. PLA Notes, 43, 13.

Verba, S., Schlozman, K. L., & Brady, H. E. (1995). Voice and Equality: Civic Voluntarism in American Politics (Abridged ed.). Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Walzer, M. (1997). On Toleration. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Wieviorka, M. (Ed.). (1996). Une société fragmentée? Le multiculturalisme en débat. Paris: La Découverte.

Zammit, G. V. (2018). Malta: The Political Situation. Retrieved from https://www.iemed.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MaltaThe-Political-Situation.pdf




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/13184

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Canadian Social Science

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Reminder

  • How to do online submission to another Journal?
  • If you have already registered in Journal A, then how can you submit another article to Journal B? It takes two steps to make it happen:

1. Register yourself in Journal B as an Author

  • Find the journal you want to submit to in CATEGORIES, click on “VIEW JOURNAL”, “Online Submissions”, “GO TO LOGIN” and “Edit My Profile”. Check “Author” on the “Edit Profile” page, then “Save”.

2. Submission

Online Submission: http://cscanada.org/index.php/css/submission/wizard

  • Go to “User Home”, and click on “Author” under the name of Journal B. You may start a New Submission by clicking on “CLICK HERE”.
  • We only use four mailboxes as follows to deal with issues about paper acceptance, payment and submission of electronic versions of our journals to databases: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

 Articles published in Canadian Social Science are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).

 

Canadian Social Science Editorial Office

Address: 1020 Bouvier Street, Suite 400, Quebec City, Quebec, G2K 0K9, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138 
Website: Http://www.cscanada.net; Http://www.cscanada.org 
E-mail:[email protected]; [email protected]

Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture