This week, I had the privilege of delivering the oration at a graduation ceremony. I addressed a cohort of postgraduate students within the humanities, who successfully completed their studies at the University of Malta. It was a humbling experience to witness the culmination of their hard work and dedication. I'm drawing here from my own oration speech, to dedicate this to all the graduates celebrating their achievement this month.
What a delight to see happy shiny faces lined-up to receive their certificates! This cohort of students, especially those who pursued a doctorate degree, began their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quite an exceptional bunch who witnessed profound alterations not just to the way we learn but also life itself. This period demanded resilience and remarkable adaptability as they transitioned, almost instantaneously, to online learning and research, redefining traditional modes of education.
Whilst we soberly reflect on the challenges encountered during this time, especially for university students, we uncover the intricate relationship between individual lived experiences and broader societal structures and processes. It is here that the value of humanities-informed disciplines becomes evident, as they delve into the complexities of human behaviour and crises responses. For instance, the pandemic illuminated and magnified entrenched social inequalities, prompting critical examination of these disparities. The humanities provide essential tools to understand these lurking inequities, offering insights that are as relevant to shaping our present.
The world is increasingly dominated by loud voices equating personal success with the accumulation of wealth, often in a soulless neoliberal climate. It becomes therefore imperative that we challenge this narrative by embracing a far stronger and more enduring currency: reflexivity. Reflexivity, enables us to critically examine our lives, our society, and the systems that shape them. It calls us to move beyond superficial understandings and grapple with the deeper forces at play in the human experience. In embracing reflexivity, we redefine the metrics of success. We lay the foundation for a society where human flourishing takes precedence over the pursuit of purely financial gain. Reflexivity is a cornerstone for navigating the complexities of contemporary life. It enables us to act with purpose, awareness, and empathy, rather than being driven by habit or unexamined impulse.
We live in times marked by rapid technological advancements, artificial intelligence, and the proliferation of data-driven solutions. There is a growing temptation to prioritize fields that promise immediate, tangible outcomes and rewards. However, amidst this surge of progress, it is essential to pause and reflect: What grounds our decisions? What imbues our actions with meaning? What deepens our understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us? The answer resides in the study of the humanities.
The humanities are not relics of the past. They are essential tools for navigating the present and shaping the future. Studying the humanities is far more than an academic pursuit; it is a deep dive into the essence of what it means to be human. Its etymology derived from the Latin word humanitas, meaning 'human nature'. Spanning literature, philosophy, history, social sciences, the arts, and more, the humanities serve as a mirror, inviting us to examine critically. The Arts, for instance, evoke emotional and intellectual responses, helping us to enrich our sense of self and our connection to the world. The humanities inspire us to approach differences with curiosity rather than judgement, to uncover the historical and sociological foundations of inequality, and to critically analyse the narratives shaping public discourse. These are vital skills in a time where the lines between reality and hyperreality, true and fake, are increasingly blurred.
As a lecturer I often tell my students that Sociology has the power to ruin you-in the most enriching way possible. Once you embrace it, you will never perceive the world through the same eyes again. Sociology is unsettling. It cultivates curiosity, encouraging us to interrogate the taken-for-granted aspects of our everyday lives. It compels us to explore how our shared understandings of the social world are constructed, maintained, and, at times, changed and challenged.
To understand the significance of change, think of university life twenty or so years ago - my own time as an undergraduate student within the Faculty of Arts. The academic journey back then was markedly different, shaped by a reliance on physical resources. We attended lectures in person, took notes by hand, spent hours in libraries combing through shelves of books and saved our assignments on floppy disks rather than clouds. Interaction with peers and professors was primarily face-to-face. Compare this to the student of today, whose education unfolds across virtual platforms, global networks, and a constant stream of digital real information and artificial intelligence.
These generational shifts reflect more than just technological advancement. They speak to broader societal transformations. They reveal how education has transitioned from a structured, linear process to a dynamic, fluid experience. They expose how the expectations placed upon individuals have evolved with an increased diversity of choices as they achieve stronger control in determining their own life. In examining these changes, we situate our life biography within a broader context, in a particular time and place.
This perspective is crucial for understanding the world we live in and for navigating the uncertainties that define our time-whether they stem from the present and post-pandemic reality or from other forms of disruptions. By reflecting on how we have adopted and adapted to change within a single generation, we illuminate the transformative forces shaping our lives as well as uncover the strategies that have enabled resilience and innovation.
I urge graduates, therefore, to cultivate a habit of curiosity, critique processes that perpetuate inequality or promise progress, and engage in meaningful debates challenging the status quo. Let us recognise that a society grounded in reflexivity fosters innovation and compassion, critical awareness and justice. Reflexivity, as a cornerstone of the Humanities, transcends its role as a tool for critical self-awareness, and challenge us to continually evaluate our positions, values, and the systems that frame our understanding of the world.
Dear fresh-faced graduates, never stop questioning.
Prof. Valerie Visanich is an Associate Professor in Sociology