Talk by Sandra Mifsud Bonnici – The ‘Wonder Women’ of the Baroque Age

Din l-Art Ħelwa in collaboration with the International Institute for Baroque Studies,  University of Malta presents a public talk entitled “THE ‘WONDER WOMEN’ OF THE BAROQUE AGE”, by Sandra Mifsud Bonnici

Women in eighteenth century Malta do not seem to have been much different from their European counterparts. The majority were under the control of their men; husbands, brothers, fathers or even sons. With the limited sources available to us, women are usually described in stereotypes such as married women, nuns, witches and prostitutes. This talk will present the difficulties encountered in women’s studies and how new information about them was tapped using an innovative methodology. It will go on to show that a substantial number of ‘wonder women’ managed to overcome great difficulties brought about by the many restrictions imposed on them by law and society to take an active role in the economy.

Sandra Mifsud Bonnici is a Senior Lecturer in Systems of Knowledge at the Junior College, University of Malta and also a Visiting Lecturer at the

Department of Pharmacy, in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, at the same University. She obtained a B.Pharm (Hons) in Pharmacy in 1986 and BA Socio-legal Studies in 1990. Recently her ever-growing thirst for knowledge led her to read for the Master of Arts in Baroque Studies offered by the International Institute of Baroque Studies at the University of Malta, where she graduated in November 2015 with her dissertation entitled ‘Women in Eighteenth Century Malta, Legal and Social Aspects’, presently her main focus of interest.

Ms Mifsud Bonnici’s wide-ranging qualifications and background has given her an inter-disciplinary outlook reflected in her writing and lecturing.