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"The Maltese have never been anywhere close to a pure race," says sociologist Godfrey Bal- dacchino. "Just look at our myr- iad surnames and you get the idea." Yet in recent weeks, both the finance minister and the arch- bishop have warned of nothing less than the "extinction of the Maltese". The alarm bells may sound dramatic, but to scien- tists and sociologists, they ring hollow. Joseph Borg, a geneticist, thinks the very idea of "ethnic extinction" is based on a mis- understanding. "The 'Maltese' have always been dynamic," he explains. Borg says the Maltese have been shaped by Sicily, It- aly, North Africa, the Mediter- ranean. It's a history of mixing, not of purity. So why are national leaders invoking doomsday language about a vanishing people? And what does it really mean to be Maltese in the 21st century? Why 'low fertility' isn't the end The "ethnic extinction" warn- ings have been used to frame the low fertility problem, which Borg agrees is a real concern. "But ethnic extinction is an exaggeration for two reasons: identities evolve rather than vanish, and population size and composition in Malta are now strongly shaped by migration, policy and economics, not just births to Maltese nationals." Borg also points out that low fertility does not really erase identity either. Identity is repro- duced culturally and it adapts with newcomers. "I think we are witnessing evolution in real time of our identity." Baldacchino agrees that the 'Maltese race' will not go extinct but rather continue to morph and evolve, absorbing immi- grants who then contribute to transform languages, practices and customs. "Could this mean, say, that the Maltese language will not be as frequently spo- ken? Yes, it could. What actu- ally happens also depends on how much we practice, and how badly we wish to 'protect', the language." Regardless, ethnic 'mixing' would probably be beneficial for the Maltese, at least from a public-health genetics perspec- tive. "Malta isn't a genetic mono- culture," Borg said. "The mod- ern gene pool already reflects centuries of admixture but continued mobility, migration, out-marriage and fair integra- tion are perfectly consistent with both good health out- comes and Maltese identity." The politics of panic So why is the finance minis- ter and archbishop suddenly panicking about low fertili- ty? Baldaccino suggests that it comes down to immigration. "We have a love-hate relation- ship with the issue: we recog- nise how much we depend on migrant workers to tend to our aging parents, drive us to the airport or deliver our sushi. But we are also fully conscious of how the deluge of the same for- eign workers is threatening the country's infrastructure, adding to an already heavy population density," he says. As a result, political and eccle- siastical leaders feel that they must speak about immigration but never against it. "The soft target, rather, is 'Maltese' wom- en (and men), who are not hav- ing enough babies." Baldacchino says it is always convenient for those in pow- er to peddle a nationalist dis- course "Shock and awe narratives— such as proclaiming the end of the Maltese race—are especial- ly catchy, resonating with the dogmatic preaching's from the pulpit during Sunday Mass." But when asked whether this represents a shift towards na- tionalism, Baldacchino dis- misses the idea outright. "The Maltese have no idea of nation- hood." In a 2002 paper, Baldacchino described Malta as a 'nationless state' with no collective state of mind among its people. Over 20 years later, Baldacchino still be- lieves this to be the case. "Malta as a nation state re- mains a rhetorical aspiration and a mass delusion. The most powerful social movement in contemporary Malta is the La- bour Party: the 'one nation' identity being assiduously culti- vated is that of a single hegem- onic political party with a token and weak opposition." For scientists like Borg, the numbers point to a demograph- ic challenge, not an existential crisis. For sociologists like Bal- dacchino, the "extinction" talk reflects politics and anxiety about immigration more than genetics or culture. Both agree on one point: Mal- ta's identity has never been fixed, and it won't disappear now. NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt 14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 OCTOBER 2025 NEWS 'Ethnic extinction' is a far-fetched exaggeration. Here's why A scientist and sociologist explain why 'ethnic extinction' isn't a real concern