UW–Madison’s John Baldacchino has released his 17th book, “Secular Reflections: On a Nation’s Anomaly.” Baldacchino is a professor in the School of Education’s Art Department and an affiliate of the Department of Educational Policy Studies. His work explores art, philosophy, and education, with a particular focus on political theory and cultural critique.

In his latest work, Baldacchino contends that Maltese politics must come to terms with an “anomalous state,” where he claims Malta’s relatively young republic finds itself. Drawing on ideas from Britain, Europe, and America — and especially from Scotland and New York, where much of the volume was written — he shows how Malta’s unusual politics fit into the larger story of its post-colonial history.

Taking advantage, he says, “of the perspective that this geographical distance gives him,” Baldacchino argues that for Malta’s political anomaly to be surpassed, its society needs to find a way out of the “confessional impasse” where the Maltese “seem to refuse to even agree on stating the same principles of fairness and decency which, if they care to look closer, they ultimately hold in common.”

Among scholars offering praise of the book is Professor George Vital Zammit of the University of Malta. Baldacchino, he says, “weaves into the Maltese tapestry of norms and contradictions, morals, and vicissitudes. He spares no punches when needed, makes references regularly, and brings his arguments to life effortlessly.”

Vital Zammit adds: “The reader should find this relatable and enjoyable, as much as it should be self-critical and enlightening. … This remarkable book is a must-read.”