Last semester I attended an interesting course called “Geografia della popolazione” and one of the most interesting subject it was based on was ‘immigration in Italy’. Therefore, thanks to this course I think I have a good knowledge of this issue.
First of all, immigration is still a relatively new phenomenon for Italy (it received the largest flows of immigration during the 1980’s) because it’s a country that in the past had seen mostly emigration.
The current situation regarding immigration is rather difficult to handle, especially illegal immigration… Italy attracts an illegal immigration which is greater than that of other countries not only due to its frontier, which is quite extensive with respect to its total surface area, but also – and primarily – because of its large underground economy. The singular expansion of the sector of domestic and personal services and the diffusion of small business facilitate the growth of an illegal workforce.
Moreover, government policy has never been effective: Italy doesn’t have any proper legislation for immigrants, refugees or asylum-seekers. The Turco-Napolitano Act (1998) and the Bossi-Fini Act (2002) have been the most important attempts to face the problem but not only they were not able to solve the situation but also they have encouraged illegal flows, given that more effort has been given to legalising foreigners already present in Italy, than in encouraging legal flows.
Unfortunately, the situation is not helped by the information provided by the mass-media that often point out only the negative aspects of immigration: all immigrants are criminal; they want to steal everything they can… The result is a great discrimination towards all of them, especially if Albanian and Rumanian.
And what about the legal part of immigrants? I think that they are not protected as they should be: they pay taxes contributing to progress of our country but they don’t have the same rights of Italian citizens.
As I said in my reflection on intercultural competence, there is a current increasing need to be able to deal effectively and appropriately with diversity, whether ethnic, racial, religious, or cultural.
Finally, I really hope that the new government will be able to choose the right options for the eradication of this problem.
First of all, immigration is still a relatively new phenomenon for Italy (it received the largest flows of immigration during the 1980’s) because it’s a country that in the past had seen mostly emigration.
The current situation regarding immigration is rather difficult to handle, especially illegal immigration… Italy attracts an illegal immigration which is greater than that of other countries not only due to its frontier, which is quite extensive with respect to its total surface area, but also – and primarily – because of its large underground economy. The singular expansion of the sector of domestic and personal services and the diffusion of small business facilitate the growth of an illegal workforce.
Moreover, government policy has never been effective: Italy doesn’t have any proper legislation for immigrants, refugees or asylum-seekers. The Turco-Napolitano Act (1998) and the Bossi-Fini Act (2002) have been the most important attempts to face the problem but not only they were not able to solve the situation but also they have encouraged illegal flows, given that more effort has been given to legalising foreigners already present in Italy, than in encouraging legal flows.
Unfortunately, the situation is not helped by the information provided by the mass-media that often point out only the negative aspects of immigration: all immigrants are criminal; they want to steal everything they can… The result is a great discrimination towards all of them, especially if Albanian and Rumanian.
And what about the legal part of immigrants? I think that they are not protected as they should be: they pay taxes contributing to progress of our country but they don’t have the same rights of Italian citizens.
As I said in my reflection on intercultural competence, there is a current increasing need to be able to deal effectively and appropriately with diversity, whether ethnic, racial, religious, or cultural.
Finally, I really hope that the new government will be able to choose the right options for the eradication of this problem.
If you want to gather much information you can take a look at CARITAS website.
