Competing frames of immigrant integration in the EU: geographies of social inclusion in Italian regions

Abstract

After the federal reform of 2001, Italian regions have gained greater autonomy in matters of social policy, including immigrant integration. In this paper. we assess frames of immigrant integration in eight Italian regions, i.e. Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna in the North, Umnbria, Marche and Abruzzi in the Centre, Basilicata and Calabria in the South, against EU equal treatment and mobility rights-based regime. Through a diachronic analysis of the regions' official documents on immigrants'integration approved in the period 2000-2010, we shall consider: 1) the policy priorities identified and the measures funded and 2) the implementation structures. The analysis points out how the frames of immigrants integration emerging at a regional level shape different geographies of social inclusion which are sometimes openly in contradiction with the EU discourse on equal treatment and mobility rights. Immigration is perceived more as an economic asset for local labour markets' unsatisfied demand for low-qualified, flexible, and often informal and knowledge-based European economy

Ethno-cultural diversity and the limits of the inclusive nation

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One (Slender) Tree, Many (Social) Roots: Revisiting Immigrant Associations Through a Case Study on Ecuadorians in Italy

“…In these two cities, each characterized by constraining political contexts and broadly similar immigration patterns (Cinalli & Giugni, 2011), ethnic organizations tend to remain tightly bound and insular. Once again, it should be emphasized that in the Italian case-with minor local variations (Campomori & Caponio, 2013)-several factors militate against the development and the public relevance of immigrant associations. Supply side factors, such as the limited length of stay of most immigrants and their labour market segregation, interact with demand-side structural constraints such as the lack of funds and of institutional support.…”

Integrating Immigrants in Europe

“…Since 2003 the regions have received from the central government a share of the National Social Fund (Fondo sociale nazionale) and are held responsible for its allocation. This institutional reform, combined with the considerable cuts to the NSF taking place since 2005, led most regions to considerably reduce immigrant integration programmes if not simply to cancel them altogether (Campomori and Caponio 2013). The burden was shifted to cities, with the emergence of an extremely fragmented scenario, leading to a de facto erosion of the reasonable integration model.…”