Integration Policies, Practices and Experiences– Italy Country Report

The Italian case is characterised by a considerable delay in the development of a model of integration. Indeed, with a long tradition as a country of emigration, Italy has been culturally less well equipped to face the challenges of a multicultural society. Moreover, the country’s geographical position – which impedes an efficient control of the borders – has incentivised policies to contain the arrivals rather than to promote integration. Against this background, the present report analyses how policy-makers, migrants, public and private institutions and other stakeholders – notwithstanding these difficulties – have interacted in the development of integration policies and, more in general, Italian governance of integration processes. The report is structured as follows. The first section assesses integration policy by looking at the legal, political and institutional framework, also in light of an analysis of the recent developments in the field of integration. The report subsequently explores 5 thematic topics: (i) labour market; (ii) education; (iii) housing and spatial integration; (iv) psychosocial health; (v) citizenship, belonging and civic participation