The uses of Italian identity to advance political agendas: harnessing the media to influence the parameters of immigration discourse

The State’s construction of Italian identity during the Diaspora informs the way the Italian population perceives non-Italians as incompatible with certain elements of Italian culture, specifically Catholicism, Whiteness, and ties to the land. The discourse of the Lega Nord has tried to capitalize on recent immigration to advance their own agenda by using the media to promote specific aspects of this Italian identity. Lega Nord discourse, broadcast by the media, was able to influence the parameters of the immigration debate. This was achieved by the media constructing images of migrants as “others within” the Italian nation through differentiating them based on certain fixed and exclusive elements of identity emphasized in the LN’s rhetoric. By stressing certain elements of identity, the LN has created a political discourse that is hostile to migrants, which serves their political agenda in achieving homogeneity and reinforces their stance on Northern autonomy. Italian identity is not absolute and can be reimagined to emphasize components that create a more inclusive discourse