Cultural Diversity in Italy

The course introduces students to the different practices and experiences of cultural diversity and its challenges in contemporary Italy. The course will analyze the transition of Italy from a country of emigration to a country of both emigration and immigration. The first half of the course provides students with an overview of the history of migrations from, within and to Italy and the responses which have emerged in legislation, political discourses and organizations, civil society and a variety of media, highlighting both racist and anti‐racist reactions. The second half examines the experiences of various minority groups in Italy and of the second generations, emphasizing, where possible, their own descriptions of life in present‐day Italy.