Before coming to Rome, I had no idea what to expect. The only images I’d had of Italians were what I’d seen on TV or on other forms of media. A few friends had been to Rome before and told me of their experiences, but all my ideas were based off the experiences and ideas of others. After arriving in Rome and spending a few weeks here I’ve come to realize that Italian identity is more than meets the eye. I had always believed that Italy held a unified group of people. But from our class readings and lectures I’ve discovered how divided Italy is between the north and the south.
It wasn’t until I was in Rome that I learned what a “young” country Italy was, having only being formed during the 1800’s. I’ve always been under the impression that it was a country as old as England or France. The creation of Italy was comprised of many different nations coming and being unified together. This unification led to the division between the north and south. According to our class readings, the divide occurred because of the difference between northern and southern Italy. In the north, it is more industrialized than the south. The north feels that it is more developed. Class lectures also addressed the issue of the north and south, describing the south as “a mix of regions and mismanaged corruption of the Bourbon government” before the unification of Italy. After the unification, the northern Italians took advantage of southern Italians, they viewed them as barbarian and the southerners were often treated as Africans Americans were in the US. Today, the Southern Question exists which inquires as to why the South is so different from the North. This divide between northern and southern Italy has made the identity of Italy one of division.
Immigrants have also played a role in the dived between northern and southern Italy and the idea of Italian identity one of division. After many southern Italians moved north during the economic boom, immigrants from all over started moving in, taking over many of the lower level jobs. Once the economic boom ended and the southern Italians who had moved north returned to the south, they found that their prior jobs had been taken over by immigrants. This then caused a rift between Italians and immigrants. Northerners had always looked down on Southerners, but with the increase of immigrants in the south, a new identity for the south was created perpetuating the division. The image of the immigrant now represented the south. For many southern Italians, and Italians in general, immigrants from other places are viewed as “others”. This idea has left many immigrants unincorporated into Italian society and looked down upon.
Today, steps are being taking to change how immigrants in Italy are being treated. Italian identity is also seen as transforming. One of the guest speakers we had come was G2, an organization based on raising awareness for second-generation immigrants. The main focus of the group is to take steps in changing the immigrations laws currently in place. For many immigrants gaining citizenship in Italy is a challenge. There are many regulations and restrictions that prevent them from gaining citizenship. Unlike the US, which practices jus solis, where one becomes a citizen at birth, Italy’s laws practice jus sanguinis, where only those whose parents are citizens are grated citizenship at birth. This means that many immigrants are often left without citizenship or become illegal aliens. For immigrants working in Italy, special work and living permits are needed in order for them to stay extended amounts of time. Recently laws were passed that only permitted immigrants to come and work in Italy if they already had jobs lined up. According to the speakers from G2, there are certain jobs that only Italian citizens are allowed to perform, such as public service jobs. The immigration laws in Italy had consistently made it difficult for those not of Italian decent to live and work here. It appears that many Italians continue to believe that immigrants are the “other” and want it to stay that way, yet the efforts of groups like G2 are stirring up change.
Another issue that Italians are facing is the identity of the Roma people. Roma exist all over Europe, but for Italy, many they are residing in the south. Originating from India and migrating since the 1300’s, the Roma are struggling to erase their common image. Many people refer to them as gypsies. This stereotype is often accompanied by the idea that they steal to survive and are a nomadic people, never being able to stay in one spot. Both of the guest speakers we had who addressed this topic, Isabella Clough and Mirela Pribac, emphasized the need to face stereotyping and look beyond what the Roma people appear to be. For southern Italians, the Roma people distort the image of the south and are consistently left out of the protection of the law.
To pinpoint what Italian identity is, is like holding the wind. To label an entire nation made up of millions of people, each who have overcome individual obstacles, is hard to do without leaving others out, but division and transformation are two emerging themes. The divide between north and south has made itself apparent and a central issue in Italy. Also Italy is made up of such a variety of people and the history of Italy makes it that much more complicated. Each day new immigrants are arriving while Italians are migrating; the changing of people combined with the already existing division between the north and south makes division and transformation two aspects of Italian identity. As people are entering and leaving Italy, they are transforming the culture. Organizations like G2, professors like Isabella Clough, and artists like Mirela Pribac are contributing to the change that is occurring in Italy today. The movements of these people to make the smaller groups heard is transforming what Italy is familiar with and into a new society. The change is happening now.
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