8. Immigration in Europe and Italy: Different Perspectives, Shared Challenges?

The attraction of Europe as a destination for immigrants has been increasing constantly over the last decades. The existence of established trans-Mediterranean networks form the basis of Arab immigration, originating mainly in the Maghreb but recently also in the Masherq. Throughout the EU, irregular entries have been increasing and a system of clandestine immigration and irregular stays has emerged ever since restrictive policies of European countries took effect. A framework is provided on European migration policy as well as the asylum, migration and integration fund (AMIF) and, beyond the definition of a common European Asylum System, the strategies adopted to support legal migration to EU States in line with the needs of the labour market are analyzed and interpreted with reference to the construction of an identity which is based on multiple belongings and transnational trajectories. From this macroanalysis the focus shifts towards the case study of Italy which is often the first point of arrival in Europe and is considered a key player in the Mediterranean region, having traditionally held a role as bridge or transit country as a result of the central geographic position of its southern shores in the Mediterranean. Following an overview of Italy’s traditional Mediterranean policy and Italian immigration history, the political agenda of the alternating left- and right-wing governments and their diverse focus on immigration policies is outlined. Moreover, the presence of Islam and, hence, the massive influx of immigrants of Muslim faith is analyzed in the light of the identity construction of the countries’ Muslim population. An analysis of the “Italian integration model(s)” with reference to the immigration policies and regional differences is provided. The essence of this chapter sheds light on the fact that in Italy, and in many other European countries, many different laws have dealt with immigration, but practically none with the cultural or religious impact of the presence of an immigrant population and their original cultural reference system. The mosaic of languages, cultures, religions and ethnic groups constituting the so-called immigration population is discussed with reference to points of origin.