Negotiating active citizenship in a deprived multi-ethnic neighborhood

Abstract

During the 70s and 80s, Italy shifted from being a traditional country of emigration to a country of immigration, and ever since the reification of immigrants into problematic categories regarding culture, race and gender is omnipresent within public discourse, politics and media. This research explores the Italian multiculturalism by revealing the elementary everyday inclusionary and exclusionary practices by which the residents of the various ethnic groups within a deprived urban area negotiate their representations of active citizenship. In contrast to prior studies, it combines social science insights about social cohesion, safety and interethnic relations in multi-ethnic neighborhoods with the practical outcomes regarding active citizenship that such insights imply. I argue that ‘active citizenship’ primarily contains the negotiation of equal labor market opportunities, participation in daily neighborhood activities and the dispose of a diverse, inter-ethnic social network. Though, competition caused by the financial crisis sharpens ethnic boundaries and makes labor market participation virtually impossible for the social deprived residents who don’t have the connections needed within ‘the corrupt Italian system’. Besides, deeply rooted perceptions on the incapacity of people belonging to other ethnic groups hampers the construction of interethnic relations, which is problematic because interaction between these relations, language improvement and subjective safety causes a virtuous cycle improving active citizenship. The fact the ‘passive’ government doesn’t take responsibility to create a well-functioning welfare system causes people to make a living in criminal ways or by finding creative alternatives in active collaboration with the voluntary sector. Since communist spheres dominated Bologna during the70s, a sense of solidarity and responsibility still finds big support, improving the quality of life in a deprived neighborhood considerably. Civil society is way ahead of the Dutch, hence I recommend future research on how to follow the Bolognese example, especially seen current cuttings on social policies.