La partecipazione civica dei migranti: lo scenario europeo

This study aims to analyse the issue of civic and political participation of immigrants and of citizens of foreign origin in 25 Member States of the European Union. Active civic participation is defined as continuously investing time and energy to organise solidarity or give a voice to societal concerns in the receiving society. The first part of this study is based on a comparative analysis of types of civic participation of immigrants in 25 Member States in the European Union. The following section focuses on the description of some institutional factors that impede or facilitate civic participation of immigrants. Last but not least, this study presents results of a research, based on 170 interviews with immigrants involved in civic activities, to explore their motives to get involved in civic and political activities, and eventual obstacles as well as the factors that may help them to overcome these difficulties. Among the factors that help immigrants to get involved in civic activi

Obiettivo principale di questo studio è di analizzare la questione della partecipazione civica e politica degli immigrati di prima generazione e dei cittadini di origine straniera nei 25 Paesi dell'Unione europea. La partecipazione civica può essere definita come un significativo investimento del tempo e dell'energia per promuove la solidarietà e comportamento pro-sociale, e per risolvere varie questioni sociali (Vogel e Triandafyllidou (2006). La prima parte di questo studio si basa su un'analisi comparativa delle forme di partecipazione civica dei migranti nei 25 Stati Membri dell'Unione Europea. In seguito, sono descritti alcuni fattori istituzionali che ostacolano o agevolano la partecipazione civica degli immigrati. Infine, sono presentati i risultati di una ricerca, basata su circa 170 interviste con gli immigrati coinvolti nelle attività civiche, per individuare le dinamiche motivazionali sottostanti l’impegno politico e civico di immigrati di prima generazione, gli eventuali ostacoli e i fattori che aiutano gli immigrati a superarli. Come fattori positivi i quali inducono alla partecipazione civica e aiutano a superare gli ostacoli, gli intervistati riportano alcune caratteristiche socio-demografiche (e.g., alto livello di educazione, la conoscenza linguistica), ma soprattutto alcune caratteristiche psicologiche riguardanti la personalità (e.g., auto-stima, perseveranza). Abstract This study aims to analyse the issue of civic and political participation of immigrants and of citizens of foreign origin in 25 Member States of the European Union. Active civic participation is defined as continuously investing time and energy to organise solidarity or give a voice to societal concerns in the receiving society (Vogel & Triandafyllidou, 2006). First part of this study is based on a comparative analysis of types of civic participation of immigrants in 25 Member States in the European Union. Following section is focused on description of some institutional factors that impede or facilitate civic participation of immigrants. Last but not least, this study presents results of a research, based on 170 interviews with immigrants involved in civic activities, to explore their motives to get involved to get involved in civic and political activities, and eventual obstacles as well as the factors that may help them to overcome these difficulties. Among factors that help immigrants to get involved in civic activities and help them to overcome eventual difficulties, interviewers mentioned some socio-demographic factors (e.g., high level of education, language skills), but above all some personality characteristics (e.g., self-esteem, goal orientation and perseverance).