Assignment 2

Assignment 2

 

There are many factors shaping Italian identity, yet, identity is socially constructed and ever-changing and therefore hard to pinpoint. People are shaped by their environment. Here in Italy, the environment is strongly influenced by the church, immigration, northern/southern ties, food, and language.

Before coming to Italy I imagined red and white table cloths on tiny tables with a pizza and a bottle of wine. I knew nothing of immigration disputes or issues between the North and South. I knew of Jersey Shore and even though it sounds crazy, I was not completely sure how true or untrue the behavior of these “Italians” was! I had seen “A Walk in the Clouds” and knew of romantic tuscany and that people who come to Italy fall in love and make wishes in fountains. And when I heard we were going to Naples, I thought 'uh oh! Thats where the Mafia lives!' American media has an affect on nearly every country in the world – applying stereotypes, misinformation, and sometimes even fear. I asked Carlo, from ArciGay, about how Italians feel about shows like 'Jersey Shore' and he said that it is very controversial in Italy and the majority here does not really understand it. 

Immigration is another very strong sociocultural force shaping identity in Rome and Italy. A major player affecting immigration reform is Sivlio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, and is extremely right wing. He refuses to reform immigration policy and as of now, the policy is extremely unjust and I a way, almost makes it ok to discriminate against immigrants/refugees/foreign-born italians/etc. The current laws and requirements of being “Italian,” I feel, are a very strong force shaping Italy identity. In their lecture, the G2 representatives discussed how hard it is to be an immigrant in Italy. Even if you have lived here since you were 3 years old, many do not see you as Italian. One on the men, from Buenos Aires, told us that to this day he still gets comments on how good his Italian is, even though he has live here his entire life.

My eyes were not truly opened to how closed off Italians are to immigration until Isabella came to talk to us about the Roma. The Roma, just like all other immigrants are seen as the “other.” The Roma are from all over Europe; some are born in Italy, some are not, but none of them are seen as real Italians. Because of this and because of their “crazy language,” they have been placed in camps far away from civilization. Will this happen to everyone else who does not speak the language or is socially different than true Italians? 

Italy has a deep, complicated history involving the North and South, ancient Rome and the church. Unlike anything I could ever truly understand (being from America, a fairly new country), Margaret Brucia taught us about the Italians' very deep roots involving Gods, war, and culture. Italians are taught about their ancestors and are expected to keep traditions and language alive. These teachings are very important, but often confuse people into thinking that anything or anyone challenging the church or old Italian traditions by bringing new traditions, religion, or language into Italy – must be stopped immediately. The Vatican is a very physical force in Italy that shapes national identity. In the year 2011 there are many outside influences affecting Italians, primarily Italian youth, that go against the church. Birth control and ArciGay are two examples of such forces. The members of ArciGay talked with us about gay rights in Italy and that there basically are not any. This was shocking. Carlo, from ArciGay, also talked to me about birth control and that some people do use it in Italy but it is very hard to get and severely frowned upon.

Tourism is another factor shaping Italian identity. I have heard from local Italians that Rome is truly Italian and that Rome is not truly Italian. One person I talked to from ArciGay said that Rome is just a tourist town that sells gelato in the winter months and true Italians do not eat gelato when it is cold. But on the other hand, someone else on the same night told me that Rome is one of the best places to find real Italian food. 

Finally, who are the “true Italians?” Well, that depends on who you are asking. According to the government, true Italians are those who are born to Italian parents are have Italian blood running through their veins. If you ask an immigrant who moved here when they were 4 years old, they will say that they are a true Italian. There is not real way to say who is a true Italian and who is not because like America, for example, Italy has become a mecca of immigration and diversity and it is only going to keep growing.