Dai modelli alla pratiche di integrazione degli immigrati : convergenza o divergenza?

From models to practices of immigrants’ integration. Convergence or divergence?
Research on immigrants integration has been traditionally dominated by the debate over national citizenship models. Yet, recent studies have pointed out the relevance of local policies in providing crucial resources for immigrants integration in the host society. A growing body of literature on city policies is emerging, according to which local administrations are usually more prone to accommodate diversity in a pragmatic way. Thus cities represent favourable contexts for the developing of forms of soft multiculturalism. The article discusses this thesis from a critical point of view. Actually, evidence provided by the literature is contradictory, since local governments have also to face with non positive attitudes towards foreigners in their local electorate. Research studies on Italian cities show different patterns of integration policy, characterised by various degrees of openness/closure towards immigrants. A certain convergence is actually produced at the level of everyday practices, since civil servants and third sector organisations have to cope with ordinary problems of service delivery to a culturally diverse clientele.