Italian Refugee Integration Program: Policy reform and institutional discrimination, 2018-2022

Abstract

Numbers of refugees in Italy have swelled dramatically over the past two decades, rendering that country paradigmatic for global responses to asylum. Italian policy allows individual municipalities to institute integration programmes encompassing the social, civil, and economic domains. While the general processes of refugee integration have received scholarly attention, specific aspects continue to require further examination. In particular, this study focuses on ongoing barriers and obstacles despite the existence of policies that encourage full integration. The study seeks insight into the effects of policy changes and institutional dynamics on the integration process, focusing specifically on the period from 2018 to 2022, and how operators have adjusted to the changes. The analysis encompasses both the legal and administrative aspects of the integration system, as well as any potential instances of discriminatory acts in its implementation outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers.