Chronicles of ordinary racism 2011 - Cronache di ordinario razzismo

The future of citizenship and participation
Filippo Miraglia
In recent years, the topic of citizenship has undergone, in public debate, a shift that we
could describe as politically determined, in other words closely linked to the way
politics generally tackles the issue of the presence of immigrants in our society.
Instead of defining a space within which to promote the emancipation of individuals
and progressively extend the civil rights to all, citizenship has gradually come to
identify the demarcation line that defines us by excluding others. In other words, we
are used to speaking of citizenship as the field that marks the distance between “us”
and “them”. A “them” that, according to the situation, is represented by foreigners,
minorities, above all Roma and Sinti communities, religious minorities, particularly
Muslims and by any other minority that, not included in the definition of “citizen”, can
help to better define our identity. This interpretation of citizenship finds practical
application in the increasing distance created between people of foreign origin and
Italian citizens. A distance that contravenes Art.3 of our Constitution inasmuch as it
introduces obstacles to the achievement of constitutional equality, rather than
eliminating them.
It is this very principle of equality that has progressively worn away over the past two
decades, starting with the public debate on immigration, which undermines the basis of
our democracy.
Citizenship, more and more frequently interpreted as right of blood and “ethnic
belonging”, becomes a source of discrimination rather than inclusion in the workplace,
in dealings with public administration, in private relationships and, to an even higher
degree, in legislation. This discrimination finds many vindications, many supporters
and, consequently, widespread consent: in order to contrast it, therefore, a succesful
strategy and effective and reasonable methods are needed.
We must begin by trying to reverse the long‐established perspectives of Italian men and
women on immigration, by promoting initiatives aimed at giving a positive slant to the
public debate. In order to achieve this goal, it is first of all necessary to overcome the
constant emergency and instability that plagues the world of immigration. Today,
without a stable set of regulations, healthy relationships and a civil debate, it will not be
easy to alter the negative public portrayal of immigration. For this reason there is a need
for preparatory masures discrediting and dismantling clichés and rhetoric platitudes on
immigration. At the same time, it is important to introduce arguments and devices
aimed at constructing a positive image for immigrants, rebuilding relationships and
links at a grass‐root level and introducing elements that could make structural changes
to public debate, moving the forum in which it takes place.
Today, campaigns and projects to counter racism can help to regain the ground taken
up in recent years by assumptions that criminalize immigrants and promote socially
accepted clichés. This is why there is the need for a broad alliance, including the most
diverse elements of society, who can boast a certain amount of credibility and a direct
relationship with the general public and middle management in each sector of society.
The desired goal is to build or rebuild certain taboos, unbreachable barriers of
civilization that receive wide consensus. Let us, for instance, consider the reaction
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