Translating Belonging: Intercultural Communication Between Asylum Seekers and Mediators in Italian Institutions

This study explores the experiences of asylum seekers and mediators managing communication across linguistic and cultural boundaries within Italian institutions, including healthcare, legal, and public services. Drawing on semi-structured interviews in Padua, Italy, it examines how migrants adjust their language, behavior, and social strategies to engage with institutions, while showing how mediators act as intercultural guides, bridging language as well as cultural and emotional gaps. Findings reveal that communication is relational and co-created, shaped by trust, power, and institutional structures. Migrants’ efforts to learn Italian, build social networks, and participate in the community support a sense of belonging, while mediators facilitate understanding, provide ethical guidance, and help navigate systemic challenges. The study highlights the importance of human-centered, empathetic approaches to institutional communication, framing integration as a shared process that relies on both individual initiative and supportive systems. Implications include recognizing mediators as professionals, providing intercultural training for institutional staff, offering flexible and culturally responsive language programs, and fostering intercultural attitudes that support meaningful inclusion.