Policies of integration and reception projects in Padua

Migration phenomena have always been an integral part of the life of European populations and they have served as assisting mechanisms to societies of every historical period. Especially after the WWII, European countries started to experience migration flows from all over the world, with Italy being one of the main receiving countries. Italy, the country that for years has been known for its mass emigration flows (especially in the 19th century), has been rapidly transformed to one of the main recipients of immigrants in Europe during the last decades. The aim of this research is to investigate the current situation of immigration in the city of Padua, located in the northeast of Italy, as a hosting community of immigrants. Important focal points of the research are the reception projects in Padua, their function and results, and the way they are perceived by the immigrants themselves. It is intended to examine the notion of citizenship among immigrants, the coexistence with locals and the general process of integration in the city. Policies and policy makers are another important part of immigration as a social and political process, which has its own internal dynamics; the research aims to present some of the policies adopted in the city of Padua and the services offered, as well as the general effects of migration on cultural phenomena and on destination societies.