BRIDGING THE HOST SOCIETY AND THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY: A CASE OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF PADUA,VENETO, ITALY.

ABSTRACT. The research focuses on the relations between the host society and immigrant community in the municipality of Padua, in the Veneto Region (Italy). It adopts a single-case study research design that enables the researcher to obtain a thorough comprehension of the intricate processes and interactions at play at the local level. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for the study which enabled the researcher to select participants based on pertinent criteria. Four commissioners were selected and interviewed as key informants while 8 members representing the Nigerian immigrant community in the study area were selected because the Nigerians in Padua come from different backgrounds, age groups, ethnicities, and religious affiliations. Two semi-structured interview guides tagged “Foreigners Representatives Semi-structured Interview Guide” and “Nigerian Immigrants Semi structured Interview Guide” were used for data collection. The data collected were reinforced with analysis of documents retrieved from the Commission. The researcher adopted the thematic analysis technique, a method of qualitative data analysis that focuses on identifying and interpreting patterns or themes within the data. The findings contribute to observing and to describing how integration efforts are dealing with the representation and participation of immigrant communities. The study discusses to what extent the local municipal integration strategy - involving a Municipal Commission representing citizens with a foreign nationality - helps immigrants to address the challenges relating to education and housing.