An ethnographic study of unaccompanied foreign minors in Italy: between identity, relationships, and everyday resistance practices

In recent years in Italy, the issues related to unaccompanied foreign minors have emerged in the public debate, especially their reception and integration process in the country. Based on an ethnographic study conducted at a residential reception community of minors in the city of Padua, this research identifies and analyses some of the practices adopted by foreign unaccompanied minors to cope with their situation. Through the concept of resistance and using the qualitative research methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews to operators, volunteers and adolescents. Three main dimensions are explored: (1) identity and self-determination; (2) relation with the group of peers, operators, and volunteers; (3) time, motivations and expectations. Studying unaccompanied foreign minors’ everyday resistance practices can shed light on the positive and negative practices of the Italian reception system.