SAHWA Papers. Young Women and Men of Arab Mediterranean Background in Italy

SAHWA Scientific Papers nº. 7

This paper examines the results of qualitative research with young people of Arab Mediterranean background living in Milan, Italy, and their experiences related to the so-called Arab uprisings and their aftermath from a gendered transnational perspective. Drawing on interviews and on the analysis of online sources, the case study explores the form and extent of the transnational engagement of these young people and their views of the uprisings and the current events unfolding in the region. The paper aims at highlighting the different ways these young women and men take part in the social, cultural and political changes in their parents’ homeland. It also explores the impact of these key historical events on young people’s projects and biography, on their political values and behaviours, on the construction of their identity and their sense of belonging. The analysis contributes to the debate on transnationalism, taking the perspective of the so-called “second generation” emerging from international migration.

DOI: doi.org/10.24241/swsp.2017.7.1