![]() To fill this gap, the present study drew on the Transconceptual Model of Empowerment and Resilience (Brodsky & Cattaneo, American Journal of Community Psychology, 52, 333–346, 2013) to explore how resilience and empowerment sustained a group of young immigrants living in Italy during the acculturation processes. While research frequently points to immigrants’ resilience and, to a lesser extent, their empowerment, these processes are rarely examined together, particularly when referring to the experiences of immigrant youth who face specific challenges. This is why they prefer not to recognize their double belonging. Society, politics and their family seem to refuse the changes that being a second generation immigrant represents. In Italy, ethnic discrimination against visible minorities, significantly diverse in terms of nationality, narrowing labour market opportunities and the restrictive law about citizenship make the situation of these Italian-born youth more difficult. The Italian citizenship law impedes their belongingness. The Pakistani culture seems to have fostered stronger resistance to the development of a double belonging. Their sense of belonging is multifaceted with feelings of ambivalence. ![]() Their words underlined the complexity of their identity: “I am Italian although I am not Italian”. The main research questions were: According to you, what is the meaning of the word ‘belonging’? What do you feel you belong to? Do you have any difficulties in your state of belonging? These young adults referred to themselves by saying “I am Italian and.”. The inquiry paradigm used is ecological in nature, and phenomenology is the theoretical and methodological frame in which the data was analysed. The source of qualitative data were 10 conversational interviews with 10 young adults with immigrant parents, aged between 18 to 22 years, born and raised in Italy. ![]() This study tries to discover what roles a sense of belonging plays for these Italian-born youth and their process of identity-building. For the first time, Italian- born youth of immigrant descent are becoming adults. ![]() As the literature attests, a sense of belonging to their society plays an important role in this integration process. Nevertheless, their socio-cultural, economic and political integration is not at all an easy process. As international research has shown, the emancipation and integration of the second generation represents the path to a successful multicultural society. ![]()
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