Article révisé par les pairs
| Résumé : | The aim of this paper is to analyze structural inequalities related to immigrant mobilization in Milan. We particularly focus on opportunities and constraints derived from the political institutional structure and from the organizational context. We draw on the social movement literature, particularly, the political opportunity structure approach (POS) emphasizing the role of citizenship regimes in shaping opportunities of immigrant mobilization and the organizational approach stressing how immigrant organizational affiliations provide resources for their political participation. The empirical study uses data collected through a population survey carried out in Milan from November 2006 to April 2007 to 900 immigrants of Filipino, Egyptian and Ecuadorian origin and 300 Italians as a control group. Our findings show that a prevailing ethnic conception of citizenship in Italy does indeed define asymmetries between Italians and foreign immigrants but does not shape as significant asymmetries among immigrants. Most immigrants are in fact still foreigners and, consequently, have similar political constraints. Furthermore, organizational resources are significantly associated with higher levels of immigrant political participation and autochthonous organizations provide more resources than ethnic or immigrant organizations. |
