Within the context of a series of volumes devoted to the history of the Italian culture, this long essay describes the transition of Italy from a country of emigration to a country of immigration; the demographic, economic, cultural and socio-political impact of immigrants’ presence; the attitudes of Italians and of Italian government and institutions toward the migration phenomena. On the basis of a rich set of studies and empirical researches the Author develops an original analysis of these processes, demonstrating how migration functions as a “mirror” in reflecting the main characters of the Italian society and of the Italian institutional context and evidencing the most critical elements for the future of the interethnic society.