Ritorno e appartenenza: narrazioni, aspettative sociali e reintegrazione dei migranti di ritorno

The return of migrants is not only a geographical movement, but a complex process of social and identity renegotiation. This chapter explores the relationship between belonging and reintegration, analysing how narratives - individual, family and institutional - shape the experiences of returning migrants. Drawing on the theory of belonging, it demonstrates how community expectations, family dynamics, and previous migration experiences can either facilitate successful reintegration or generate stigma and exclusion, and emphasizes the importance of considering conditional belonging, social recognition, and negotiated identities in reintegration programmes. The analysis suggests that effective return policies must go beyond economic incentives to include interventions that strengthen social inclusion, rebuild trust, and foster a renewed sense of belonging for returning migrants, while addressing the expectations of both individuals and their communities.