CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, MULTICULTURALISM AND SOCIAL LIFE: thoughts on the Italian case

This article focuses on the subject of cultural differences and on the claim for rights originated from such differences. Since the beginning Italy has experienced the effects of cultural and linguistic diversity. Throughout Italian history, cultural differences have been denied by the fascist regime but recognized and safeguarded by the 6th amendment of the republican constitution. Later on, other laws have been written specifically related to the topic of which amendment number 482, issued in 1999. The aim was to set rules for an effective coexistence between linguistic communities as it's the example of Alto Adige, whose inhabitants, or at least a great part of them, belong either to the German-speaking community or to the Laden-speaking community. This also moved some authors to question the effectiveness of the currently enforced system, the so-called “quotes system”, stating that the goal should be a pacific coexistence among different cultural, rather than linguistic communities. Nowadays the topic of cultural difference is once again an important one for Italy because of two issues: the existence of political parties that support local communities and the presence of foreign migrants and their communities. Moreover, the existence of minorities, as it is the case of such communities made by people who share the same political ideas or sexual orientations. The document explores concepts such as Culture, Ethnicity and Cultural Identity, and shows how they've been differently applied. At last, talks about the marks of a multiculturalism that respects everyone's rights, as well as individual rights.