Project description
The objective of my research is to document the process of family formation among third country immigrants in Southern Europe, as a contribution to the understanding of the processes that are transforming Italy and Spain from countries of emigration into ‘multiethnic’ societies. In particular, I will assess, firstly, to what extent is the gendered nature of migration to Southern Europe impacting on the ways immigrants are forming their families, and secondly to what extent the ‘familisation’ of immigration in Southern Europe represents a sign of greater integration of the immigrant population in the region. The study will pay particular attention to women, who are usually marginalised in migration research, but who are central actors in the ‘new’ migration to Southern Europe. Insights on women from both male-led (like the Moroccans) and female-led (like the Filipinos) migrations will be included in the study. My analysis of family formation among immigrant groups will cover the following two aspects : the experiences and attitudes of the individual immigrants involved ; and the institutional responses of the receiving societies.
With regard to the former, I will seek to document what kind of immigrant households and families are emerging in Italy and Spain and what are their specific needs. I will also explore the reasons why they migrated to Southern Europe, what has been the role of family ties and roles in doing so, and how they are coping in the new environment.
With regard to the latter, I will analyse how the national and local institutions of the receiving society are responding to the needs and specificities of immigrant families and what kind of policies and provisions are in place to favour the integration of immigrants.

Research methods
In order to carry out this comparative project I will conduct an ethnographic study in two selected locations of Southern Europe : Bologna and Barcelona. Such a comparison, will help me to achieve a greater understanding of how the ‘host’ society influences processes of family formation and social inclusion among immigrants.
I will seek to document how different circumstances present at the local level (in terms of labour market, housing, welfare provisions, etc.) translate into different outcomes as far as the position of immigrants within the receiving society is concerned. In terms of research methods and techniques this project will draw on a synergic combination of the following : Participant observation : used especially during public and social events, gatherings, meetings, celebrations, visits, and so on ; Techniques of rapid and participatory appraisal : used in order to achieve a faster acquaintance with the basic geographical, social, cultural, economical features of the research sites ; Formal interviewing with elites : this will include structured and semi-structured interviews with officials of Bologna City Council and of the Generalitat of Barcelona, heads of civic organisations, trade union’s representatives, teachers, social workers, and so on ; Less formal interviewing (life histories and semi-structured interviews) : carried out with immigrant women belonging to two different migratory groups : one female-led (Filipinas) and one male-led (Moroccans) ; Document analysis : used in order to document institutional discourses about immigration, integration and family formation) ; Triangulation :The information and findings obtained with the above methods will be constantly tested against each other in order to ensure more reliable and valid results.

Output
My research will be useful to anyone who is interested in understanding the links existing between family formation, the settlement of immigrants and the emergence of multicultural societies in Southern Europe, as well as to those who are interested in listening to the voices of some of the most marginalised actors of the contemporary Southern European societies. More specifically, the research results will be useful to formulate recommendations for policy-making in the fields of family formation, social inclusion and ethnic pluralism.

Name of supervisor : Prof. Russell King

Funding organisation : ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council, UK).