Abstract
This contribution explores migration and immigrant integration governance in South Tyrol, an autonomous province within the Italian regional state. We first revise the autonomous province’s legal scope of action in relation to policymaking in the field, second we contextualize policy making in the frame of the political discourses which are shaped by the tension between the protection of national minorities and the governance of migration-related diversity. And finally we give examples of local practices fostering the political participation of persons with a migration background and analyse the network of competing and cooperating actors, which permeates all levels of government in South Tyrol and the asymmetrical regional state of Italy, and shapes their fields of action.
We show that migration and immigrant integration governance in South Tyrol is characterized by the same challenges faced in many European regions. From a normative point of view, the policy field is conceived in such a way that it corresponds to the ideals of a participatory (and partly also deliberative) theory of democracy. However, implementation remains fragmented and hesitant. In addition, there are political discourses that further divide migration governance, not least due to the presence of anti-immigration parties both at the state level as well as within the province.
Against this background, associations, motivated community representatives and local-level organisations in South Tyrol have developed strategies and gradually implemented measures facilitating immigrant integration. Nevertheless, the success of integration measures is contextual and primarily depends on individuals or specific and local groups. Hence, South Tyrolean migration and integration governance is currently characterized by a bottom-up dynamic in which organized civil society, district communities and municipalities play the main role.