Young migrants in Euregio: identity through a blend of languages

Our primary interlocutors were young people, many of whom were second-generation migrant youths or those who had lived in their current home region for most of their lives. Most interviewees were multilingual, the majority of whom could speak 3-4 languages. These participants- who largely feel at home in their hometowns and home regions, frequently interact with people who have other ethnic backgrounds than their own. Not surprisingly for a primarily rural area, nature was cited most frequently among the things that make migrants feel at home in the Euregio, followed by cafés, bars, pubs and restaurants – spaces for social interaction. Our participants would like to see more cultural events organized by migrant groups (concerts and music festivals were the most frequently mentioned type), and many added culinary gatherings as a possibility to meet and explore different cultures. Most interviewees keep themselves informed on local politics and characterize political participation and voting rights for long-term residents as important issues.

How do migrants see themselves and their role in society? Data gathered through in-depth interviews reveals quite a lot on the subject. Speaking the language of their or their family’s country of origin was an important topic: “I’m a mixture, a hybrid, and to be a hybrid I need to have parts from here and from there. I have Italian culture, Italian history, Italian living experience, but I have an Arab background. And that’s fundamental, because if you take that language from me, you also take part of my identity”. Language was mentioned among the prime generators of identification, and one that is shared by migrants from different groups and cultural backgrounds. It also makes its way into heterogeneous groups of young people with and without migratory backgrounds, who then use words from each other’s languages in their daily register. The importance of safeguarding linguistic diversity is one of the main claims shared by migrants and national minorities; however, our interviewees also underlined that an excellent command of the local official language(s) is key for personal success and societal inclusion. One interviewee also highlighted the need to connect language skills, acceptance by the host community and civic education: “I think that a person who comes to live in a different country must learn at least let’s not say perfectly, but at least, the basics of the language. Hello, good day, greet people, these things are important, so the locals accept you. This way, even if you are not integrated or included or these things, you will be at least accepted. And once you are accepted, you have to learn the language, and for that, since the beginning, I’ve been saying a course on civic education would be great”. While maintaining linguistic heritage was important, this does not necessarily correlate with identification with the country of their family’s origin: