Based on fieldwork in Bergamo, Italy, this research examines how foreign immigrants use the dominant ideologies found in Italy to negotiate their place within the community. Historically, political culture in Italy has been characterized by the ideological polarization of society into the Communist world and the Catholic world. In the past decade, a third ideological camp has emerged to challenge the other two: localism. These divisions transcend the realm of politics into all aspects of Italian social life. Consequently, foreign immigrants need to identify and incorporate these ideologies into their lives as a strategy for survival in their new environment.
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