Immigration control in Italian political elite debates: Changing policy frames in Italy,1980s–2000s

Abstract

This work provides an analysis of the structure and transformations of the official political debate over immigration control within the Italian political elite over the last three decades. Through a close historical reading of the Italian political scene based primarily on parliamentary debates, this article charts the key policy frames articulated in different periods of Italian immigration history in relation to the nature of the immigration control problem (cognitive dimension) and the suggested policy solutions (normative dimension). Moreover, it highlights the various factors – from party competition and political ideologies to the pressure of interest groups, the characteristics of national political institutions and the normative pressure from Europe and European institutions – that have influenced immigration policy frames and have interacted with them in shaping policy goals.