"Oh, you speak Italian very well": Narratives of African Muslim women with a migrant background, in Italy

Migrants are, in the collective imagination of the Western citizen, made up of desperate women and men fleeing from catastrophic events, attempting to invade the borders of an opulent Europe while crossing the Mediterranean Sea clandestinely. Coupling with that there is the notion that the majority of immigrants to Europe are practicing the Islamic faith, whose principles are perceived as incompatible with the Western values. As result young individuals with an immigrant background, commonly defined as 'second-generation immigrants' are often subject to prejudices and to a negative attitude from nationals. Through the narratives of young Muslim women with an African and migrant background, the paper aims at offering a snapshot on how this category, is perceived in Italy. The paper initially provides some theoretical background on the way social representation of cultural diversity is determined; the empirical analysis offers the women's perspective on how cultural diversity is represented. The goal is to provide a better understanding of the image of the Muslim women linked to their social, economic and cultural roots, and how the mutual exchange of cultural capital can consolidate the opportunities for cooperation to achieve an inclusive and intercultural society.