The diversity continuum: Blurring the boundaries between internal and external others among Italian children of migrants

In recent years, studies on nations and nationalism have experienced a rapid growth prompted by the so-called ‘new nationalism’, which has been interpreted, in Western world, as product of white majorities their anxiety towards demographic change caused international migration. This article switches focus explores impact nation from perspective its non-white population. Using Italy case study, relies voices online comments young Italian adults with foreign backgrounds who, like parents, are often perceived nationalist rhetoric need integration or assimilation. Data rely 38 individual semi-structured interviews representatives ‘second generation’ associations (ReteG2, Associna, Giovani Musulmani d’Italia Yallaitalia), well forums, blogs videos posted webpages these since creation until June 2015. The reveals how existence an internal other (the Southerner) is discursively mobilised to question ethno-racial unity draw diversity continuum between ascribed foreignness other. discursive move allows children migrants justify national belonging re-write relation rather than opposition alterity. relevance findings discussed terms re-making times decline majorities.