The Limits of Right-Wing Populist Politics: The Views and Experiences of Turkish Immigrants in Italy

DİŞCİ DEMİRTAŞ Z.

Journal of Asian and African Studies, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/00219096251388575
  • Journal Name: Journal of Asian and African Studies
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, American History and Life, Anthropological Literature, Geobase, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index
  • Keywords: immigration, Italy, politics, Right-wing populism, Turkish Immigrants
  • Uşak University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article argues that Turkish immigrants in Italy manage to build a life outside the sphere of influence of Italian right-wing populist immigration policies. According to the article, the Italian right-wing populist immigration policy pursues a functionalist immigration policy rather than a policy of absolute harshness. This functionalist tendency leads to a softening of the harshness of existing Italian immigration policy in everyday life and thus to an ambivalent policy. It is precisely because of this ambivalence that Turkish immigrants in Italy construct a life for themselves outside the Italian right-wing populist immigration policy.