The Role of Immigrants in the Italian Fertility Crisis

Finco, Anita

Item

The Role of Immigrants in the Italian Fertility Crisis

Finco, Anita

Abstract

The decline in fertility has been an ongoing topic of discussion among Italian politicians and journalists. Due to the increase in immigration from high-fertility countries, many see immigrants as a solution to the fertility crisis. Academic research on the behavior of immigrants finds different theoretical models but is limited to quantitative studies and focused mostly on the US. This thesis instead focuses on immigrants’ fertility and family-building trends in Italy. The data is collected through qualitative interviews, which reveal unexpected and discriminatory elements of the Italian state, especially concerning healthcare and the job market. The main result of the study is that, while immigrants differ significantly in their fertility and family-building behavior, the discrimination and struggles they face also drastically vary depending on their ethnic and religious identities. Therefore, although research and policy recommendations are given, the study concludes that the causes of the issue are mostly structural.