Italy’s Mixed Couple Boom—One in Seven Has Non-Italian Partner
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In 1991, there were only 58,000 mixed couples but by 2005 number had risen to over 200,000 with 6,000 new unions each year.
Our children’s grandchildren will speak two languages without having to study them. They’ll know their way around the Koran and the Gospels. They’ll spend one Christmas in the snow and the next in the heat. They’ll eat savoury foods for breakfast and they won’t stare at mixed-race strangers in the street because they, too, will have roots that go deep and reach far. They, too, will be the children of children from a mixed marriage. The Italy being transformed by the impact of migration is changing the colour of its skin, the style of its clothes, the value system it clings to, the religions it professes, its eating habits and even its courtship rituals. Fundamental to the inter-ethnic and intercultural transformation of this incandescent, ever-shifting, magma-like society are mixed couples, of which there were only 58,000 in 1991, a number that rose to over 200,000 in 2005 and continues to grow at a rate of more than 6,000 a year. Some such unions may be contracted solely in order to acquire citizenship, fuelling a thriving marriage market, but the future of Italy can be traced here and now in today’s situation. One wedding in seven now involves a non-Italian citizen, although in only 20% of mixed marriages is the bride Italian, leaving aside de facto unions, which are difficult to quantify.
More than four times as many
Italy’s numbers still fall far short of countries with a deep-rooted tradition of migration, such as the United States or France, yet here too new family formats that have little to do with the traditional model have been incorporated into our multi-ethnic society of the future. In the early 1990s, the proportion of marriages in Italy with at least one non-Italian partner was just 3.2% but by 2005, the figure had shot up to 14.3%. In other words, mixed marriages had more than quadrupled. “Once, it was seasoned travellers or intellectuals who contracted mixed marriages”, explains Mara Tognetti Bordogna, a sociology professor from Milan’s Bicocca university and author of several books on the subject. Today, with large-scale immigration from eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, they’re available to everyone”. Border provinces tend to have the highest rates: Imperia (15.4%), Trieste (14.9%) and Bolzano (13.6%) are at the top of the table. Cities that score high include Bologna (12.2%), followed by Milan (11%), Florence (10.8%) and Genoa (10.7%) whereas the south of Italy is less receptive. At the bottom of the table is Puglia, where only 2.7% of marriages are mixed.
Desire for freedom
What is the underlying reason for marrying a foreigner? Why do people choose to enter a relationship with someone who is “different”? “Because they are looking for more openness, freedom, freshness and contrast. It is a major challenge to our rules of culture and kinship, and to our legislation”, observes Professor Tognetti, “because mixed marriage transforms institutions, making intercultural exchange the norm and opening up new opportunities for society. Children are born into two worlds and a plurality of languages and religions. Society bends and changes, but in a positive sense”. On examining the composition of mixed marriages, we note that in most cases (59.1%) Italian males marry non-Italian females, often from central or eastern Europe. In half of the marriages, the man is at least ten years older than the woman, a proportion that drops to 15% in the case of Italian women who have married non-Italian men. There is also a clear preference among Italian women for partners from the Moroccan and Tunisian or other African communities.
Risk of breaking up
The busy cultural laboratory of mixed couples does, however, have to deal with a clash of identities that is often a volcano simmering on the edge of eruption. “Couples argue about how to spend their money, how much to save, what gifts to give partners and relatives, holidays and their children’s education”, says Professor Tognetti. “Although religion is important, it is not the main cause of break-ups. Everyday life sparks off the biggest quarrels, deriving from the difficulty of constant adaptation in the roles of an atypical family. Then there are differences related to the age and education gaps. But the biggest handicap for mixed couples is the fact that they are still isolated by our society”.
It is no surprise that ISTAT and Eurispes statistics show mixed unions are more likely fail than traditional marriages. This also holds true for second unions, 36% of which break down if the male is Italian and the female non-Italian, as do 19% if the woman is Italian and the man is not. Many people view a mixed marriage as a fall-back solution, to be considered only after the failure of the “normal” family format. The proportion of mixed divorces and separation hovers around 80%, with a more marked tendency for divorce. In practice, one mixed-race couple in three breaks up and the divorce rate is twice that for all-Italian unions. The figure from the Eurispes 2007 Italy report suggests that many couples are unequal to the arduous challenge of an intercultural relationship.
Mixed-mixed marriages
The future is here with us today but what about the Italy we can look forward? It will be first and foremost a fluid, open marriage market where no one will worry about how many mixed unions there are. Instead, they will be exploring the many family formats on offer. Italy will continue to be a republic founded on labour but also perhaps on mixed-mixed marriages: unions involving migrants from two different countries. Italians by adoption but not by origin, they will be Italians plain and simple.
(Posted on February 12, 2008)
Comments
Well, as most seem to be with Central/Eastern Europeans, I only see a problem with the North Africans/other groups.
Posted by Obscuratus at 6:26 PM on February 12
Io sono mezzo italiano - and this is a very deceptive story. The so-called “mixed” marriages in the north, say Bolzano or Trieste, are to fellow Europeans, usually Slovakians, Czechs, Austrians, Croats or of course Germans. Northern Italy has always been the cross-roads of central Europe (thus, yours truly). It was common even before the Austro-Hungarian Empire for all these basically similar people to marry. Their differences would not even reister in America. The article plays up a historic norm to ENCOURAGE mixing with Muslims.
That some Italians and other Europeans will in fact marry Asians, Africans, Arabs, etc. is also true, but not as indicated.
The notion that Italy is a republic founded on “labour,” however, is hillarious. May it never be!
Posted by An Ally in NYC at 6:32 PM on February 12
The future is here with us today but what about the Italy we can look forward? It will be first and foremost a fluid, open marriage market where no one will worry about how many mixed unions there are.
Liberalism has corrupted every White nation on Earth, and the more obvious its harmful effects, the more Liberals pretend the future is rosy.
Posted by White Briton at 7:05 PM on February 12
[“There is also a clear preference among Italian women for partners from the Moroccan and Tunisian…”]
I hate to have to bring this to light (because its not a popular notion), but there is very little racial difference between Italians and Moroccans and Tunisians. All are of White Meditterranean stock.
Posted by at 7:20 PM on February 12
Ugh,I feel sick at reading this.My sister’s husband is Italian,and although she is foreign,she is at least white.
Italians are the last group of people who I thought would be receptive to this.
Posted by Joanne Murray at 7:21 PM on February 12
It is hardly a surprise to me that this is occuring in the Northern regions of Italy versus it’s South.
The populations in the Northern provinces have a large descendant admixture of Lombards. A conquering Germanic tribe. The South is predominantly more Mediterranean in composition.
It seems that White’s of Germanic descent have a strange sexual fascination with other races of the world (I know this is not the majority).
Statistics and just what I see day to day affirms this. Those of English, German, Scandanavian, French, and other similar extractions have much higher instances of interracial marriage and coupling. It was such a problem very early in the American South that laws were actually needed to uphold what was already considered culturally backward for the time.
I rarely see interracial prefences amongst East European or more Mediterranean immigrant/second generation friends of mine. I know a group of Serbian girls who openly express their strong lack of preference for Blacks or others.
It’s rather strange… the true cause is the only part of it that escapes me. I’d like to believe it is a cultural phenomenon that cites society as the influence. But who knows… there could be a more subtle reason.
Posted by Changing majors at 7:49 PM on February 12
This is a rather confusing article—what exactly is a mixed marriage here? Apparently it involves the marriage of an Italian to a non-Italian, not necessarily to a non-European. The high rate for Bolzano, for example, might well be explained by the fact that it is right next to Germany, has its road signs in both Italian and German, and was once a part of Germany. Thus most so-called mixed marriages there are likely between Italians and Germans, something which I do not oppose as I would oppose the marriage of an Italian to a North African or Sub-saharan African.
Without further clarification of the race issue the article is meaningless.
Posted by at 7:49 PM on February 12
There is also a clear preference among Italian women for partners from the Moroccan and Tunisian or other African communities.
I have noticed this about the Catholic countries - they never were too fussy about miscegenation. That is why South America is the way it is, but America up until the mid-sixties had remained overwhelmingly white.
The Portuguese and Italians and many Spaniards already have more than just a stroke of the tarbrush - these Italian women will just accelerate the process.
Posted by at 7:52 PM on February 12
This is truly sicking. The destruction of the distinctive Italian American gene pool by miscegenation is offensive enough, but the destruction of the original source of so many contributions to humanity is an abomination.
Posted by Alex at 8:12 PM on February 12
Well most of these mixed marriages they are talking about are
are Europeans marrying other Europeans so it isn’t as big as a deal as the article implies. We are not talking about millions of Italian women slapping on Burquas and marrying camel traders from the Sahara or anything.
I mean I myself like many americans, am half Italian, I certainly would not considered myself “mixed”. Most Eastern Europeans women are attractive and intelligent, if they marry Italian men, I don’t think the result would be so bad.
Posted by at 8:17 PM on February 12
Look at what’s going on in this country. I cannot visit a major city without seeing at least 40 interracial couples!!! It used to be overwhelmingly Black men/White women. Now I am actually seeing more White men/Black women couples. In fact ,in my hometown, the latter is becoming more common. White/Asian White/Latino coupels are becoming more frequent, as well.
We Whites are actively colluding in our own demise!
Posted by Sad Situtation at 8:45 PM on February 12
“The proportion of mixed divorces and separation hovers around 80%, with a more marked tendency for divorce. In practice, one mixed-race couple in three breaks up and the divorce rate is twice that for all-Italian unions. The figure from the Eurispes 2007 Italy report suggests that many couples are unequal to the arduous challenge of an intercultural relationship.”
Sounds like a citizenship scam to me.
Posted by at 9:15 PM on February 12
Italian men marrying women from Europe is not “mixed”—-just a different nationality.
Italian women marrying African men is most definitely mixed!
Why aren’t Italian men marrying the African females?
Posted by kitty at 9:54 PM on February 12
Don’t believe a word of this article. Liberal propaganda.
Posted by at 10:15 PM on February 12
I think someone should have told the author of this article that race-mixing is not exactly a new phenomenon in Italy, especially southern Italy. I lived in southern Italy for 4 years and the difference between northern and southern Italy is night and day. Southern Italy has a very third-world feel, e.g. lots of trash in the streets, ramshackle construction, lackadaisical attitude toward law and order, while northern Italy feels very European. The people are very different also. Southern Italians are more dark-eyed and olive-skinned and have a more boisterous air about them. This difference must be due to the periodic waves of Africans and Middle-Easterners coming to Italy, as immigrants or invaders, over the years.
Posted by idareya at 10:16 PM on February 12
“Why aren’t Italian men marrying the African females?”
Because let’s face it, African females are way down on the sexual attractiveness scale for non-blacks. And that is not a racist statement, merely a statement of unadulterated truth.
Posted by at 10:23 PM on February 12
“Because they are looking for more openness, freedom, freshness and contrast….”
Four adjectives that mean zero in this context. The man’s destroyed his integrity for a back hander from the gov. or the United Nations.
Studies show people go for those most similar to themselves, and unions have the best chance of success when two people share max. amount of traits, beliefs etc. Professor my colon!
(and the stats are a contortion)
Posted by at 10:24 PM on February 12
I know that southern Italians are picked on here for being “mixed with arabs” and similar things(this region is poorer, with more organized crime, and people from the region are generally darker complexioned than average Europeans) but you guys should notice that mixed marriages are far less common in the south.
The mixed marriages in Trieste and Bolzano may be mixed-nationality but same-ethnicity. Many people in Trieste may be marrying Croats or Slovenes (Trieste has traditionally had a significant Slavic population); those in Bolzano (an area with a large ethnic German population) may be marrying people from Austria or Germany.
Posted by Archimedes at 11:20 PM on February 12
“There is also a clear preference among Italian women for partners from the Moroccan and Tunisian or other African communities.”
Ick. Blech. These women suffer from lack of black exposure, just as they do in suburban Texas cities. They have no clue what blacks are. They need to be sent to Detroit for retraining.
Posted by at 12:11 AM on February 13
“The mixed marriages in Trieste and Bolzano may be mixed-nationality but same-ethnicity. Many people in Trieste may be marrying Croats or Slovenes (Trieste has traditionally had a significant Slavic population); those in Bolzano (an area with a large ethnic German population) may be marrying people from Austria or Germany.”
Posted by Archimedes at 11:20 PM on February 12
> True, and it serves well to remember that Northern Italy was settled by the German Lombards after the fall of Rome and also that it was ruled by a German Emperor for several hundred years.
Posted by Whiteplight at 2:24 AM on February 13
As many have pointed out here, a “mixed” marriage between a German-speaking Italian from the north and an Austrian may actually be far less of a cultural leap than one between that same person and a Sicilian. Italy is not that old a nation, and regional allegiances still supersede national ones in many cases, both within Italy and across its northern border.
And as for those who claim that southern Italians are darker due to Arab/Middle eastern immigration, there seems to be little evidence to support this from genetics. There is a detectable Greek influence from settlements going back to ancient times, but the Arabs evidently did not leave a huge imprint. In fact, one could just as easily argue the opposite: that is is European immigration to North Africa (Roman soldiers, Vandals, etc) that is responsible for “lightening” Tunisians and Algerians, who are not dramatically darker than southern Europeans.
Posted by Dave at 2:47 AM on February 13
“I hate to have to bring this to light (because its not a popular notion), but there is very little racial difference between Italians and Moroccans and Tunisians. All are of White Meditterranean stock. “
This is so ridiculously false I don’t know where to begin. Have you ever seen a Moroccan? Moroccans are largley mulatos who look like Puerto Ricans.
The idea that there is some kind of “Mediterranean” race that stretches from Morocco to Afghanistan has been proven false by DNA studies.
Posted by Joe at 3:46 AM on February 13
“It seems that White’s of Germanic descent have a strange sexual fascination with other races of the world (I know this is not the majority).”
Posted by Changing majors
Well, look at it another way. Could it just be that other races of the world have a strange fascination with those of Germanic descent?
Posted by voter at 4:51 AM on February 13
I hate to have to bring this to light (because its not a popular notion), but there is very little racial difference between Italians and Moroccans and Tunisians. All are of White Meditterranean stock.
Evidence, other than your say so? Italians are genetically distinct even from Ashkenazi Jews, they are certainly distinct from “Moroccans and Tunisians.”
There is no such thing as a “Mediterranean race.”
Posted by at 9:30 AM on February 13
Since most of the “mixed” marriages are between Italians and other Europeans, this is not a bad thing. In fact, the article admits that half of mixed marriages end in divorce. And I’ll bet it’s the interracial marriages that end up crumbling because of ethnic tensions. Italy’s birthrate is so abysmally low that it’s probably a good thing that so many Eastern Europeans are marrying in. Besides, Northern Italy is one of the most desirable places in the world to live.
Posted by Xenophon at 10:10 AM on February 13
Most italian men i know love blond haired blue eyed women so id say most of them are marrying eastern european women anyway, as for the women, id say there the ladies no one else wants. Italians can be quite dark and some could pass for arabs. Id say arabs are that bit darker more so morrocans and tunisians, algerians can be a little lighter, but then in america arabs are classed as white well according to the goverment, which is probaly pushing the ethnic elastic band a bit far.
Posted by at 10:37 AM on February 13
Friends is very hilarious for me to read this article, because is interesting to note how people from others countries can misunderstand the situation of a foreign country by an incorrect and few intelligent article.
Firstable, we, the italians, aren’t similar to north africans people, different features, hairs, and a lot of other things, but I think the majority of you, know that.
Then, the numbers of the article aren’t correct, inside the one in seven they include, all the marriage with a foreign born person, also the marriage where both are foreign, immigrant whit immigrant, tourists in Venice or Rome, whitout it, the correct numbers in 2006, are:
About 7% of italians male has married a foreign woman,
and 3% of italians woman has married a foreign man.
Also the term “mixed couple” is different for us than for you, for us, an italian man with a polish woman is a mixed couple, you intend different races.
Indeed the huge part of the “mixed marriage” are betwen italians and others europeans, the rest is only negligible quantity, usually the older men…
I hope that I has clarify the situation with my bad english.
An advice to AR, before to post and decide the title, please read not only that article but, also, broad informations about the country, I note you knowledge is very poor, when you write about non-anglo-saxon white countries.
Posted by Giovanni, Italian at 10:44 AM on February 13
FOR ITALIAN-SPEAKING/UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE:
I wrote about this article here:
http://fattideuropa.splinder.com/post/15744959
Some data reported in the article are probably not correct. It’s a pro-globalist article!
Posted by Filippo84 at 12:43 PM on February 13
One wedding in seven now involves a non-Italian citizen, although in only 20% of mixed marriages is the bride Italian
…thanks to the legendary charm of Italian men.
“Why aren’t Italian men marrying the African females?”
North African women are notoriously ugly. As for black women… unfortunately, that DOES happen. For instance, Nigerian model Oluchi Onweagba.
“There is also a clear preference among Italian women for partners from the Moroccan and Tunisian or other African communities.”
I had an Italian girlfriend a year ago, and I’m of Irish/British descent. I loved her cooking, except for the fact she didn’t like garlic. :-)
Posted by Brendan at 1:55 PM on February 13
Northern Italians do not consider Sicilians to be “real Italians”. They think of them the same way we think of Mexicans. Racially, Sicilians are similar to north Africans.
Posted by at 2:33 PM on February 13
A “mixed” marriage between a German-speaking Italian from the north and an Austrian may actually be far less of a cultural leap than one between that same person and a Sicilian. Italy is not that old a nation…
Dave
…………………………………….
Dave is very correct. Why is this confusing to anyone? The province of Bolzano-Bozen is a border province adjoining Austria. It is 70% German-speaking and both languages have equal status there. It was long a part of Austria and has as strong historical ties to Germany as to Italy. Thus, to speak of “mixed marriages” in this case is very misleading. These are not RACIALLY mixed marriages, just cross-border marriages, and that border is fairly recent. In fact, the region was only annexed to Italy after the First WW, in 1919.
Dave is also correct that the Arabs, while making repeated attempts at conquest (which were often more likely Turkish) did not leave that large an imprint. And any imprint at all was on Sicily, not on the mainland.
I also agree with Joe about the silly notion [that “there is very little racial difference between Italians and Moroccans and Tunisians”] … “is so ridiculously false I don’t know where to begin. Have you ever seen a Moroccan? Moroccans are largely mulattos who look like Puerto Ricans.” Exactly! Many Puerto Ricans (tho’ certainly not all) look like Moroccans (and indeed many are of Moroccan descent, having been Moors shipped to the Spanish colonies); but a Moroccan does not look like an Italian. As for Tunisians, I cannot comment, as I have not been there. But Tunisia is closer to Italy, and ever since the defeat of Carthage it has been occupied by Italy, off and on, since Roman times right up to Mussolini. So there might be a greater resemblance - at least sometimes. I have met some North Africans who were just as white as I or any European, but those are the exceptions.
At any rate, equating Tunisians and Moroccans to black Africans is further nonsense. North Africans are something distinct. They may not be quite the same as white Europeans, but they are certainly not black Africans either.
Whiteplight correctly says that “Northern Italy was settled by the German Lombards [and others] after the fall of Rome and also that it was ruled by a German Emperor for [many hundreds of] years.” Indeed, some of those German emperors lived in Italy and ruled from there, and considered it their home. I could add that this region(Cisalpine Gaul) was Celtic even before the rise of Rome. So it became populated by Germans overlaid on a base of Celts and Latins.
For this article, with its inane happy talk about the wonderful multiracial future that’s coming, to treat mixed-race marriages the same as cross-border marriages is absolute nonsense! It thus trivializes them and makes them seem no big deal. But evidently many people are very confused about this. They can’t distinguish race from nationality. In this era, where the concept of race is being deliberately extinguished, many people don’t even know what a race is. It brings to mind an article on Amren several months ago about a very confused young woman who was zealously “anti-racist” and pro-miscegenation. She belonged to some organization for mixed-race people. Her basis for believing that she belonged there was that she was from a “mixed-race marriage” that was Irish-German!!! Such utter nonsense!
Posted by ghw at 2:40 PM on February 13
Idareya said: “Southern Italy has a very third-world feel, e.g. lots of trash in the streets, ramshackle construction, lackadaisical attitude toward law and order, while northern Italy feels very European”.
You’re correct here Idareya, some of my family came from Tuscany in Nothern Italy. My grandmother was a blue eyed platinum blonde; My mother told me that the southern dialects are difficult for Northerners to understand, I don’t speak Italian very well but I can hear the difference when a Neapolitan is speaking. Northerners consider anyone living south of Rome not to be truly Italian, but racially mixed with N. Africans and Arabs from ‘the heel’. With their swarthy skin tone, crinkly black hair, heavy-set build and rugged facial features they are nothing like Lombards or Tuscans.
It’s a generalisation of course, but one only has to look to see that there are differences.
Arc.
Posted by Arcadian at 6:01 PM on February 13
The media tries to destroy the concept of race and promotes miscegenation by suggesting that ethnic groups within the white race are altogether different races. By subtly blurring the lines, they are saying that most marriages are mixed in some way, and thus there is nothing unusual about interracial marriage. Obviously, an Italian marrying another European is not a mixed marriage (same race, different ethnicity). Europeans have mixed with each other throughout the continent’s history, but Europeans are basically from the same stock. The DNA of Europeans is quite homogenous (much more so than Africa for example). Eastern Europeans, for example, are genetically almost identical to Western Europeans. (If they understood this fact, perhaps there would be more unity).
Based on my observations, southern Italians don’t seem to be much darker than northern Italians on average - it’s just that there are some people in southern Italy who look quite dark.
I don’t know why the Italian girls would go for a Moroccan or Tunisian. They are certainly of a different race, religion and culture. Why would they not marry someone from Europe? This is surprising because, as a couple of the previous comments mentioned, this type of behavior is less common among southern and eastern European girls than northern and western europeans. It seems like most mixed race couples involve a Nordic-looking girl.
Posted by at 10:45 PM on February 13
Marrying somebody from a different race is a “mixed” marriage, marrying someone of the same race but from a different country is not a racially mixed marriage but one of different nationalities.
Posted by KC at 12:17 AM on February 14
Southern Italians may not be “the same as Arabs” but whatever they are I am convinced the reason Southern Italy so much resembles the third world when compared to the North is largely due to genetic differences of the respective populations. The same goes for other swarthy parts of Europe that are nearly always very crude compared to the fairer Northern regions. This is too obvious to deny and all more or less white people in and around Europe are very definitely not the same.
The article is misleading, and intentionally so naturally. The people who own and control the media in most White Western nations have been promoting race mixing and multiculturalism intensely for decades so nothing new there.
One thing is that in many European countries non-white immigrants that are citizens bring partners from their non-white home countries. This explains some of the “mixed” marriages between an Arab who is an Italian citizen and an Arab who is not. A large part of these marriages are also fake and the non-citizen often pays a large sum to be married to a countryman who is already a citizen. In Sweden this accounts for the majority of marriages between citizens and non-citizens I think. The second largest group is imported Thai women who end up with White men though and there are no race statitics (illegal in many European countries) accounting for mixed race marriages between citizens of different racial background.
Posted by Swede at 9:18 AM on February 14
“A large part of these marriages are also fake…In Sweden this accounts for the majority of marriages between citizens and non-citizens I think.
The second largest group is imported Thai women who end up with White men though and there are no race statitics (illegal in many European countries).”
Swede
………………………………………..
I assume you mean Thai women in Sweden.
I have observed the taste for Thais in Switzerland as well. It is very noticeable. Something interesting is going on there, whatever it is.
You see white women with black men (or more often with Arabs/Pakistanis/Turks). But white men are with Asian (Oriental) women - never with black or Moslem.
As for countries that make racial statistics illegal — what possible reason could they have, unless there is somethig the authorities wish to hide? Full disclosure is simply being honest.
Posted by ghw at 3:06 PM on February 14
Giovanni, Italian:
Thanks for the information. However, I think most AmRen readers saw through this article’s propaganda. In fact, that is probably why it was posted - to show how the media manipulates data in order to make racial mixing seem normal, not to claim that Italians are really marrying Africans in record numbers. Most AmRen readers are fairly knowledgeable about other European culture but, speaking for myself, I really appreciate hearing first-hand from people who are actually from these countries. It is just my observation that Italians are much more racially aware than American whites.
Posted by Conrad R. at 4:31 PM on February 14
Differences between Northern and southern italians exist but have been made larger than they actually are. Southern Italy was invaded and occupied for a long time by germanic Goths and Longobards too + S.Italy (unlike northern italy) was invaded and permanently occupied by Normans (scandinavians) in the Middle Ages. You can find many blonde-light eyed people in the south and many (native) northerners that don’t look germanic at all (think about Berlusconi, a native lombard).
A site that argues about the exageration of northern/southern differences is this one: http://racialreality.110mb.com/padania/
Besides from the ’50s to the early ’80s several millions of southerners moved to north in a massive exodus, settling down and mixing with the northerners, therefore today northern italy has a mixed southern/northern population (especially in big cities like Milan/Turin where southerners are the majority).
Posted by Marco at 6:54 PM on February 14
Arcadian and Idareya are correct about the cultural differences between the south and north of Italy: Naples definitely has more than a strong whiff of the “third world” about it, with all the attendant vices: corruption, inefficient government, etc.
At the same time, the strong emphasis on family and cultural identity in the south (think of the “Sopranos” world) serves as a bulwark against multicultural infiltration, as it does in a few other places in Europe where a strong sense of proud ethnic identity has survived (usually in “separatist” regions where such identities defied the trend and actually strengthened after WWII, such as northern Ireland and Basque country).
Posted by Dave at 7:49 PM on February 14
“The article is misleading, and intentionally so naturally. The people who own and control the media in most White Western nations have been promoting race mixing and multiculturalism intensely for decades so nothing new there.”
This is true. They want the public to believe that everyone is doing it and to make it mainstream.
Posted by at 11:16 PM on February 14
“At the same time, the strong emphasis on family and cultural identity in the South (think of the “Sopranos” world) serves as a bulwark against multicultural infiltration, as it does in a few other places in Europe “
Dave
……………………………………..
I would imagine that this is true of any relatively isolated and so-called “backward” society where there is a weak, inefficient government and social structure and where people are left to rely on families for support and protection (eg.Sicily). In rather chaotic, poor, and crime-tormented cultures, where the strong preyed on the weak and helpless, the only protection ordinary people had was in their families. The family was their equivalent to Social Security and the police force combined in one.
I suppose that ALL of Europe was once this way, and not that long ago, but as some societies grew and developed and became more complex, and expanded into the outside world, people dropped much of their family identification in favor of a larger national identity. Also, at that point, families and their responsibilities could be a burden. Especially after the Industrial Revolution and the massive growth of cities. This was both a gain and a loss.
Now, even that national identity is faltering, under assault from the outside world and the new concept of “globalism”.
Posted by ghw at 2:20 AM on February 15
“ghw” is right: the large families, typical of farmer cultures were the rule in all of Europe before the industrial revolution downsized them, creating the new small family made only of father, mother and children. A family that is weaker than the previous clan-like family that still resist in places like Southern Italy and both the clan-like extraeuropean minorities (i.e. muslims) and the governmente exploit this weakness to abuse them.
Posted by Marco at 4:50 PM on February 15
This article is silly. I’m Italian and Scottish. Okay am I the only white man here honest enough to say that I would jump at the chance of bedding and wedding a not crazy Naomi Campbell before I do a Heidi Klum? And that Asians are not necessarily attractive but are easy to grab as a white male? Maybe Eurasians are attractive…
The ‘platinum blond blue eyed’ look is really passe for some of us latin men and is now associated with easy rather than pretty here in Spain. Latin men(Italians included) love black women. I noticed white American men dislike the black ladies. Why is this ‘blonde’ look so obsessed over there? Certainly not here.
Of course ‘white woman-other man’ couples will always be more but not because they are any better looking.
I find that lovely black girls look the most womanly here but are the hardest to grab their interest. I’ve tried. Unless it’s one of those Nigerian hookers.
So if I end up marrying some blonde girl it wouldn’t be because I preferred her looks. These ‘sexual attractiveness scales’ that men put ignorantly put on women of other races are thrown right out the window when you realize the woman might actually like you back. Thoughts of an honest white man! Ciao
Posted by Tommy 'chocluvr' Allentini at 9:08 PM on February 25