Migration and Welfare: a new role for Social Policy

On Monday, 17th of September 2012, Flavia Piperno and Mara Tognetti from Cespi presented to an impressively wide public, their last publication on Migration and Welfare, Migration and Welfare: a new role for Social Policy.

As destination Country of several migratory routes, new and growing links between Italy and origin Countries must be taken into account. Migrants social and occupational inclusion, minors school enrolment, family reunion, voluntary returns – thus social cohesion in multiethnic societies – all these processes depend on a personal paths all want-to-be migrant do before leaving, and on the presence of a social-network supporting them.

Moreover, as a consequence of returns or family reunion process, negative consequence of migration on societies – we can think about children left behind by migrant parents, as well as economic and social vulnerability of newcomers in countries of destinations – impact equally and are experienced at the same time in countries of origin and destination.

In this framework, local welfare is no more effective in ensuring a good governance of migratory processes. In order to guarantee social inclusion and cohesion in Italy, and to cope with new opportunities and threats, new forms of partnership are needed.

A new way of transnational welfare is needed, along with a new capacity of coordinate all available resources.

Above all, the recognition of a mutual interest in the development of a transnational perspective is essential: fostering public welfare by a global point of view means to develop a “cosmopolitan” strategy, and to educate public opinions to this new strategy.