The grasshopper and the ant: Chinese teenagers and their representation of Italian people

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory study is to provide a better understanding of the representation shared by Chinese teenagers in Italy about Italian people. As research into migrants’ attitudes toward the host culture and society is rare, this study aims to bridge this gap. In 2016, 22 low-income first and second-generation Chinese teenagers living in an Italian city were interviewed. Analysis of their narratives, performed with T-Lab, a text mining software, produced three thematic clusters: “value differences”, the most relevant, which highlights the contrast between the perceived Chinese ethics of sacrifice versus the Italian propensity for leisure; “peer relationships and school life” which points at difficulties and opportunities in the integration process; while in the “stereotypes and prejudices” cluster, a kaleidoscopic vision of others as enemies emerges.