Rewriting the Transnational Dimension of Italian Migration to Wales in the Time of COVID-19

Abstract

This article investigates how COVID-19 has rewritten the transnational connotations of recent Italian migration to Wales, reshaping issues of home, belonging, inclusion, and participation. On the one hand, examination of the relationship with the host country analyses whether and how the early phase of the pandemic impacted on Italians’ social integration and sense of embeddedness in Welsh society. On the other, a focus is placed on the relationship with the origin country, aiming to detect whether the crisis strengthened feelings of nostalgia and a desire to ‘return home’. To this end, four main fields are considered: social relations, cultural practices, sources of information, and travel patterns. Addressing these fields, discussion assesses the practices and strategies that Italian migrants in Wales engaged with in order to maintain a connection with Italy despite the limitations and challenges posed by COVID-19.