Language and Political Participation: Key Stakeholders’ and Italo-Australian Voters’ Perspectives
摘要
In the previous chapter we considered the issue of language in the context of second- and third-generation Italo-Australians’ perception of their identity. We found that while some of our interviewees consider language central to their Italian identity, others are more sceptical about its central role in sustaining that identity. While our analysis focused primarily on the cultural dimension of Italian identity, the chapter also touched upon the link between language and political participation in relation to engagement in Italian politics. This chapter focuses on that link more closely. It draws on qualitative interviews with representatives of Italian diaspora institutions and organizations as well as second- and third-generation Italo-Australian voters. These interviews gathered the insights of both categories of participants on Italian language acquisition and proficiency among second- and third-generation Italo-Australian voters, and on how the latter access Italian language information for voting purposes. While Italo-Australian voters provide insights about their experience of membership in the transnational community and their engagement with Italian politics from abroad, stakeholders offered a broader view on the role of Italian diaspora institutions and organizations, and on the evolution of the Italian transnational community, including its participation in Italian politics from abroad.