ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to explain Tunisian migration to Italy in the 1980s and 1990s in the context of economic and political changes which have taken place both in Italy and Tunisia. It will examine the demographic characteristics of migrants in Tunisia and consider the economic and political factors which have made Italy an attractive destination for work and settlement by Tunisian workers. This account will also focus on Tunisian settlement and location within the Italian economy. A number of European states like Germany and Switzerland have implemented policies which recognise the need for the presence of temporary workers with minimum possible social cost to the receiving society. The case of Tunisian migrant workers in Italy clearly shows the contradiction between the need for labour power and the unwillingness of the state to make proper social provision for migrants. It is this contradiction between economic inclusion and social exclusion which is a central theme of this chapter.
