ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a depiction of the settlement of Sikhs in the Italian Peninsula, from both a diachronic and a synchronic point of view. It describes the history of Indian immigration in the country, focusing especially on the last two decades when, without a doubt, this settlement has become substantial. The chapter provides some data about the regions in which the Sikhs are located, and a map of the gurdwaras in the country in order to shed light on their concentration. It focuses on the kind of interactions that exist between Sikhs and the host Italian society, and more specifically on the Sikhs' ability to cope with the neo-assimilationist discourse, Ralph D. Grillo and Jeff Pratt, The Politics of Recognizing Difference, which permeates migration policies, public opinion, and local entrepreneurs, by representing themselves as the 'good savage' in opposition to the 'bad' migrants, and Muslims in particular.
