ABSTRACT
This chapter argues the meanings of neighborhood spaces are changed by the agency of even the least of their inhabitants. Italian neighborhoods in the United States, specifically New York City, are similar to Italian neighborhoods in Italy, specifically Rome, especially in the way that they have been changed by the in-migration of different ethnic groups. The spatial and semiotic logic of the transnational processes is represented here with a small selection of images of changing vernacular landscapes. The landscapes of both Italian America and Italy are affected by "natural" and migration-driven demographic forces, as well as the powerful processes of globalization, deindustrialization, and privatization. Immigrants take part in the communal social life of Roman neighborhoods. All around the major tourist attractions one can find an assortment of immigrants, as vendors, and beggars. In local and central markets, immigrants are seen in varying proportions, but always greater than official statistics would lead one to expect.
