ABSTRACT
From the Fordist age to the present, international migration flows have largely changed in terms of place of origin and destination, type of job involved, means of transport and communication, and variety of migration projects. One feature, however, has remained constant: patterns of discrimination and integration difficulties, which often lead to tensions and conflicts. But the integration failures today are occurring in different conditions with respect to the variety of selection processes and migration policies typical of the manufacturing growth age of the 30 years after World War II. This chapter will analyze the main trends of contemporary migration processes with a focus on Europe. Particular attention will be given to the Italian situation as one of the cases where new immigration trends have been stronger and more intensive in the last 20 years. The final section will be devoted to the specificities of Chinese migration in Italy.
