ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the causes behind the general lack of interest on the part of Italian intellectuals in these issues during the past years as well as to analyse the current state of the debate on the significance and content of a specifically Italian 'national identity. The chapter addresses the historical events such as the different interpretations of the Resistance, the military capability of the Italian army during World War II, and particularly the relationship between the Italian Communist Party with Yugoslavia after the war. The chapter focus on relatively recent internal political issues and will take into account the rise of political actors, such as the Northern League, the longstanding divide between the North and the South of the country, the importance of family belonging and the resilience of political subcultures. It focuses specifically on the link between the debate on immigration and that on national identity by outlining the unfolding development of the discussion between Italian intellectuals.
