ABSTRACT
This chapter starts with a description of the organization of the 2010 mobilization “A day without us: The strike of migrants,” which occurred in the city of Bergamo. The event saw two separate demonstrations with a low level of participation by immigrant communities. Using this example, I analyze the actors involved in the mobilization and identify their key characteristics and the reasons behind the lack of participatory forms taken up by immigrant activists. In particular, the chapter offers a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the role of the Catholic Church in the realm of immigration in Italy. I examine the strong impact of the approach to inclusion developed by the Catholic Church and its allies—predominantly based on assistance—on the implications for the political silencing of other competing organizations, not least immigrant groups. Zooming in the specific local dynamics in Bergamo, it shows why and how the dominant role of the Catholic Church and the lack of strong challenges of the left result in the exclusive promotion of the assistance approach to inclusion, the lack of alliances between local actors and immigrant organizations and weak participatory channels available for immigrant activists. The chapter also analyzes the discourses and practices of selected immigrant activists to offer an insider perspective on the main obstacles they face.
