Migrants in Italy, Citizens in Europe? Trajectories, Experiences and Motivations of the Multiple Mobilities of Italian-Bangladeshis Relocating to London

The paper looks at the recent phenomenon of Bangladeshi immigrants in Italy who are onward-migrating to London, after their acquisition of the Italian citizenship. Adopting an intersectional approach, we seek to answer two questions: what were their mobility trajectories before arriving in Italy and within Italy? Why do they onward-migrate from Italy to the UK? For most Italian-Bangladeshis, Italy constitutes just a step in their migration trajectories: their mobility biographies are marked by many arrivals and departures. This responds to their desire for upward social mobility and their realization as adult men. This also leads them to leave Italy and move to London: in order to escape socially limiting factory work, to invest in the educational future of their children, to join a much larger Bangladeshi community set within a receptive multicultural and religion-tolerant society.