Le funzioni del capitale sociale nelle reti associative degli immigrati. Dinamiche relazionali e percorsi di integrazione

The dissertation analyses how immigrants’ social support networks, generated in the country of destination, can influence the relationships between the immigrants themselves, their social network (relatives, friends, colleague and neighbours) and the local society. It does so by means of a case study based in the city of Verona, in the north of Italy. The aim is to find out which is the role played by the mechanism of brokerage (Burt) and closure (Coleman), the two primary elements by which social networks constitute social capital. Brokerage involves building connections across groups to increase exposure to diverse opinion and practice. Closure involves strengthening connections with a group to focus the group on a limited set of opinion and practice. My main research questions are as follow: do immigrants who are active members of religious ethnic networks (Muslim local council, Brazilian Evangelical Church, Chinese Witnesses of Jehovah) and immigrants who are active members of non-religious ethnic networks (Sri Lankan national association, Nigerian Women Association, Senegalese national association) tend to balance the mechanism of closure and brokerage? Can the religious/non-religious membership play a significant role in the form of the immigrants’ social support networks? How do these social networks influence levels of brokerage and closure? Through the use of a theoretical and empirical approach based on the network analysis (with reference on the essays of Forsé and Degenne), my research work shows that immigrants who are active members of religious ethnic networks tend to generate ego-centred social support networks characterized by higher level of closure, while the active members of non-religious ethnic networks tend to balance the mechanism of closure and brokerage.