Diaspora and Cultural Identity: Italian- Moroccans as a Case Study

Abstract A key element in the development of cultural identity is language. In their study on the ethnic identities of Korean American students, Jung and Lee (2004) discovered that the majority of their research participants identify as having a strong Korean ancestry despite speaking fluent English and being American citizens. Instead of calling themselves Americans, they identify as either Korean Americans or Koreans.. Yet, there are cases when diasporas who master the language of the host country identify themselves as citizens of that country. In Italy, Moroccans are the first largest group of non-western immigrants. From the 1970s, the number arriving to Italy under family reunification schemes and work became more significant. Accordingly, this study investigates the way that the Moroccan diaspora living and studying within Italian communities identify themselves. Interviews and questionnaires were used to gather data. The results yielded that the participants preserve their Moroccan identity though they were born and raised in Italy. Key terms: Identity, Diaspora, Language, Italy, Moroccans