Migratory fledglings flying the nest

Dr. Giulia Marchetti’s research explores the journey to adulthood of young Italian migrants residing in Perth, Western Australia, adding a piece to the complex puzzle of the Italian diaspora.

The Italian economy has been faltering for decades. Structural problems undermining the country’s competitiveness, an aging population with the world’s second-largest pension budget, the lack of transparent meritocratic work culture, and disruptions to global markets have contributed to the formation of a “lost generation” of Italian youth. Over one million Italians aged 18 to 34 have sought opportunities by moving abroad.

Family holds deep cultural and social significance in Italian culture, and the journey to adulthood is often protracted. The country’s economic woes have further exacerbated this phenomenon, and it is now common for young Italians to continue living with their parents well into their 30s and sometimes even beyond. Emigration has emerged as a viable alternative.

The Movers (2020), a documentary by Dr. Giulia Marchetti and Francesco Di Trapani, highlights the journeys of six young Italian migrants as they share their experiences in Australia.
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These individuals are having to deal with making independent decisions for the first time. Decisions affecting the various facets of their lives such as work, education, leisure, and sexual identity. Despite maintaining strong ties to their families in Italy, they acquire a newfound freedom to express their true selves in the cultural “otherness” of Australia.

These individuals are having to deal with making independent decisions for the first time. Decisions affecting the various facets of their lives such as work, education, leisure, and sexual identity. Despite maintaining strong ties to their families in Italy, they acquire a newfound freedom to express their true selves in the cultural “otherness” of Australia. Marchetti and Di Trapani’s documentary is a creative adaptation of Marchetti’s Sociology PhD thesis. The documentary aims to bridge the divide between academia and the general public.

Marchetti interviewed 36 Italian migrants aged 18 to 34. Twenty-five still live in Western Australia, and 11 have returned to Italy. Marchetti’s work, including her collaboration with Italian cinematographer Di Trapani on The Movers, forms an integral part of a research project known as Youth Mobilities Aspirations and Pathways (YMAP).
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Driven by the desire to explore and venture beyond their comfort zones, young people often travel and work abroad before fully embracing adulthood. In the documentary, participants express excitement about their comparatively higher earnings in Australia. Even positions in hospitality or construction provide salaries that enable them to afford rent, cover daily expenses, indulge in occasional luxuries, and still have money left over for savings—a scenario unthinkable in Italy these days.

Nevertheless, despite their financial independence, they tend to grapple with feelings of guilt for what they view as “abandoning” their families. They worry about their parents aging in their absence and feel they have let down their families by leaving their siblings behind to care for their parents.

Marchetti categorises her research as “visual” due to incorporating filmed interviews along with analysis of tattoos favoured by young Italian migrants. These tattoos, adorned with Australian symbols like the Southern Cross or imagery associated with travel and mobility such as compasses, are “marks of this rite of passage.” Whether they choose to settle in Australia or eventually return home, much like the indelible ink of their tattoos, migration has permanently shaped the identity of these young Italians.

Cover image: Perth, Western Australia