Social Representation of migration in postcolonial Italian literature. A quali-quantitative analysis of literary text by Asian authors

Several studies inquired social representations of migration in Italian mass-media (Mannarini et al., 2020; Mazzara et al., 2020; Montali et al., 2013) and multicultural society (Mancini et al., 2007), however, the migrants’ perspective is underrepresented (Jacomella, 2015). The use of literary texts as a source of data for psychosocial research is not widespread, although studies and reflections showed their potentials (Contarello, 2008; Moscovici, 1986; Volpato & Contarello, 1995). The present contribution explores the social representations of migration through the analysis of 29 texts by writers of Asian origin. Specifically, a hierarchical descendent analysis was carried out on the texts according to the Reinert method (1983), using the software IRaMuTeQ. The results show two macro-classes subdivided into eleven distinct lexical worlds, with contents referring to labor exploitation, migratory journey, family and religious tradition, racism, and war. Some narratives on daily life, on psychological aspects, and on the possibility of choosing one’s own destiny beyond family and religious traditions emerge as a contrast to the idea of the migrant as a victim. In conclusion, the contribution aims to emphasize the relevance of literary texts in psychosocial research.