IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jworld/v6y2025i3p123-d1739812.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Church, a Symbolic Resource in Preserving the Identity of Romanian Immigrants and an Important Agent of Integration into Italian Society

Author

Listed:
  • Despina Saghin

    (Department of Geography, Faculty of History and Geography, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania)

  • Viorica-Cristina Cormoș

    (Department of Human and Social Political Sciences, Faculty of History and Geography, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania)

  • Monica Aneta Turturean

    (Teacher Training Department, Faculty of Sciences of Education, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania)

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the role of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Italy in alleviating the stress of acculturation, facilitating the socio-cultural integration of Romanian immigrants, and valorizing the Romanian cultural, traditional, and identity heritage. The study has a qualitative character and uses semi-structured interviews conducted in ten Romanian Orthodox parishes in Italy, examining how the involvement of immigrants in church activities shapes their belonging and integration in the local community. The research emphasizes, in addition to the specific worship activities of the church, the social and cultural activities that support Romanian immigrants and especially those in need. The research results indicate that Romanian Orthodox churches have the role of creating social ties and facilitating active civic participation. The church thus becomes a provider of refuge and respectability and an important agent of integration. Beyond the religious aspect, the Orthodox churches in Italy have provided Romanian immigrants with symbolic resources to enable positive self-identification, places and opportunities to interact with other Romanians, as well as essential services for integration into the labour market and Italian society.

Suggested Citation

  • Despina Saghin & Viorica-Cristina Cormoș & Monica Aneta Turturean, 2025. "The Church, a Symbolic Resource in Preserving the Identity of Romanian Immigrants and an Important Agent of Integration into Italian Society," World, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:6:y:2025:i:3:p:123-:d:1739812
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/6/3/123/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/6/3/123/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:hal:cesptp:halshs-01517185 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. repec:sae:mrxval:v:38:y:2004:i:3:p:1206-1233 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. repec:sae:mrxval:v:29:y:1995:i:2_suppl:p:305-338 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Thierry Baudassé & Rémi Bazillier & Ismaël Issifou, 2018. "Migration And Institutions: Exit And Voice (From Abroad)?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 727-766, July.
    5. Adrian Otovescu, 2012. "IDENTITY FEATURES OF ROMANIAN IMMIGRANTS IN ITALY (English version)," Revista Romana de Sociologie, Revista Romana de Sociologie - actualizata si mentinuta de Editura Lumen/ Romanian Journal of Sociology, vol. 5, pages 445-462.
    6. repec:cai:popine:popu_p2000_55n1_0135 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Adrian Otovescu, 2012. "Identity features of the Romanian immigrants from Italy," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 3, pages 441-461.
    8. repec:hal:journl:halshs-01517185 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. MICULAICIUC (HOLOVCSUK) Angelica, 2019. "The Efficiency Of Church Implication In Social Economy," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 52-59, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jorge Delva & Pilar Horner & Ramiro Martinez & Laura Sanders & William D. Lopez & John Doering-white, 2013. "Mental health problems of children of undocumented parents in the united states: A hidden crisis," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 3, pages 25-35.
    2. James E. Payne & James W. Saunoris & Saban Nazlioglu & Russell S. Sobel, 2025. "What factors drive cross-country economic freedom convergence?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 204(3), pages 529-559, September.
    3. Michel Beine & Ilan Noy & Christopher Parsons, 2021. "Climate change, migration and voice," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 1-27, July.
    4. Adam Levai & Riccardo Turati, 2021. "The Impact of Immigration on Workers’ Protection," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2021021, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES), revised 07 Sep 2021.
    5. Fanyu Chen & Zi Wen Vivien Wong & Siong Hook Law, 2024. "Brain drain: what is the role of institutions?," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 51(3), pages 605-628, September.
    6. Meierrieks, Daniel & Auer, Daniel, 2025. "Bribes and Bombs: The Effect of Corruption on Terrorism," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 119(2), pages 670-686, May.
    7. Apostolos Vetsikas & Yeoryios Stamboulis & Vasiliki Georgatzi, 2024. "Exploring the coevolution of heterogeneous actors in national innovation systems: a system dynamics analysis of Finland," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 581-610, October.
    8. Mitra, Aniruddha & Bang, James T. & Abbas, Faisal, 2021. "Do remittances reduce women’s acceptance of domestic violence? Evidence from Pakistan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    9. Ngoc Thi Minh Tran & Michael P. Cameron & Jacques Poot, 2021. "Perception of Institutional Quality Difference and Return Migration Intention: The Case of the Vietnamese Diaspora," RFBerlin Discussion Paper Series 2114, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin).
    10. D. A. Sitkevich, 2023. "Economic and Sociocultural Factors of Migration Attitudes of Residents of the North Caucasus," Regional Research of Russia, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 78-88, December.
    11. Adam Levai & Riccardo Turati, 2025. "International immigration and labor regulation," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 127(4), pages 809-851, October.
    12. Michel Beine & Joël Machado & Ilse Ruyssen, 2020. "Do potential migrants internalize migrant rights in OECD host societies?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(4), pages 1429-1456, November.
    13. Riccardo Turati, 2021. "Do you want to migrate to the United States? Migration intentions and Cultural Traits in Latin America," Working Papers wpdea2101, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    14. Ngoc Thi Minh Tran & Michael P. Cameron & Jacques Poot, 2019. "What are migrants willing to pay for better home country institutions?," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 257-268, December.
    15. Imran Arif, 2020. "The determinants of international migration: Unbundling the role of economic, political and social institutions," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(6), pages 1699-1729, June.
    16. repec:ces:ceswps:_11195 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Beine, Michel & Noy, Ilan & Parsons, Christopher, 2019. "Climate Change, Migration and Voice: An Explanation for the Immobility Paradox," IZA Discussion Papers 12640, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Ngoc Thi Minh Tran & Michael P. Cameron & Jacques Poot, 2022. "Perception of institutional quality differences and intention of migrants to return home: a case study of Vietnamese diaspora," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 213-237, February.
    19. Amanpreet Kaur & Prabhjot Kaur, 2024. "Rethinking International Migration in Punjab: A Push–Pull-Mooring Framework," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 331-358, March.
    20. repec:jpe:journl:1773 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Yang Yang, 2023. "Hukou Identity and Economic Behaviours: A Social Identity Perspective," Erudite Ph.D Dissertations, Erudite, number ph23-02 edited by Catherine Bros & Julie Lochard, December.
    22. Ngoc Thi Minh Tran & Michael P. Cameron & Jacques Poot, 2018. "What are Migrants Willing to Pay for Better Home Country Institutions?: The Case of Viet Nam," Working Papers in Economics 18/10, University of Waikato.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:6:y:2025:i:3:p:123-:d:1739812. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.