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“ Look at Me, but Better ”: The Experience of Young NEET Migrant Women between Vulnerability and Stifled Ambitions

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  • Laura Zanfrini

    (Department of Sociology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, L.go Gemelli 1, 20123 Milano, Italy
    Centro di Ricerca WWELL, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, L.go Gemelli 1, 20123 Milano, Italy)

  • Cristina Giuliani

    (Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, L.go Gemelli 1, 20123 Milano, Italy)

Abstract

The experience and the condition of the vulnerability of young immigrant women with NEET status are not acknowledged in both research and social policy. Within the extreme variety gathered under the term NEET, this present article aims at exploring the experience of a group of young non-EU migrant women aged between 18 and 31 living in Italy, who at the time of their participation in this study, were not engaged in education, employment, or training. Nineteen semi-structured interviews have been collected involving young women who migrated from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Morocco, Pakistan, and Tunisia, in most cases through family reunification. Thematic analysis carried out on interview transcripts highlights the complexity and richness of the stories and experiences narrated by participants, composing a heterogeneous group marked by different levels of vulnerability and resilience capabilities, language skills, and involvement in the goal of finding a job. The perception of vulnerability that emerges from the women interviewed refers mainly to the relational dimension of life, which appears to be characterized by loneliness, a sense of isolation, and feelings of extraneousness (not belonging) with respect to an external context. Implications for policies aimed at this specific group of foreign women are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Zanfrini & Cristina Giuliani, 2023. "“ Look at Me, but Better ”: The Experience of Young NEET Migrant Women between Vulnerability and Stifled Ambitions," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-27, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:12:y:2023:i:2:p:110-:d:1074171
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Monica Accordini & Cristina Giuliani & Marialuisa Gennari, 2018. "Migration as a Challenge to Couple Relationships: The Point of View of Muslim Women," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Floro Ernesto Caroleo & Antonella Rocca & Paolo Mazzocchi & Claudio Quintano, 2020. "Being NEET in Europe Before and After the Economic Crisis: An Analysis of the Micro and Macro Determinants," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 991-1024, June.
    3. Cristiano Felaco & Anna Parola, 2022. "Subjective Well-Being and Future Orientation of NEETs: Evidence from the Italian Sample of the European Social Survey," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-13, October.
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