Identità nazionale e globalizzazione. il caso italiano

The world is again undergoing a great transformation which is affecting national identities. The market economy and information technology are now linking the entire planet in an unprecedented way. New trade circuits, no longer under the control of public authorities, are altering local cultures. Traditional institutions like the state, religious organizations, political parties, the family and even the ways of making a living are changing everywhere. Some countries are losing inhabitants while others are gaining them. Some countries are rising in international ranking tables; others are losing ground. Italy is in an intermediate position. It is higher than other countries in some fields and is backward in others, but stands out for its resilience. Italy encompasses conflicting attitudes which is probably because it was a nation long before being politically united. Some of its fundamental features can be traced back many centuries and have not been entirely modified by time. Deeply rooted values like family, its economic self-sufficiency and its social distinction are very ancient. In the same way, blood-ties, corporative bonds, territorial differences and the state weakness are firmly established and distinctive characters coming from the past. Not surprisingly suggestions for present day situation show similarity to a literature dating back two hundred and fifty years, to the time before Italy was politically unified.