Il cosmopolitismo dei giovani alla prova delle crisi. Attitudini cosmopolite e sentimenti di appartenenza nei giovani europei

Since 2008, European societies have experienced multiple and prolonged crises, the negative effects of which have mainly impacted young people. Based on data from three waves of the European Values Study (1999, 2008, 2017) this essay analyses whether, among these effects, there is a deterioration of “cosmopolitan openness” in young people in terms of attitude and sense of belonging. Proceeding from a perspective of “social cosmopolitanism” along two lines of inquiry, the essay first analyses whether and how the crises have altered young people’s attitudes of openness and sense of belonging, and if such effects differ between European countries. The second line of inquiry explores the link between these two dimensions of cosmopolitan openness and the characteristics of the young people, with particular attention to the Italian case. The research reveals the presence of internal fractures within this segment of the population with regard to young people’s ways of relating to diversity and negotiating belonging, which schisms recent crises are found to have further strengthened.