Blitz, Brad; (2010) Fractured Lives and Grim Expectations: Freedom of Movement and the Downgrading of Status in the Italian University System. Bulletin of Italian Politics , 2 (2) pp. 123-140.

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Abstract

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has on numerous occasions concluded that EU nationals have not been treated fairly when they have competed for jobs outside their home states, even after many years of residence. Recent judgments issued by the Court illustrate that this is not simply a problem for recent members but also for some of the founding member states. This article examines a well-documented case of nationality-based discrimination against foreign language university teachers in Italy, known as the lettori. It describes how the lettori were discriminated against and declassified over several years, and draws upon semi-structured interviews and focus groups with lettori (n=21) conducted over a two-year period, from 2005-2007 to chart the social distance created between the lettori and their Italian colleagues. The article concludes that that the reliance on courts and European institutions to adjudicate over employment matters in the Italian higher education sector exposes the lack of effective mechanisms to resolve labour disputes and further calls into question the promise of free movement and respect for other EU norms, including the prohibition against discrimination on the basis of nationality.

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