Abstract
In June 2015, the Italian TV channel Real Time launched a new programme titled Italiani Made in China, which follows the one-month journey to China of six young Chinese-Italians to familiarize with Chinese culture and meet relatives and friends. This article analyses the ways in which this experience is framed for an Italian audience, the selection of the cast and the extent to which Italiani Made in China contributes to the discourse on the presence of the Chinese community in Italy and more broadly on the presence of second generations. The discussion in this article also draws on Twitter, focusing in particular on how the channel’s official account used this medium to shape the reception of the programme. Through the analysis of this TV show, the article examines how elements of ‘Italianness’, or lack thereof, are used to understand and sometimes justify the complex relationship between Italians and Italy’s Chinese community in which the youngest generations of Chinese- Italians play a pivotal role.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 75-92 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Journal of Italian Cinema and Media Studies |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2019 |
Keywords
- Chinese community
- Chinese-italian identity
- Italian tv
- Italiani made in china
- Made in italy
- Reality show
- Second generations