Projecting Borders across the Atlantic : The Case of Italy from a Latin American Perspective

The chapter aims to offer an overview of the Italian border system, with some insights from a Latin American perspective and in the context of a broader, global understanding. To do so, it focuses on the evolution of Italian borders, on the characteristics of a multifunctional country and on the global projection of several illegal activities that connect Italy and Latin America. Special attention is devoted to the Italian and European Union approach to migrant smuggling, moving from the idea of a deep – albeit often implicit – connection between what is happening in the Mediterranean and the current Latin American situation. Ultimately, the chapter is based on the assumption that the construction of an analytical relationship with external cases may enrich the scope and the reach of the understanding of the Latin American border system and the illegal activities that move across it.