From mass unemployment to mass underemployment

The article brings into focus the changes that have taken place in Italy and Europe in the last twenty years. In Italy unemployment rates have decreased in the last 12 years while the political orientation of the government has changed several times. The article underlines that a decline in job quality and increase in insecure employment are also to be seen in all the countries due to labour policies aiming at greater flexibility. Within this framework the immigrant labour force is playing an important role. Finally, the article points that in some areas - such as the Italian Mezzogiorno, the least developed area of the country - high unemployment rates persist as well as low rates of female participation.