Abstract
Although Italy is a country with a strong tradition of emigration, only in the last twenty-five years have Italians had to face new and pressing social, juridical and cultural problems related to a surge in immigration. The majority of immigrants during this period have been from areas steeped in with a Muslim majority such as Northern and Central Africa and the Middle East. The cultural encounter between the Italian Catholic tradition and the newcomers’ faith and customs has been very pronounced, and often problematic. The aim of this paper is to investigate the most relevant issues that arise from the interface between the cultural and legal aspects of Islamic culture pertaining to immigrants living in Italy with the Italian legal system. The areas considered are related to self-determination, personal integrity and family law, and were selected for their relevance to analyzing the impact of cultural differences on public policies and social behavior. The methodology used draws from both a comparative and a multidisciplinary approach.
