New Identities: Bari As a Laboratory City of Social Transformation

The contemporary city represents a dynamic space where processes of social, cultural, and identity transformation intersect, influenced by a plurality of phenomena, including migration. The arrival of new migrant communities profoundly affects both the material and immaterial configuration of cities, enriching the urban fabric with diverse cultural, religious, and gastronomic practices. This contribution aims to investigate the role of the city as a space of negotiation and cultural hybridization, with particular attention to the relationship between immigration, religion, and food.

Immigration transforms the face of cities by introducing new social habits, dietary practices, and religious rituals, creating a mosaic of cultures coexisting within a shared space. In this context, religion plays a crucial role in the identity-building process for migrant communities, serving as an anchor for security and social cohesion.

Simultaneously, food, through its traditional and ritual transformations, evokes memories and traditions, becoming a means through which migrants maintain their identity ties to their homeland while adapting to new urban realities.

The encounter between cuisines, religions, and cultural practices triggers an evolution of the city itself, turning it into a laboratory for social transformation. Ethnic shops, restaurants, and festivals are tangible examples of how the city becomes a fluid space for experimentation and cultural exchange. However, this transformation is not without tensions, posing challenges related to inclusion, coexistence, and the preservation of cultural identities.

This contribution specifically focuses on the city of Bari, the capital of Apulia, which, through the lenses of immigration, religion, and food, emerges as a complex and vital laboratory where the boundaries of citizenship, belonging, and social cohesion are redefined.