‘Parli l’italiano?’: Revealing hierarchies of non-citizenship in judicial practices through the lens of language proficiency
September 1st, 2025
We would like to highlight the article ‘Parli l’italiano?’: Revealing hierarchies of non-citizenship in judicial practices through the lens of language proficiency, published in the journal Theoretical Criminology and written by Eleonora Di Molfetta.
The article examines the impact of language barriers faced by non-citizens in institutional contexts, with particular focus on Italian criminal courts. Drawing on a year-long ethnography, the author shows how the limited language proficiency of foreign defendants influences judicial practices, discourses, and attitudes towards them. Adopting an intersectional perspective, and placing discursivity at the center as a locus of power, the article highlights the interplay between language, citizenship, nationality, ethnicity, and social class, concluding that these factors contribute to reinforcing hierarchies of non-citizenship and systemic inequalities.
To read the article, please refer to the following link.