Abstract

This essay explores the genesis and internal structure of a system of sexual stratification developed by a group of female migrants from former Soviet territories - particularly Ukraine and Moldova - in a medium-sized city of North-Eastern Italy. Based on ethnographic data collected over more than a decade - covering the time from their arrival to the attainment of a relatively permanent settlement - the essay highlights the importance of the regulation of sexual desirability in shaping the women's migration experiences. The paper shows how the organization of such a system is based on the erotization not only of individual attributes, but also on the membership in certain ascriptive categories (especially «ethnic-racial» ones) and on the control of resources with relational potential.