Članek na temelju pregleda obstoječe družbenokulturne, ekonomske organiziranosti italijanske narodne skupnosti, njenega pravnega položaja in spreminjajoče se demografske strukture ter analize rezultatov treh empiričnih študij, izvedenih na območju slovenske Istre v obdobju 2000-2002, predstavi družbeno (samo)umestitev pripadnikov italijanske narodne skupnosti. Samoocena položaja pripadnikov italijanske manjšine temelji večinoma na podatkih, pridobljenih z uporabo kvalitativne metodologije raziskovanja (avto-/biografije in polstrukturirani intervjuji), prejeta dognanja pa so ponekod dopolnjena z rezultati kvantitativnih raziskav. Ugotovitve opozarjajo na problematičnost enoznačne ocene družbenega položaja italijanske narodne skupnosti v slovenski Istri, saj se za eksplicitnejšo pozitivno podobo in ugodnim pravnim statusom skrivajo tudi pokroviteljska obravnava in izrazi nezadovoljstva manjšine.Based on the existing socio-cultural and economic organisation of the Italian national community, its legal status and changing demographic structure, and on analyses of results of three empirical studies conducted on the territory of Slovenian Istria from 2000 through 2002, the article aims to present the social (self) placement of members of the Italian national community. The self-evaluation of the status of members of the Italian national community is mostly based on data acquired through the application of qualitative research methodology (auto/biographies and semi-structured interviews). The research findings are also supplemented by the results of quantitative research. Given that an explicitly positive image and favourable legal status conceal a patronising treatment and dissatisfaction occasionally expressed by minority members, the research findings emphasise the problematic nature of any homogeneous evaluation of the social status of the Italian national community in Slovene Istria
