Mafia Politics

This book offers a new perspective on the Mafia by viewing it as a distinct form of politics, rather than just a criminal organization. It argues that the Mafia represents an alternative way of organizing political relations, the exercise of power, and the struggle for prestige. It is not a distortion or failure of the modern Western state but an older, alternative tradition of politics that thrives among subaltern classes and in regions that the modern state has not yet incorporated. A cultural sociology of the Mafia is provided to help understand its symbolism and structures.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 17 December 2021
Publisher: Polity Press

This groundbreaking book delves into a profound and original analysis of the Mafia, particularly focusing on Cosa Nostra, as a distinct form of politics. Marco Santoro challenges conventional perspectives that view the Mafia as merely an industry of private protection and rational wealth accumulation. Instead, he presents a compelling argument that the Mafia represents an alternative approach to organizing political relations, exercising power, and vying for prestige. It is important to note that this interpretation does not constitute a distortion or failure of the modern Western state, based on the rule of law. Rather, the Mafia can be understood as an older, alternative tradition of politics, a distinct Southern institutional arrangement of social life that emphasizes personal ties and obligations.

Today, the Mafia continues to thrive among subaltern classes and in regions that the modern state has yet to incorporate. It serves as a conservative counter-politics of prestige, offering a sense of identity and power to those who are marginalized by mainstream society. To fully comprehend this world, a cultural sociology of the Mafia is essential. Santoro employs a diverse range of theoretical strands, alongside folk sources and the voices of Mafiosi themselves, to develop a political theory of the Mafia. Through this approach, he sheds new light on this captivating, global, and remarkably resilient phenomenon, offering insights that are both thought-provoking and deeply informative.

Weight: 506g
Dimension: 177 x 230 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780745670683