Ethnicity trap and Radicalisation of Oppression: Understanding Membership and Calabrian Identity in the Context of ’Ndrangheta Clans”

• In Event: Criminal Clans: Identity, Gender, and Policy Challenges

Abstract

This paper examines the intricate relationship between the ‘ndrangheta, a prominent family-based criminal organisation from Calabria, Italy, and the broader socio-cultural implications of ethnicity, particularly regarding Calabrian identity within the diaspora. Through a series of case studies, the work highlights how individuals associated with the ‘ndrangheta navigate their identities in both local and transnational contexts. The concept of the "ethnicity trap" is used to explore how ethnic profiling and historical prejudices against Calabrians shape perceptions of criminality and belonging. By proposing analytical tests of membership that consider transculturation, translocality, and the evolving nature of mafia identities, the paper seeks to dismantle oversimplified notions of clan affiliation based on ethnicity and deterministic assumptions about migration. Ultimately, the paper argues for a nuanced understanding of ‘ndrangheta families as a multifaceted units influenced by cultural, social, and historical factors. By challenging the stigmatisation of Calabrians as inherently linked to organised crime, this paper also warns about how such perceptions can influence identities to the point of “radicalisation of oppression", thus facilitating the resilience of the ’ndrangheta.

Author

• Anna Sergi, University of Essex