CU/LT 328 - Investigating the Mafia in Literature, Cinema and Media

The Mafia and the Italian State originated in the same period, the end of the 19th century, and from then on their histories have always been closely related. From Sicily, the “octopus” (piovra), as the Mafia is called in Italy, has spread throughout Italy, and has pervaded almost every facet of Italian life, including cultural life. It has exerted an enormous appeal on literature, cinema and the media in general. This course presents a selection of the long-standing tradition of fiction and non-fiction texts that scrutinizes the Mafia from distinct intellectual and creative angles of vision. The selection of novels, films, testimonies and TV series will offer different representations of the Mafia: its ethics; its relation with politics, religion and business; its ideas of friendship, family, masculinity and femininity. It will challenge some of the clichés around the Mafia and will offer interesting insights on the Italian cultural identity. A section will be dedicated to the Mafia in Milano.