Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MessCa (The Messina Case: Mafia-type Organised Crime in the Province of Messina)
Reporting period: 2018-10-01 to 2020-09-30
The action MessCa: “The Messina case: mafia-type organised crime in the province of Messina” is a research project aimed at investigating mafia presence and activity in the territory of Messina, in North-Eastern Sicily. This is a province that, historically, has been considered “babba” (dull), in other words, immune from mafia reach. Recent parliamentary inquiries and judicial investigations, however, tell a different story, exposing the steady presence of mafia groups in the area since the early 1970s. Despite its presence being ascertained at judicial level, the mafia in the province of Messina has long been underestimated by state authorities, public opinion and scholarly literature on the mafia. Consequently, different criminal organisations have been able to operate undisturbed in this area for decades, providing safe hideouts for mafia bosses on the run, infiltrating the legal economy by establishing relations with external economic and political actors. Above all, they have envisaged an unusual system of control of territory based on the harmonious sharing of businesses and profits, rather than on direct conflict. Therefore, this understudied heterogeneous context has offered the Fellow a novel ground for analysis of mafia behaviour in a less traditional area of settlement.
Main questions underpinning this project are:
• Why has the Province of Messina been underestimated for such a long time?
• How is the Messina mafia organized and what is its modus operandi?
• How can we study a context where interests from various mafia groups coexist?
• Can we trace this mafia back in the late 19th century, as is the case for the well-studied province of Palermo?
MessCa has aimed to fill the gaps in existing knowledge by examining the history, structure, and activities of mafia groups in Messina from a transdisciplinary perspective. It has combined historical and sociological insights with a largely novel set of archival documents, legal papers, parliamentary reports and in-depth interviews with Antimafia Prosecutors, whilst also exploring possible actions and policy recommendation. One important aim for this research is to increase public awareness of the subject studied, given its traditional underestimation.
Main questions underpinning this project are:
• Why has the Province of Messina been underestimated for such a long time?
• How is the Messina mafia organized and what is its modus operandi?
• How can we study a context where interests from various mafia groups coexist?
• Can we trace this mafia back in the late 19th century, as is the case for the well-studied province of Palermo?
MessCa has aimed to fill the gaps in existing knowledge by examining the history, structure, and activities of mafia groups in Messina from a transdisciplinary perspective. It has combined historical and sociological insights with a largely novel set of archival documents, legal papers, parliamentary reports and in-depth interviews with Antimafia Prosecutors, whilst also exploring possible actions and policy recommendation. One important aim for this research is to increase public awareness of the subject studied, given its traditional underestimation.
The action was organized around 5 work packages (WPs). WP1 ran throughout the 24 months-project, entailing a regular review of research management and progress, career development plan (CDP) and contingencies issues evaluation liaising with the project mentor and a number of external advisors.
WP2 focused on tracing mafia presence in 19th century Messina, while acquiring new skills in different research methodologies. As there was no existing literature on the topic, in order to seek data from such an earlier period, lengthy archival research was conducted at the Regional Libraries in Messina and Palermo, the Tribunal historical archive, the State Archives in Rome, Messina, Palermo, Agrigento and Trapani, the Prefecture Archive in Palermo, and at the National Newspapers library in Florence. The search was successful and the quantity and relevance of data unearthed was unexpected, resulting in the delivery of 1 keynote, 3 conference and 3 seminar presentations, as well as in 1 conference proceedings volume and 1 journal manuscript both in preparation, and 1 monograph underway.
WP3 focused particularly on understanding the organisation and workings of mafia networks in Messina today. Most judicial reports on Messina mafia activities from 1990s to present day were collected ahead of schedule. Also, in this phase, the Fellow began building relations with prominent antimafia Prosecutors who would then become an integral part of the action. Not only did State authorities make relevant judicial materials available, they also contributed with recorded interviews and more informal meetings to discuss the research findings at different stages of the project. These ongoing collaborations have resulted in an important body of data to achieve the objects of this study, particularly in relation to gaining an up-to-date overview on mafia activities and clan distributions in the province of Messina, including the role of women in mafia crime.
In WP4, an extensive literature review was carried out to gain an understanding of existing theoretical debates and approaches in the study of organized crime of mafia-type, and to test their validity on the Messina case. This has allowed the Fellow to embed her investigation in an analytical framework focused on the methods and questions of historical and sociological enquiry into mafia organised crime. It also led the Fellow to develop a theoretical framework around the notion of “arena” as a “space of discourse and action” where relations and negotiations of power take place. This novel conceptual framework has potential utility in understanding the different dynamics through which Italian mafias, amd organised crime in general - are able to adapt to wider political and social processes of transformation. This framework has since been presented at a number of dissemination events including the international general conference held in Messina in September 2021 which concluded the MessCa action and reunited most prominent state authorities, scholars and practitioners in the field, attracting also a large in person and virtual audience.
WP5 has been dedicated primarily to disseminating research findings via different routes, including the advancement of scientific publications, the promotion of the action via social networks and interviews with renowned international newspapers.
WP2 focused on tracing mafia presence in 19th century Messina, while acquiring new skills in different research methodologies. As there was no existing literature on the topic, in order to seek data from such an earlier period, lengthy archival research was conducted at the Regional Libraries in Messina and Palermo, the Tribunal historical archive, the State Archives in Rome, Messina, Palermo, Agrigento and Trapani, the Prefecture Archive in Palermo, and at the National Newspapers library in Florence. The search was successful and the quantity and relevance of data unearthed was unexpected, resulting in the delivery of 1 keynote, 3 conference and 3 seminar presentations, as well as in 1 conference proceedings volume and 1 journal manuscript both in preparation, and 1 monograph underway.
WP3 focused particularly on understanding the organisation and workings of mafia networks in Messina today. Most judicial reports on Messina mafia activities from 1990s to present day were collected ahead of schedule. Also, in this phase, the Fellow began building relations with prominent antimafia Prosecutors who would then become an integral part of the action. Not only did State authorities make relevant judicial materials available, they also contributed with recorded interviews and more informal meetings to discuss the research findings at different stages of the project. These ongoing collaborations have resulted in an important body of data to achieve the objects of this study, particularly in relation to gaining an up-to-date overview on mafia activities and clan distributions in the province of Messina, including the role of women in mafia crime.
In WP4, an extensive literature review was carried out to gain an understanding of existing theoretical debates and approaches in the study of organized crime of mafia-type, and to test their validity on the Messina case. This has allowed the Fellow to embed her investigation in an analytical framework focused on the methods and questions of historical and sociological enquiry into mafia organised crime. It also led the Fellow to develop a theoretical framework around the notion of “arena” as a “space of discourse and action” where relations and negotiations of power take place. This novel conceptual framework has potential utility in understanding the different dynamics through which Italian mafias, amd organised crime in general - are able to adapt to wider political and social processes of transformation. This framework has since been presented at a number of dissemination events including the international general conference held in Messina in September 2021 which concluded the MessCa action and reunited most prominent state authorities, scholars and practitioners in the field, attracting also a large in person and virtual audience.
WP5 has been dedicated primarily to disseminating research findings via different routes, including the advancement of scientific publications, the promotion of the action via social networks and interviews with renowned international newspapers.
Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Fellow exceeded most goals by engaging, in total, in over 25 public engagement activities. She published two manuscripts which, though stemming from research prior to the action, contribuited to building its theoretical approach. She also finalised a monograph for publication with Carocci Publishers and drafted a manuscript for publication in the high-impact Modern Italy journal.
Overall, this MSCA has contributed to scholarly and general public knowledge around mafia-type organized crime in Messina in numerous different ways. Firstly, it has shed new light on a previously underestimated context and on the movement of the Messina mafia abroad. Thirdly, the range of dissemination events organized in the 24 months of research activity has allowed the Fellow to establish herself as an expert on the subject and to consolidate a network of cross-sector collaboration with academics, practitioners and law enforcement agents. Such synergy is paramount in the study of a complex phenomenon like the Italian mafias. This network is aimed at engaging in a regular reflection on new ways of understanding mafia behaviour, with a view to explore possible policy recommendations, including knowledge-based policies at EU level.
This MSCA-IF has also allowed the Fellow to be trained in the historical methods and theories in which she previously lacked expertise, with the result of being awarded the title of “cultrice della materia” (expert in the field of Contemporary History) required to teach and examine undergraduate and postgraduate students. She participated fully in the vibrant community of the department of Political and Juridical Sciences, benefitting from the research expertise of her mentor, other staff, international partnerships and formative training activities.
Overall, this MSCA has contributed to scholarly and general public knowledge around mafia-type organized crime in Messina in numerous different ways. Firstly, it has shed new light on a previously underestimated context and on the movement of the Messina mafia abroad. Thirdly, the range of dissemination events organized in the 24 months of research activity has allowed the Fellow to establish herself as an expert on the subject and to consolidate a network of cross-sector collaboration with academics, practitioners and law enforcement agents. Such synergy is paramount in the study of a complex phenomenon like the Italian mafias. This network is aimed at engaging in a regular reflection on new ways of understanding mafia behaviour, with a view to explore possible policy recommendations, including knowledge-based policies at EU level.
This MSCA-IF has also allowed the Fellow to be trained in the historical methods and theories in which she previously lacked expertise, with the result of being awarded the title of “cultrice della materia” (expert in the field of Contemporary History) required to teach and examine undergraduate and postgraduate students. She participated fully in the vibrant community of the department of Political and Juridical Sciences, benefitting from the research expertise of her mentor, other staff, international partnerships and formative training activities.