From Sicily to the USA, we explore the origins and spread of the mafia, one of the most studied and discussed phenomena in the history of the island.
“…Tell me if it is possible to imagine the existence of a criminal association so vast and organised, so powerful that it comes to dominate, not only half of Sicily, but even the United States of America; and with a boss who stays here, in Sicily.”
Thus wrote Leonardo Sciascia in 1961, a profound connoisseur of all things Sicilian, and the first person to speak openly of the mafia in a literary text. The mafia is certainly one of the most studied and discussed phenomenon in the history of Sicily.
In our short trip we want to reveal its beginnings; how it spread; and the mechanisms through which it has penetrated the economic, political and social fabric, not only of Sicily, but of the whole of Italy. We will move beyond the clichés, so that we can begin to understand how a small island has produced a phenomenon so big, but where the outlines, even today, are still blurred and obscure.
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