New Books Network Anna Sergi, "How to Recognize the Mafia Abroad: Critical Notes on ‘ndrangheta Mobility" (Policy Press, 2025)
Jan 11, 2026
Anna Sergi, a Professor of Sociology of Law and author specializing in the 'ndrangheta, delves into the global reach of this Calabrian mafia group. She discusses the complexities of recognizing mafia operations overseas, emphasizing the dangers of ethnic labeling. Sergi introduces tools for law enforcement, revealing how mafia families adapt and use technology for intergenerational recruitment. Highlighting the interplay of reputation and violence, she sheds light on cultural transmission practices that sustain mafia influence across borders.
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Mafia Ubiquity Framework
- Mafia ubiquity reframes organized crime by focusing on the person rather than only crimes or routes.
- It combines transnationalism, translocalism, and transculturation to capture mobility, stability, and cultural clashes.
Ethnicity Is A Risky Shortcut
- Ethnicity is a trap that creates deterministic imageries linking entire populations to mafias.
- Use ethnicity only to interpret cultural peculiarities, never as sole proof of membership.
Resentment Drives Recruitment
- Radicalized resentment explains why mafias recruit and persist beyond pure criminal opportunity.
- That resentment travels across diasporas via family ties, expanding influence abroad.
