Christina Jerne, "Opposition by Imitation: The Economics of Italian Anti-Mafia Activism" (U Minnesota Press, 2025)

Nov 19, 2025

Christina Jerne, an associate professor specializing in economic sociology, dives into the unique world of Italian anti-mafia activism. Her research reveals how ordinary citizens are challenging mafia control by creating alternative economies and using business tactics for social change. She highlights the historical roots of activism, the impact of high-profile assassinations in the '90s, and innovative approaches like critical tourism. Jerne emphasizes the power of mimetic opposition, urging listeners to reflect on their roles in oppressive systems and consider transformative actions.

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INSIGHT

Mafia-Free Products Sparked The Inquiry

Christina Jerne discovered a supermarket pasta labeled “100% mafia free,” which led her to study businesses refusing mafia ties.
She found diverse enterprises—food, waste, libraries—creating alternative, mafia-free livelihoods.

INSIGHT

Mafia As Paralegal Governance

Jerne treats mafia as a paralegal governance that uses legal institutions to enforce power beyond mere criminal groups.
This broader definition helps explain oppressive relationships that mimic mafia practices globally.

ANECDOTE

Peasant Revolts Laid Early Roots

Early anti-mafia mobilizations started in the late 19th century as peasant revolts against feudal intermediaries called Gabelotti.
Workers formed leagues and proto-cooperatives to bypass exploitative middlemen and claim produce surplus.

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For more than 150 years, Italy has been home to a resilient and evolving resistance against the pervasive influence of mafias. While these criminal organizations are renowned for their vast international business enterprises, the collective actions taken to oppose them are less known. In Opposition by Imitation: The Economics of Italian Anti-Mafia Activism (U Minnesota Press, 2025), Dr. Christina Jerne explores anti-mafia activism, revealing how ordinary people resist, counter, and prevent criminal economies from proliferating.

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork among anti-mafia alliances in Campania, Sicily, and other parts of Italy, Dr. Jerne details a particular aspect of mafia activities: providing cash relief and other forms of patronage to individuals and groups. Her research shows how activism has evolved to imitate this sustaining role. Activists are increasingly challenging mafia control both by creating alternative economies—from producing food that interrupts mafia labor practices to organizing tourism that supports anti-mafia hospitality—and by subversively adopting business tactics similar to the mafia’s to compete with their social influence and legitimacy. Exposing the political implications of this mimetic opposition, Dr. Jerne points to its potential impact on crime prevention and criminalization, both in Italy and globally.

Opposition by Imitation shows how these modern-day Robin Hoods are redefining collective action, taking what was controlled by the mafias and returning it to the collective. This contentious economic turn, against the backdrop of broader social movements, reveals significant political possibilities afforded by imitative opposition.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.

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