Resistance to the Mafia: The Emergence and Role of an Autonomous Subgroup of Civil Society in Southern Italy

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Published: Dec 27, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/npse.40679
Keywords:
Italy Civil Society Anti-Mafia Movements Social Capital
Ioannis Mpozios
Department of Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Hellenic Association of Political Scientists, Athens, Greece.
Abstract

This study aims to highlight key aspects of the Italian civil society's involvement in the fight against the Mafia. It explores the existence of a distinctive subgroup of civil society in southern Italy, dedicated to combating the Mafia through both conventional and unconventional actions. Moreover, it investigates whether these groups form a separate segment of civil society with unique characteristics, and identifies the underlying causes of their emergence in the region. The research builds on existing studies of these groups and the area, as well as literature on social movements and civil society. The findings suggest that these groups constitute an autonomous subgroup of civil society, shaped by the problem of organized crime and the state's inadequate response.

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