Durham E-Theses TERRONI AND POLENTONI: WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LIE? AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ETHNICITY IN PALERMO (SICILY), ITALY. PARDALIS, STERGIOS How to cite: PARDALIS, STERGIOS (2009) TERRONI AND POLENTONI: WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LIE? AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ETHNICITY IN PALERMO (SICILY), ITALY. , Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/289/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 TERRONI AND POLENTONI: WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LIE? AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ETHNICITY IN PALERMO (SICILY), ITALY. A THESIS SUBMITTED IN DECEMBER 2009 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HEALTH OF DURHAM UNIVERSITY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY Stergios Pardalis Stergios Pardalis: ‘Terroni and Polentoni: Where Does the Truth Lie? An Anthropology of Social Networks and Ethnicity in Palermo (Sicily), Italy. Abstract In this thesis, I argue that while Palermo and Sicily, must be understood in the context of both Mediterranean and Italian ethnography, the unique factors which lead to the subordinate economic position of Sicily have also resulted in distinct ethnic and identity politics. Ultimately, however, I suggest that the reduction of importance of the Italian nation-state, in relation to the emerging supra European Union state, renders much of Palermitan distinctiveness less relevant both economically and culturally. Although Italy’s North/South division is primarily based on economic criteria, the transformation of the poor economic conditions of the Italian south into a cultural issue helps perpetuate stereotypes which fuels tensions between the North and the South. Recent ethnic conflicts in Europe, as well as conflict over European Union expansion, have questioned the stability of national borders and have rendered research on national identity both timely and necessary. This anthropological study, carried out in Palermo, the capital of the autonomous region of Sicily, precisely addresses processes of national integration by critically assessing concepts and topics which have marked the anthropology of the Mediterranean. In addition to providing an ethnographic contribution of the particularities of Palermitan ethnic and identity construction, this thesis aims to deconstruct stereotypes that misrepresent Sicilian society. Palermo and its residents are shaped through relationships of unequal power between the centre and the periphery. Sicily’s integration into the European Union, paradoxically, appears to resolve several ongoing issues of national integration. One of the principle conceptual tropes of Mediterranean anthropology has been the honour/shame debates popular from the 1960s. I argue that while such debates have served a variety of fruitful purposes, they neglect the complexities of contemporary Sicily. Instead, I concentrate on the conceptual cluster of honour, the family, social networks and power, as the means by which different levels of society interact, in order to better explain the dynamic relationship between local and national identity. I examine the ways in which the local and the national contrast with one another and how out of such contrasts emerges an identifiable Sicilian, if not Palermitan, identity. The thesis is based on data produced during extended field research in Palermo from April 2005 until August 2006 as well as brief subsequent visits in 2008. i TERRONI AND POLENTONI: WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LIE? AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ETHNICITY IN PALERMO (SICILY), ITALY. A THESIS SUBMITTED IN DECEMBER 2009 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HEALTH OF DURHAM UNIVERSITY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY Stergios Pardalis DURHAM UNIVERSITY ii CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... i LIST OF MAPS ……………………………………………………………….............. vii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS …………………………………………………............... vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. ix 1. EXORDIUM …………………………………………………………………….. 1.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………... 1 1.2 An Overview……………………………………………………………………….. 6 1.3 Identity……………………………………………………………………………... 12 1.4 Ethnicity……………………………………………………………………………. 17 1.5 Anthropology of the Mediterranean……………………………………………….. 24 1.6 Power………………………………………………………………………………. 28 2 HISTORY, POLITICS, AND DEMOGRAPHICS …………………………....... 2.1 The Italian Unification and the North/South Division…………………………….. 33 2.2 Current Italian and Sicilian Governing Systems……………................................... 35 2.3 Demographics…………………………………………………............................... 40 2.4 Physical Environment and Economy……………………………………................. 41 2.5 Palermo in History……………………………………………................................ 42 2.6 Literature on the Area of Interest………………………………………………….. 47 2.7 Regional Identity and Local Characteristics………………………………............. 49 iii 3 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………................ 3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………........................... 53 3.2 Methods……………………………………………………………………............. 55 3.3 Interviewing…………………………………………………………....................... 57 3.4 Photo Elicitation………………………………………………................................ 58 3.5 Press and Media Analysis………………………………………………................. 58 3.6 Archival Research…………………………………………………………............. 59 3.7 Ethical Considerations…………………………………………………….............. 59 4 HONOUR TO THE FORE …………………………………………………......... 4.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………............ 61 4.1 Seminal Anthropological Work…………………………………………………...... 64 4.2 The Anthropology of the Mediterranean and the Issue of Honour…………............ 72 4.3 Critique and Synthesis………………………………………………………........... 75 4.4 Egalitarianism Questioned…………………………………………………............ 77 4.5 Mediterranean Shortcomings and Contradictions……………………………......... 80 4.6 From Theory to Practice………………………………………................................ 85 5 A CONTESTED ANALYSIS OF HONOUR …………………………………… 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 90 5.2 Local Definitions…………………………………………………………………... 91 5.3 ‘Parola d’ Onore!’ (My Word of Honour)………………………………………… 95 5.4 Images and Reflections, Private and Public Mirrors……………………………… 99 5.5 Changes in the Last Decades……………………………………………………… 103 5.6 Living an Honourable Life………………………………………………………… 107 iv 5.7 A ‘Personal’ Perception of Honour……………………………………………….. 110 5.8 Some ‘Grey’ Areas………………………………………………………………… 116 5.9 ‘Bastardi’ and ‘Ignoranti’ vs ‘Belli’ and ‘Furbi’..................................................... 120 6 THE FAMILY ………………………………………………………………..... 6.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………… 127 6.2 Literature Review………………………………………………………………… 138 6.3 Reflections on the Family………………………………………………………... 141 6.4 Access to Family………………………………………………………………..... 145 6.5 The Ethics of Admission………………………………………………………….. 148 6.6 Common Destiny versus Independence………………………………………….. 151 6.7 The Palermitans’ Family Stereotype…………………………………………….. 156 6.8 Between Parallels and Perpendiculars………………………………………….. 160 6.9 The Value of the Family………………………………………………………….. 164 6.10 Changes in Economy and Sex Roles……………………………………………… 168 7 THE PALERMITAN ‘FAMILY-CENTRED’PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL NETWORKS …… 7.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………… 176 7.2 The Family and Social Networks…………………………………………………... 180 7.3 From Egalitarianism to the Class System………………………………………….. 184 7.4 Neighbourhood, Class and Social Networks………………………………………. 189 7.5 The Centro Storico…………………………………………………………………. 191 7.6 The Sant Onofrio Neighbourhood………………………………………………….. 194 7.7 A Posh Neighbourhood…………………………………………………………….. 196 7.8 Friends……………………………………………………………………………… 199 v 8 MARKERS AND MANIFESTATIONS OF IDENTITY ………………………. 8.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………....................... 208 8.2 The Insiders’ View…………………………………………………………………. 213 8.3 The Sicilian Boundaries from Two Different Perspectives....................................... 218 8.4 Contents of Boundaries, Meanings and Feelings...................................................... 223 8.5 Playing Roles: Stability and Simultaneity…………………………………………. 227 8.6 ‘Sicilia Indipendente, Sicilia Nazione’…………………………………………….. 232 8.7 The Police as an Oppressive Force………………………………………………... 237 8.8 The Mayor as a Symbol of ‘Palermitaness’……………………………………….. 241 8.9 Santa Rosalia………………………………………………………………………. 245 8.10 Food and Identity, Bread