SGOC STUDYING GROUP ON ORGANISED CRIME https://sgocnet.org Perceptions of Ethnic Albanians in New York City and the Role of Stereotypes in Fostering Social Exclusion and Criminality Original article Perceptions of Ethnic Albanians in New York City and the Role of Stereotypes in Fostering Social Exclusion and Criminality Jane Arsovska and Adriana Michilli* Abstract: In many European Union countries, law enforcement agencies and popular media have depicted ethnic Albanians as “brutal criminals” and a “dangerous breed”. Scholars have claimed that these labeling practices have hindered the social inclusion of Albanians in Western societies, and have fostered Albanian criminality. This research examines whether New York’s media also catalyzes processes of social isolation and deviancy amongst its Albanian migrant population by labeling them as criminals. The conclusions are based on newspaper analysis (1990-2014), focusing on depictions of Albanians in New York newspapers; interviews with non-Albanian population in New York City (N=85); and interviews with ethnic Albanian immigrants, including offenders, in New York City (N=88). Findings revealed that New York’s media is not necessarily influencing Albanian criminality. Keywords: Albanian criminality – organized crime – labelling theory – media – New York – social exclusion – signal crimes *Jana Arsovska is an Assistant Professor at the Sociology Department, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. E-mail:
[email protected] Adriana E. Michilli is a Research Assistant at the Sociology Department, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. E-mail:
[email protected] The European Review of Organised Crime 2(1), 2015, 24-48 ISSN: 2312-1653 © ECPR Standing Group of Organised Crime. 1 / 23 For permissions please email
[email protected] Introduction The role that ethnicity and culture play in shaping American organized crime has long been at the centre of a heated debate among criminologists, sociologists and political scientists.