Intergenerational and technological changes in mafia-type groups: a transcultural research agenda to study the ‘ndrangheta and its mobility

Abstract

Mafia-type groups are increasingly mobile in their structures and in their activities. We propose here to revive cultural studies on mafias and organised crime by critically introducing insights from research on transculturation into mafia mobility studies. Transculturation helps understand how cultures stratify and engage with existing power imbalances in the host countries, within migration setting. We argue that transcultural transformations—primarily in the field of technology and intergenerational changes—have the potential to influence the resilience of mafia groups abroad. With the case of the ‘ndrangheta in mind—and using preliminary data from Operation Eureka (2023) to support our argument—we set a research agenda for three sub-themes of critical social science research into transculturation and mobility of mafia-type organised crime. This research agenda is adequate to study the mobility of mafia-groups, but will have the potential to influence research on mafias more generally.