The 'Ndrangheta's State Capture: Media Narratives and Perceptions

Panel: Mafiocracy: state capture by organised crime Title: The 'Ndrangheta's State Capture: Media Narratives and Perceptions Author: Grazia Enerina Pisano Affiliation: University of Perugia Abstract: The “Crimine-Infinito” (2010), “Aemilia” (2015) and “Gotha” (2021) trials revealed the 'Ndrangheta's chameleon-like presence within the legal economy and the public sector, from health to political institutions. For decades, the power and presence of the Calabrian mafia was underestimated due to its strategic approach, which stimulated the colonisation of new territories not traditionally occupied by the mafia, making it the most powerful Italian “glocal” mafia, in both global and local terms. Unlike the Cosa Nostra and the Camorra, which have been brought to the public's attention by the dramatic events of the last century and by successful films and television series, the 'Ndrangheta has always preferred the path of business. Through the role of white-collar crime and corrupt politics, the 'Ndrangheta managed to penetrate the legal sector of the Italian State. Based on a topic modelling analysis of Italian newspapers, this paper examines storytelling to explore the narratives surrounding the 'Ndrangheta's state capture, through an analysis of Italian newspapers and selected case studies from journalistic coverage. It examines how these episodes are narrated, the language used, and the characters involved. The study analyzes the perception of the organization and the role of the media in shaping the collective imagination of the Calabrian mafia.