"Godfathers, dark glasses, and pasta": Discussing British perceptions of Italian Mafias

Abstract

This article seeks to discuss British perceptions of Italian Mafias, in par-ticular, those of the academic world, the press and the police. It does not enter into the debate about the definitions of organised crime and Italian Mafias, but draws out their perceptions in the UK. It would appear that the perceptions of Italian Mafias still remain the traditional ones, produced mainly by films, TV series and popular novels. This is a worrying sign because it means that it becomes difficult to see what Italian Mafias are really doing in Europe and the UK.