Theoretical Reference Points

Abstract

This chapter provides a discussion of the theoretical reference points for this study. The first theoretical reference point attempts to interpret the positions of social actors—as Australian individuals originating from Calabria in Italy—in their ethnic perceptions (of being in the world). Specifically, I draw upon Sayad’s (The suffering of the immigrant. Polity Press, Cambridge, 2004) concept of double absence and De Martino’s (Morte e pianto rituale: Dal lamento funebre antico al pianto di Maria. Boringhieri, Turin, 1975) crisi di presenza (crisis of presence). While Sayad (The suffering of the immigrant. Polity Press, Cambridge, 2004) enables me to reflect on the perceptions of the presence of immigrants (and their children) when ‘thrown into the world’ of the receiving society, De Martino (Morte e pianto rituale: Dal lamento funebre antico al pianto di Maria. Boringhieri, Turin, 1975) permits me to contextualise their cultural practices and the influence of mainstream society. The De Martinian discourse is complemented by Gramsci’s (I quaderni del carcere. Einaudi, Turin, 1975) socio-political theory of cultural hegemony. The second theoretical reference point draws upon Bourdieu’s (Outline of a theory of practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1977; Handbook of theory and research in the sociology of education. Greenwood Press, New York, pp. 241–258, 1986) notions of capital and his theory of practice (specifically the concept of habitus), partially complemented by symbolic anthropology, which is crucial to provide further reflexivity that takes into account symbols, meanings and performances. While the conceptual apparatus of capital permits me to acknowledge the existence of different resources employed by individuals to affirm and construct ethnic identities, the notion of habitus is instrumental for analysing the dynamics of transmission.