Destabilising Paradise: Men, Women and Mafiosi: Sicilian Stereotypes

Abstract

Whilst Sicily, the place, has been described as a “terrestrial paradise”, Sicilians have been more negatively stereotyped, not only within Italy, but also globally. This paper, with its focus on filmic representations, argues that stereotyping of Sicilians, for an Italian as well as a global audience, allows space for destabilising characteristics, such as criminality, to be both contained and explored. It proposes that these stereotypes illustrate the ascendancy of audience need and expectations over any hegemonic intent in media representations and that their survival is embedded in aesthetic pleasure, which is partly fuelled by a sense of exotic difference.

Keywords:

• Stereotypes
• Film
• Sicily
• Sicilian
• Mafiosi
• Masculinity

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth Hart

Elizabeth Hart has taught film studies at the University of Central Lancashire since 1987. Her particular area of research is Italian film with a specific interest in regionalism. Between 1992 and 2002 her work was in Education management as Head of the School of Communications and Media at Preston College. During this period she also worked as a producer on a series of videos for educational satellite, SOBA