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Governance, Theatricality, and Fantasma in Mafia Dance

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Book cover Anthropology, Theatre, and Development

Part of the book series: Anthropology, Change and Development ((ACD))

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Abstract

This chapter endeavours to capture novel ways of thinking about ‘development’ as part of a wider project of exploring how dimensions of time, space, and memory inform and are captured in social performance. With reference to the theatricality of ‘Ndrangheta (Calabrian mafia) dance performances in Reggio Calabria, South Italy, I wish to focus on a specific form of dance whose insertion into a ritualistic1 framework not only works as indigenous schooling of the body (Herzfeld 2003), but demonstrates a specific locus of governance2 materialised in powerful virtual confrontations. In so doing I wish to highlight the manner in which people’s wishes, aspirations, ambitions, and emotions can be materialised on the level of performance. In this sense, performance can provide a rich field for anthropological explorations of people’s own reflections on humanity, sociality, change, and empowerment.

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Authors
  1. Stavroula Pipyrou
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Durham University, UK

    Alex Flynn (British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow) (British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow)

  2. King’s College, UK

    Jonas Tinius (Doctoral Researcher) (Doctoral Researcher)

  3. Division of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge, UK

    Jonas Tinius (Doctoral Researcher) (Doctoral Researcher)

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© 2015 Stavroula Pipyrou

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Pipyrou, S. (2015). Governance, Theatricality, and Fantasma in Mafia Dance. In: Flynn, A., Tinius, J. (eds) Anthropology, Theatre, and Development. Anthropology, Change and Development. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137350602_7

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