Anthropology of the Mediterranean

This course delves into the anthropological study of the Mediterranean and its historical redefinition as a transnational space in constant flux. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Analyze the geopolitical and anthropological factors that have shaped the Mediterranean's image as a "cultural area" since the post-World War II era;
• Understand the socio-cultural transformations defining the Mediterranean today, with a focus on its local, regional, national, and transnational dimensions;
• Critically evaluate the perspectives of classical and contemporary anthropology on the "Southern Question";
• Master and apply ethnographic research methods and techniques in real-world contexts in Sicily.

The lessons will alternate between traditional sessions focused on theoretical topics and interactive sessions, where the class will engage with the assigned readings and anthropological research methods. These interactive sessions will also include group presentations and discussions, fieldwork excursions, and collaborative research projects.

Information for students with disabilities and/or special needs:
To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current regulations, students with special needs are encouraged to request an individual meeting to discuss the most suitable ways to meet the course objectives. They can also contact the CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or Learning Disabilities) representative in our department.

The Mediterranean is not just a sea: it is a complex system of symbols, a repository of myths, and an imaginative horizon, particularly in the Western context. But can we really speak of a "Mediterranean culture" that distinguishes this area from others? Starting from this central question, the course will explore the fractures and contradictions surrounding the idea of the Mediterranean in anthropology, highlighting both the effects of the “orientalization” of Mediterranean populations and the new internal imaginaries that are deeply tied to the region.

After a series of introductory lectures, the course will be structured into three modules.

• In the first module, we will delve into the debate surrounding the category of the Mediterranean. Through the reading of short essays, we will trace the reasons behind the emergence of a branch of anthropology dedicated to the Mediterranean in the second half of the 20th century and follow its development up to the present day.
• In the second module, students will have the opportunity to analyze an ethnographic monograph chosen from a list proposed by the professor. The selected monographs cover various classic themes and research areas within Mediterranean anthropology: from the study of popular religion to the exploration of dynamics such as “honor and shame,” as well as topics like kinship, clientelism, and heritagization processes. For students who wish to do so, it will also be possible to present the monograph in class, organizing into small groups..
• Finally, the third module will allow the class to participate in a research experience guided by the professor. A field site near the university will be chosen to experiment with anthropological research methods and approaches. At the end of the fieldwork, students will be divided into small groups to prepare a final report on the experience. Non-attending students will instead be required to prepare a second monograph, which they can select from the course reading list.

In addition to the manual on cultural anthropology (necessary only for those without a basic background in anthropology), the program includes the following texts, which are listed by module:

FIRST MODULE: The following readings for the first module are mandatory for all students (both attending and non-attending):

• D. Albera, A. Blok, C. Bromberger, Antropologia del Mediterraneo, Milan, Guerini e Associati, 2007 (pp. 7-48; pp. 309-342).
• Luciano Li Causi, “Etnologia mediterranea,” entry in the Enciclopedia Italiana online, VII Appendix, 2006, Treccani

Or (for those reading in English):

• M. Herzfeld, "The Horns of the Mediterraneanist Dilemma," in American Ethnologist, Vol. 11, No. 3, 1984, pp. 439-454.
• N. Ben-Yehoyada, “Mediterraneanist Anthropology.” In The Open Encyclopedia of Anthropology, edited by Felix Stein. Facsimile of the first edition in The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Anthropology, 2023, Online: doi.org/10.29164/16mediterranean

SECOND MODULE: Each student must choose one book from this selection of monographs to present at the final exam or (if attending) to discuss in class in small groups. Except for B. Palumbo’s book, all volumes are also available in English.

• E. De Martino, La terra del rimorso, Il Saggiatore, 2002.
• L. Abu Lughod, Sentimenti velati. Onore e poesia in una società beduina, Le Nuove Muse, 2007.
• B. Palumbo, Politiche dell’inquietudine. Passioni, feste e poteri in Sicilia, Le Lettere, 2009.
• N. Ben-Yehoyada, Incorporare il Mediterraneo. Formazione regionale tra Sicilia e Tunisia nel secondo dopoguerra, Milan, Meltemi, 2019.
• T. Rakopoulus, Coltivare la legalità. Mafia e antimafia nelle terre confiscate in Sicilia, Meltemi, 2022.
• S. Pontigia, Il bacino maledetto. Disuguaglianza, marginalità e potere nella Tunisia postrivoluzionaria, OmbreCorte, 2017.

THIRD MODULE: For students participating in the field research activity, specific readings will be agreed upon with the professor for the final group report. Students who do not participate in the activity will need to study a second monograph (different from the one chosen for the second module) from the same list of texts (see above) or (if they read in English) present the following volume at the exam: P. Heywood, New Anthropologies of Italy: Politics, History, and Culture, Berghahn Books, 2024, available in open access at this link: please, study the author's introduction and at least 3 chapters chosen in the book.

For attending students, the evaluation of the course will be organized through a combination of group assessments on the contents of the second and third modules, along with a final oral exam on the readings from the first module. Attending students will be evaluated not only on their disciplinary knowledge but also based on: a) their active participation in class; b) the results of the group work they have participated in.

Non-attending students, or those who are not interested in the intermediate assessments, can directly take the final oral exam and discuss the assigned readings with the professor.

The following are just some possible questions for the exam. The exam will take the form of an interview in which the student is expected to demonstrate not only mastery of the subject but also a good capacity for critical analysis and the ability to connect the course contents.

• The reasons that led to the emergence of an Anthropology of the Mediterranean.
• The different stages of development in the Anthropology of the Mediterranean.
• The "founding fathers" of the discipline.
• The paradigm of "honor and shame."
• Theories on "amoral familism."
• Clientelism and patronage.
• Internal fractures within this field of study: reasons and developments.
• The processes of heritagization in the Mediterranean.
• Internal and external perspectives on the Mediterranean: reasons for a lack of dialogue.
• The concept of the "internal Orient."
• Critiques of the "Meridionalist" approach.
• The Mediterranean as a transnational space.
• The role that the management of the past plays in creating communities and identity claims.