Factions, friends and feasts
Subtitle: anthropological perspectives on the Mediterranean
By: Jeremy Boissevain
Publisher: Berghahn Books
Published: 2013
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 310
ISBN-13: 9780857458445; 9780857458452
Subjects: Social life and customs; Ethnology; Italians
Description: "Drawing on field research in Malta, Sicily and among Italian emigrants in Canada, this book explores the social influence of the Mediterranean climate and the legacy of ethnic and religious conflict from the past five decades. Case studies illustrate the complexity of daily life not only in the region but also in more remote academe, by analysing the effects of fierce family loyalty, emigration and the social consequences of factionalism, patronage and the friends-of-friends networks that are widespread in the region. Several chapters discuss the social and environmental impact of mass tourism, how locals cope, and the paradoxical increase in religious pageantry and public celebrations. The discussions echo changes in the region and the related development of the author's own interests and engagement with prevailing issues through his career."--Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.