This book rapresents an ethnographic study on crime and on legality/illegality cohabitation, the researchh is being referred by the voices of the protagonists. A world of shadows which tells of our society nature and aims.
This is a fundamental book which starti a long ethnic journey through the basements of a Northen Italian harbour city. The volume refers of the stories told by thieves, burglars, usury men, prostitutes, drugs sellers, “migrant slaves”. Those stories are lived in Genoa’s alleys, narrow paths, neighbourhoods, pubs. The research aim is to enlighten the large “grey dark zone” which develops itself in the city, it creates a visible city, which is obsessed with degradation and keeps on fighting against the non EU citizens “invasion”, and an unknown invisible city, filled with people trying to survive in extreme poverty: “The lawful city is scared by the other one but it often finds help in the invisible city: house-keeping, carpenters, prostitution, drugs, etc.” (Alessandro De Giorgi, Il Manifesto, September 21st 2003)
The charter “Slaves and lords” talks about a research on different sorts of migrant work enslavement. The chapter writes (p. 175) “the enslaved are not necessarily the effect of single individuals evil, but they come from an exclusion condition which is created by different interests: economics, laws and institutional proceedings”.
Question: In the reality you focused upon deviance gets into relation with migrantions. How does the relationship among irregularity, migrantions and illegality develop itself?
Answer: I believe, and I try to prove it in the book, that foreigners situation is the vanguard to a condition that could easily be enlarged to local citizens. A difference and a division on what it is usually called “the colour line” do exist but such differences are not biologically developed. We live in a world which doesn’t base its differences on a biological paramenter, in our world the white ones can easily become black tomorrow. The relation among irregularity, clandestinity, migrants and the actual whole situation is self-evident. What is really new is the fact that to talk about unlawfulness we need to start off from working conditions.
We need to focus on everyday working life: it is extremely complex and articulated. In addition to this the chances to have an income are legal, partially legal and illegal as well. There is a huge number of citizens, the most of whom are migrants, who live and costantly pass through this invisible, non rigid line.
There are no borders nor barriers between work and irregularity.
Q: Which difference are there between today’s migrations and past early ‘900 ones? They in fact seem similar to each other.
A: There almost are no differencies between the two periods if we look at what happens to the lives of the ones emigrating from their home country. The huge difference lays in two other aspects. First of all migrants mainly ended up working in factories at the beginning of past century or after Second World War, and the historical period we are referring to saw struggles and the ‘60s to obtain rights.
Q: Which role has actual immigration law in the scenario you painted?
A: Bossi-Fini law perfectly develops migrants condition in globalized economy: either migrants are hard workers and produce extra-value, richness or they are nothing. Using marxian terms, we could say that migrant citizens are “pure variable capital” when they stop enriching (someone else) they become expellable.
If you give a look at society immigrants are “protected” by work, their working days are incredibly and increasibly extended. Working 13-14 hours in the same place means avoiding the streets where controls against clandestinity take place.
The more a person works the less he/she risks expulsion. The law doesn’t say a word on this matter, but it for sure it produces such behaviours.
