Abstract

Where do 'Ndrangheta bosses have their strategic summits? Where do their rituals take place? There is an unexplored perspective in organized crime studies, which allows to analize the kind of places where 'Ndrangheta bosses take their strategic decisions. It could seem a secondary question, but it has a key role for the comprehension of how 'Ndrangheta settled in a certain territory and of how bosses perceive threats. It has been chosen to analyze the records of the "Crimine-Infinito" inquiry, in order to comprehend 'Ndrangheta's presence and structure in the areas it has been established. Such approach offers a wide perspective, providing a deep knowledge of the real identity of such organization and allowing to overcome some common beliefs. For every summit, the aspects analysed were: municipality (as a 'Ndrangheta's reference point and for its demographic dimension) and type of place (private or public). By means of a comparative analysis with the background in Calabria, the present research explains how the symbolic dimension constitutes a factor that could influence the bosses' decisions. Finally, this paper introduces the urgence of a reflection about the role of public venues and spaces in 'Ndrangheta's strategies.