COSA NOSTRA: AN ARCHIPELAGO WITHIN THE ISLAND A historical and sociological analysis of the organizational structure of cosa nostra Carla Di Franco* Master’s Degree in International Security Studies, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies 1. Introduction The term cosa nostra – meaning our thing – is referred to a criminal syndicate originated in Sicily during the XIX century and still present in many other parts of the world. 1 The long history of the Sicilian mafia and its enviable capacity for adaptability and modernization make this complex phenomenon stand out among the other organized crime groups. One of the most notable features of this criminal association is its unified hierarchical structure, characterized by a shared code of conduct and governing bodies with effective powers. This paper will focus on the historic and sociological analysis of cosa nostra, aiming to highlight the patterns of its structural organization and how they have been changing over the years. In particular, the first paragraph will be dedicated to the so-called “Buscetta theorem”, since it represents a historical and fundamental turning point in the analysis of the structure of cosa nostra. The historical analysis will cover the period from the post-World War II until the 1990s, namely, from the Totò Riina takeover of cosa nostra to the rise to power of Bernardo Provenzano. This paper will highlight how the history of these two notorious criminals is unavoidably intermingled with the changes occurred in the hierarchical and “political” structure of cosa nostra. * E-mail: carla.difranco@outlook.it 1 See GAETANO FALZONE, Storia della mafia, Pan, Milano, 1975; DIEGO GAMBETTA, La mafia siciliana. Un'industria della protezione privata, Torino, Einaudi, 1992; SALVATORE LUPO, Storia della mafia. Dalle origini ai nostri giorni , Roma, Donzelli, 1993; JOHN DICKIE, Cosa nostra. A history of the sicilian mafia, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2004