ABSTRACT
This chapter presents our theoretical framework. We hold socioeconomic perspectives on mafias and their protection functions in extralegal arenas, together with criminological perspectives on the constitutive powers of symbols and narratives. Our combined framework allows us to capture the complexity of a reality where both cultural and socioeconomic dimensions play a part; without considering both there wouldn’t be any advance in our understanding. We build our framework to imagine four ideal-types of interactions where (deviant) masons hold different roles when interacting with mafias and powerful actors (politicians, bureaucrats): guarantor, mafia-led, networking, and institutional.
