Abstracts of Papers
Philipp Kneis:
"Friends of Ours". Strategies of Minority Self-Assertion and Self-Definition on The Sopranos
In the case of minority identities, identity can be an especially fragile construction. Its definition and constant re-assertion need to occur within the framework of a larger majority culture that will often be at odds with the more private and secluded identity of the family upbringing and local surroundings.
The paper sets out to illustrate strategies of Italian-American identity construction in the context of the contemporary television series The Sopranos.
It is that Italian identity, within an American context, that serves as justification for mob activities; a continued and constantly re-asserted identity whose fragility becomes apparent the more it is emphasized; just as ruthlessness and violence are being shown to not originate from a position of inner strength but from self-doubt and anger.
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