Familism, Kinship and Sex Roles in Southern Italy: Contradictory Ideals and Real Contradictions

Abstract

This paper re-examines the concept offamilism used in the ethnographic literature on southern Italy. An overall interpretation is given for the meaning and basis offamilism, elaborated by a consideration of how social class, regional, and rural-urban differences influence thisphenomenon. Thepaper also explores the effects of these differences on the roles of men and women, disputing a recent characterization ofSouth Italian culture as matriarchal. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the need to appreciate the contradictions between ideals and realities. The conclusion suggests steps to be taken toward the development of a comprehensive theory offamilism. And that came from the fact, thought the captain, that thefamily is the only institution that lives in the Sicilian consciousness: but it is alive more as an

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