Out of the ordinary: Everyday life and the “carnival of Mussolini”

Ordinary life is in many ways the quintessential object of anthropological analysis. Yet little attention has been paid to contexts which it important people themselves that they and their actions are seen be ordinary work goes into making something or someone appear ordinary. An exploration Predappio, Italy, birthplace grave Benito Mussolini premier site neofascist tourism, reveals just how much effort go producing a scaled sense ordinariness this extraordinary place. In way, exposed as object, not site, such work. This suggests need reconsider our usage order attend situations category itself—not its particular contents—has ethnographic relevance. La vida cotidiana es de muchas maneras el objeto por excelencia del análisis antropológico. Sin embargo, se le ha prestado poca atención los contextos en cuales importante para las personas sí mismas, que ellas y sus acciones vean como cotidianas trabajo implica hacer algo o alguien parecer común. Una exploración la Italia, lugar nacimiento tumba sitio principal turismo neofascista, revela exactamente cuánto esfuerzo tiene hacerse producir un sentido escala lo cotidiano este extraordinario. De esta manera, está expuesta objeto, no sitio, tal trabajo. Esto sugiere necesidad reconsiderar nuestro uso atender situaciones categoría misma –no sólo contenidos particulares– relevancia etnográfica. [vida cotidiana, diaria, fascismo, escala, Wittgenstein] On cloudy Sunday morning at end October 2018, café on main square very small Italian town region Emilia-Romagna, Marco—a 35-year-old agricultural worker with whom I am having breakfast—shoulders his way bar orders an espresso. more less Marco himself, other inhabitants town, would describe actions, description banality sparsity context could apply millions Italians, any given morning, engaging ritual drinking coffee. fact, there was quite pointedly, insistently about Marco's action, for extraordinarily busy get he had use bulk push shove through crowds do usually accomplish greater ease. Moreover, crowd loud, bursts laughter shouting coming from various corners room, group men broken song; so, perform successfully quintessentially everyday coffee, make voice heard above singing, did, causing song falter moment two before picking back up. No outsider scene act coffee ordering That because happens burial Mussolini, founder Fascism and, between 1922 1943, dictator Italy. The raucous were black-shirted neo-Fascists who come Predappio pay tribute leader's graveside. presence Mussolini's body cemetery means today Italy's neo-Fascist tourism. Furthermore, day have describing October, but immediately following 28, anniversary “March Rome” took power, one three key dates thousands parade streets genuflect grave. For most Italians synonymous man gave birth 1883 movement led. As local intellectual put me, “the whole Duce's tomb” (Figure 1). So, composed largely beards shaven heads, wearing motorcycle leather pseudo-military uniforms. All them dressed black, interrupted singing “Giovinezza,” official hymn National Fascist Party, top voices. But beyond heard, absolutely attention, neither did Predappiesi day. By point doing fieldwork several years. examine dealt shadow heritage home's emblematic status contemporary neo-Fascists. Given historical imbrication famous son, arrived expecting find strongly expressed feelings subject Fascism—one other. night, dinner relatives, Silvana Roberto, farm works, up steep road runs out old summer residence Rocca delle Caminate. We talked cousin, found job nearby moved away thinking marrying long-term girlfriend; yields year; hunting season Roberto have; often does friends, we passed church village. mentioned Gianni, well-known artist, breakfast morning. waited, see if anyone mention village visiting neo-Fascists, same Gianni. case, waited vain. What action Italy than coffee? It difficult imagine better example version “ordinary life,” espresso bar. At time, course, far so your temporarily invaded by black shirts anthems. noted, though, almost studied nonchalance apparent lack interest past Later, nor fellow citizens included narration day's events, instead focused “ordinary” character those events: retelling notable him bumped Gianni—in size bump Gianni every week without difficulty, coffee—than full marchers. article, explore place domain, scale existence project, takes pursue (Heywood, 2021), sort engaged pointed event well knows others encountered (including anthropologist companion). suggest inflection know ordinary, indeed. Like accounts, article Where somewhat distinctive place, notion life” itself take marked salient status. illustrating this, importance examining ethnographically—looking when why certain phenomena become spite precisely fact perceived “Ordinary” “everyday” can probably lay claim being anthropology's favorite adjectives (perhaps trumped only “cultural” “social,” both recent extended reflexive critique). appeared anthropology different guises, all isomorphic another. Take, example, discipline's foundational monographs, Argonauts Western Pacific, famously includes Malinowski's (1922, 17) injunction “imponderabilia actual even flow occasional ripples excitement over feast ceremony, some singular occurrence.” Despite enduring fame remark (and frequently misquoted refer “everyday life”), Malinowski uses words five occasions each throughout entire six hundred pages Argonauts. Most fairly straightforwardly adjectival: ornament “everyday,” occupations “ordinary,” forms sorcery magic. Fast-forward half century another great canonical text, Clifford Geertz's Interpretation Cultures, things different. Not deal frequency (29 33 “ordinary”) grammar also changed. They longer exclusively adjectival. essay book, “Thick Description,” Geertz (1973, 14) describes task “looking ordinary.” rest book similarly filled references experience” descriptions kind specific place—the ornament, preparation foods, say, Malinowski—but abstract nouns (despite invoked concrete, situated nature life). Something changed, words, conceptual landscape space half-century Geertz. truth, my intention imply provide anything resembling account here, change went qualifying becoming own right; earned definite articles (“the ordinary”), becoming, puts times, “world” “context” simply marking activity matter routine normality. concept, life, meaning fixed determined emerged product circumstances. With shifts circumstances, meaning. One potential source shift influence Wittgenstein anthropology. Geertz, instance, drew disciple, Ryle, arguments scholars substantial regard, suggesting central ambition “Wittgenstein anthropology” (Rosaldo, 1997; Shweder, 2007; Springs, 2008). imponderabilia objected “bare-bones” “skeletal” accounts unlike philosophical idiom articulate alternative. “The ordinary” imponderable. Other radical either philosophy attuned concrete others, daring relations, quotidian turns waxing waning intensities, learn world. taken inspiration Wittgenstein's idea lead metaphysical what hand. (Das 2020, 10; 2007) compelling vision anthropology, first sentences juxtaposed senses described anthropology: hand, “concreteness,” around ourselves (or “in hand”), like ornaments Trobriands; other, while subjects quotidian, exist metaphorized site,” singular, spatio-temporal, specific. Ordinariness comes thus seem particular—it whatever hand—and time abstract: scale, prefixed encompasses particularity (cf. Fadil Fernando, 2015; Laidlaw Mair 2019; Lempert, 2013; Summerson Carr Lempert 2016). Wherever may concreteness contains, will always Several survey works intractability term “ordinary”: seems designed slip one's grasp. Anything designated instantly becomes, virtue designation, special worthy note (e.g., Das, 2020; Highmore, 2002; Sayeau, 2016; Sheringham, 2006). My suggestion here consequence mystical quality (to words) it. is, culture, (1973) (see Strathern, 1995, 159), functioning generic ordinary”) contents. aim pointing highlight paradox that—much case “culture” Roy Wagner Marilyn Strathern—while anthropologists extremely good contents tended categories “ordinariness” have, were, life: sometimes people—anthropologists, study—that these shape form, include exclude opposed categories, importantly, breathing requires effort. Whatever you think person world, initial [to] “an person” person, somebody job, constant preoccupation, “being ordinary; perhaps business work, does. Sacks's piece (if like) communicative labor practice involve rendering “normal,” “usual.” involves “attending yourself, objects, usual scene. And offering transpired, present fashion: ‘Nothing much’ variants banal characterizations might happen use” (417). Crucially, Sacks adds, speaking generally, instance itself, define insufferably usual, nothing said it” “intrinsically” sorts (washing dishes, minor domestic disputes, glass water) (Lempert, 2013). Rather, rendered “ordinarified,” narrativization pragmatics. return us argues otherwise situations. cites airplane hijackings subsequently related passengers, “willful disattention” (Goffman, 1974, 202–5) goings ordered subsequent omission narrative day; preferred encounter meet 28 Predappio. everyone knows, march honor Predappiesi, detest. length elsewhere 2021) below, “any day” all. Of places do, too. shopping, cook, clean, ice cream bar, respects country recognize utterly comparable things. “We're normal town” (siamo paese normale) common refrain former mayor, Giorgio Frassinetti, characterized 2018 Corriere di Bologna, present, response questions cope (Corriere 2018). element obvious defiance claims normality, nobody outside lend credence. Indeed, outsiders (on Twitter, example) news yet display pride doubt claims: “Don't pretend live (Non fate finta vivere ran commentary marches 2021. If stand day, notice older woman step gingerly doorway. Valentina her shopping twice week. To Conad supermarket Via Matteotti, she must stairs down ground floor apartment block, descent nearly 90 years old. She lived since born. remember reconstruction 1930s, visit king large public funeral son Bruno, hunger pain Second World War, left lasting injuries climb staircase. leaves pass grandiose St. Anthony, whose foundation ceremony watched child. Its date completion letters façade Christian calendar. Next year “E.F.,” “era fascista,” 13. inscription 1934 2). cross opposite side church, where onto pavement front largest building shaped huge arrow topped bell tower rises higher spire church. headquarters Party (PNF), Casa Fascio. Now panes doors pigeons roost tower. empty war ended, 3). walk post office carabinieri barracks, construction 1930s remember, too, along blocks built next them. Matteotti—she named after regime's victim—she stopped lone tourist family visitors. ask directions cemetery, able provide, tend graves relatives can. want further comment. Neither comment though uniform, confesses feel “annoyed” obligation scars. Otherwise, thinks, gone hour bothering people. “They're dead cemetery,” says. Further street, shop, likely few tourists looking window, still inside talking proprietor. flags fly stone eagle sits door. window eagles, flags, busts sizes, wartime medals, keyrings Nazi symbols attached Sometimes stickers anti-Semitic slogans pane Unless owner tending displays exchange hello, shop thought. shops annoy me statues… . don't really weren't there. It's rubbish anyway, special, money” 4). After square, semicircle. looks point—which unless reason—she see, precise midpoint semicircle, nondescript, ordinary-looking nineteenth-century house A climbing hill toward it, off route, carry supermarket. Conad, meters farther on, home via route. thing days later, has, days, life. cooking not. going door house. giving activity—indeed, day—but tomb dictator. unusual surrounded marching arms raised Roman salute. Marco, coffees men, Perhaps telephone daily lives alien knew “do sense, cutting context. done, lying whenever home. anniversary, omits details outsider. ignores contextual cues do) leave open-mouthed, fasces building, “E.F.” monumental ruins soon encroaches, then becomes lot attempted, as, insistent cultivated obliviousness him, Valentina's parts situation surprise others: tourists, not, “visiting do.” avoids paying “souvenir shops” insists “nothing special,” try money. correct arguing require degree render comparatively implied airplane-hijacking narratives. respect expectations like, significantly look neighboring towns villages. Partly reason, partly reasons Predappio's exemplar origins manner akin rituals day-to-day valorize, all; rather matters. true especially marches, swamped splashed across local, national, international newspapers, filmed documentary TV crews. These “ordinarification” necessary. Today, falls nearest pilgrims year. significant occasion Piazza Sant'Antonio buried. notorious aspects Heywood, 2019). Every year, photos national journalists television crews world attend. practically impossible forget history, thanks urban fabric, souvenir streets, regular “dark tourism” (Lennon Foley, 2000). harder town. ever met positive say attends them, regardless political leanings. Valentina, earlier, offended symbols: “They wooden crosses, [Mussolini] cross! makes blood boil veins.” Elena, schoolteacher, dislikes behave cemetery: “Three cause chaos among should respected.” Many uniforms overt paraphernalia. Angelo, middle-aged owns remembers tanks soldiers weekend during heightened tensions 1970s kept parents: “My parents ‘Stay home, bad again,’ near wanted play. made [Mussolini's] disappear.” angry. sat friends café, arrives. He's dwarf, old, 60, he's uniform Balilla [Fascist Youth Organization], shorts all! gives salute everyone, clicks heels, says “We back!” Normally I'm respectful elderly disabled couldn't contain myself. said, “You grateful they're gone, done you? You'd die, then?” characteristic ignore possible. discussed, run-up anniversaries, press speculation outrage decency prepared, myself, naturally unsurprised extreme curiosity. fully aware th