“Roman-ness” in Italian Crime Dramas

Media Representations and Audience Perception

Abstract

Over the last years, several Italian crime dramas have increasingly explored Roman-ness, defined as the distinctive way of living and thinking (as well as speaking) traditionally ascribed to the inhabitants of the Eternal City. This article presents the results of an empirical study aimed at investigating whether and how representations of Roman identity provided by crime dramas align with audience perceptions of “Roman-ness”. Employing a mixed-method approach, the research combines qualitative media content analysis of eight selected crime dramas with a structured quantitative survey of audience perceptions. Findings show that Roman-ness emerges as a cultural identity equally constructed in crime dramas and recognized by audiences across three distinct narrative levels: plot, settings, and characters. The crucial role of actors/actresses’ authentic Roman origins in shaping audience perceptions is particularly notable, highlighting the significance of Roman celebrities in legitimizing mediated representations of cultural identity.