Sul concetto di professionalismo: il contributo della sociologia allo studio delle professioni

Purpose: The article proposes a critical reflection on the heuristic role of the concept of professionalism in sociology. Methodology: It reports the findings of a literature review aimed at casting light on the connections between theoretical approaches, meanings of the concept of professionalism, and ideal-typical models used to codify change. Findings: The concept of professionalism proves to be an effective tool in reading change while maintaining a normative value, which implies the risk of having the unwanted effect of legitimizing the system of inequality being criticized. Research limitations/implications: The analysis, carried out at the theoretical level, requires empirical validation. However, it offers critical ideas for an informed use of the concept of professionalism. Originality: The article aims to clarify the meaning of an ambiguous concept and open a window on its application uses.