Unicità e dualismo nel terzo settore italiano. Oltre un dibattito sfuggente

This paper maps the literature on the Italian third sector published over the last decade. After examining major changes that have taken place during this period, it highlights some novelties in the perspectives adopted in the study of the third sector. The paper argues that these developments have exacerbated the long-standing difficulty of communication across different approaches, contributing to a recent expansion of the literature that has generated relatively little dialogue or debate. To account for this outcome, the paper focuses on dualism, examining both its presence within individual studies of the Italian third sector and its emergence as a defining feature of the discourse on this phenomenon, thereby shaping the possible interpretations of the Italian third sector. The paper also shows how a non-dualistic engagement with recent contributions opens new avenues for the urgent investigation of the possible uniqueness of the contemporary Italian third sector. Finally, drawing on recent research into third sector practices, the paper argues that the same dualism that hinders a nuanced understanding of these practices also contributes to the elusive nature of the current debate on the Italian third sector.