Abstract

The aim of this paper is to report the state of the art about the theory of mediation. While this phenomenon has become more and more debated both at the level of public sphere and professional practices, the related theory is fragmented and divided in different areas of intervention. Therefore it is necessary to contribute to the reconstruction of a common theoretical framework in order to clarify and understand the mediation, which is often confused with other phenomena. Firstly, the paper focuses the attention on definitions and conceptual aspects concerning the recent French literature, which has been quite prosperous over the last decade. Secondly, the transformative approach is introduced by describing the well-known work of Baruch and Folger, which has been recently translated in Italian. Finally, the discussion is focused on the Italian theoretical debate about mediation.