Articolo
Abstract

The paper analyses, in its first part, the scientific definition of ‘profession’, elaborated by the functionalist studies of the last century, in order to found in the triad knowledge, training and service the elements of the professionalization process, with particular reference to the workers involved in the not formal education, especially educators and educationalist. This analysis has the aim, in the second part of the contribution, to show the ideological relationship that this definition, based on the technical and instrumental epistemology, has with a conformative political model. Model criticized by a conception of profession, analyzed in the third part of the paper, that is based on the critical-reflective epistemology and on a transformative political model.