ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the reader with a synthetic presentation of the general economic, cultural and social reasons which explain the development of the third sector, with an emphasis on the Italian scene. It considers the third sector actors, focusing on Italizan idiosyncrasies. Frequently, and the Italian case is typical, the public operator has had a sort of monopoly in guaranteeing the financing and production of the goods, with varying results. An international comparison reveals a rather small Italian non-profit sector. Scholars in the field of comparative research on non-profit sectors may have heard the term Organizzazioni Non Lucrative di Utilita Sociale. The Italian third sector is frequently confused, in its widespread representation, with volunteerism. The Italian volunteering sector continues to show great vitality and above all the ability to move into those problematic social spaces where other responses could hardly be applied even with innovative organisational solutions and practices.
