The book's introduction is by Patrizia De Mennato, Full Professor of General and Social Pedagogy at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Florence. ‘Understanding the profession of educator’, writes De Mennato, ‘means penetrating the folds of its construction. It means being aware that it is formed along two paths, substantially diversified by level, which trace the social configuration of the identity of the educator in a ‘profession’ and at the same time the transformation of the personal identity of ‘every’ educator.

This ongoing professionalism brings into play historical sedimentations, consolidated practices and innovations linked to the changing way of thinking about social education and its places; therefore, it takes on the complex interconnections of a society".