Quaderni IRCrES 27 – Capitolo 9
Capitolo 9
La definizione della situazione nella trasmissione delle conoscenze tra maestro artigiano e apprendisti*
Defining the situation in the transmission of knowledge between master craftsman and apprentices
Fabio Gasparini
PhD candidate at Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova
corresponding author: fabio.gasparini.2@phd.unipd.it
Abstract
This article examines the process of transmission of artisanal knowledge by focusing on the definition of the situation that Master Artisans construct in relation to new generations of apprentices. The study is grounded in a sociological perspective that draws on the concept developed by William I. Thomas, according to which every action is preceded by a phase of interpretation and decision-making that orients social actors’ behavior.Within the context of artisanal workshops, the definition of the situation elaborated by Master Artisans is deeply rooted in their biographical experiences of apprenticeship, often shaped in rigid and highly hierarchical environments. These experiences constitute symbolic resources that inform expectations regarding the behavior of contemporary apprentices and contribute to structuring a specific way of interpreting educational and work-related relationships. The article argues that the definition of the situation proposed by Master Artisans is often counterproductive, as it tends to simplify and close the debate on the difficulties of knowledge transmission by attributing them primarily to the presumed shortcomings of younger generations. Drawing on empirical material collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with Master Artisans, this research shows how young apprentices are commonly represented as lacking passion and prior skills and as being motivated primarily by economic gain. At the same time, the analysis problematizes this univocal representation by restoring greater complexity to the process of artisanal knowledge transmission.
Keywords: definition of the situation, apprenticeship, artisanal knowledge, knowledge transmission, master artisans.
DOI: 10.23760/2499-6661.2026.27_09
ISBN: 978-88-98193-42-4
ISSN (online): 2499-6661
How to Cite
Gasparini, F. (2026). La definizione della situazione nella trasmissione delle conoscenze tra maestro artigiano e apprendisti. In Bramanti, D., Errichiello, L., Falavigna, G., & Nanetti, S. (cur.). Quale futuro per un invecchiamento sano e attivo? Alcuni spunti di riflessione dalle ricerche del progetto Age-It e prospettive future (pp. 131-142). Quaderni IRCrES 27. CNR-IRCrES. http://dx.doi.org/10.23760/2499-6661.2026.27_09
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* Questo lavoro è stato realizzato nell’ambito del progetto finanziato da Next Generation EU – “Age-It – Ageing well in an ageing society” (PE0000015), CUP B83C22004880006 – Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR) – PE8 – Missione 4, Componente 2, Investimento 1.3. Le opinioni espresse sono esclusivamente degli autori e non riflettono necessariamente quelle dell’Unione Europea o della Commissione Europea. Né l’Unione Europea né la Commissione Europea possono essere ritenute responsabili dei contenuti qui riportati.