Bridging State and Market: How the Third Sector Is Reshaping Campania’s Social Fabric

Abstract: This paper analyzes the extraordinary development of Italy’s Third Sector, with a focus on the territorial and social dynamics of the non-profit sector in Southern Italy and the Campania region. It examines a true tertium genus existing between the State and the market, which is oriented toward non-profit and socially useful purposes. The 2017 reform, with the introduction of the Third Sector Code, marked a turning point, strengthening the sector through new regulations and financial instruments. Although a North-South divide persists, data reveal strong growth in the South, especially for social cooperatives and voluntary activities. The Constitutional Court’s ruling no. 72/2022 strengthened the sector’s constitutional rootedness and role in the welfare society. Volunteering, further enhanced by the reform, is the backbone of the non-profit sector in Campania, with a decisive role in civil participation. Thus, the Third Sector is affirmed as a crucial lever for socioeconomic evolution, contributing to social cohesion and to Campania’s transition towards a more inclusive “social citizenship”.

Key words: third sector, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, Italy, Campania, welfare society, legislative reform

JEL codes: L31, R58, H75, P52, Z13