Intercultural mediation and "(non)professional" interpreting in Italian healthcare institutions

This chapter illustrates an analysis of interpreting activities performed by intercultural mediators in Italian healthcare services. It proposes a reflection on the type of professionalism that seems to be required in healthcare institutions where the issue of dealing with cultural differences between the patients and the operators is considered of fundamental importance. The analysis shows that mediators address cultural differences along the lines of one of two orientations. The first treats cultural differences as a plurality of options, thus enhancing patients’ active participation and choice. The second is based on cultural essentialism and treats differences in terms of dos and don’ts, preventing interlocutors’ active participation. We suggest that in order to accomplish with the task of dealing with cultural differences ‘professionally’ in healthcare interaction, mediators and interpreters alike maybe made aware of the advantages and risks involved in taking each of these two orientations.