This work investigates the ontological and professional identity of the mediator within the context of contemporary dispute resolution frameworks. Debbie De Girolamo, an established scholar in the field of mediation, examines how the mediator's role is constructed, performed, and often obscured by institutional requirements. The book argues that the identity of the mediator is not a static professional designation but a fluid, often contradictory, set of practices that shift depending on the legal and social environment.

Experts in the field of conflict resolution recognize this text as a rigorous exploration of the sociological dimensions of mediation. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational resource for those studying the intersection of law and social identity.