As the COVID-19 crisis began to take shape, all eyes were on Italy, the first Western country to attempt a response to the deadly pandemic. For institutional decision makers and average citizens alike, it was a time of deep uncertainty. As scientists struggled to understand the nature of the virus and how it spread, the gradualness with which information became available caused only deeper uncertainty, as did the inevitable disagreements over which protective actions the government should put in place. Despite some initial delay in its response, the Italian government eventually implemented a nationwide lockdown, which helped control the spread of the disease but simultaneously created unintended consequences for vulnerable populations, like small business owners, women, the elderly, and workers living paycheck to paycheck. Drawing on data surveys conducted during the transition between the first lockdown and staged reopening, this book examines people's risk perception and their willingness to trust the sources and channels of information that were available to them. It also looks at their attitudes toward the protective behaviors they were asked to adopt and the ways in which their own cultural worldviews impacted their support for pandemic response policies. With remarkable depth and candor, respondents reflected on what a post-COVID-19 Italy might look like, filling out the book with the hopes and fears of real people who had stared death in the face and lived to tell about it. The book looks ahead to possibilities for future research, policy, and practice. COVID-19 in Italy elaborates and tests several aspects of the Protective Action Decision Model (PADM) in the Italian context, introducing the concept of ontological security and insecurity as an explanatory change factor to help interpret the Italian experience of responding to COVID-19.

This book is the first to discuss, in practical and theoretical terms, the pedagogical approach of service-learning to establish partnerships for social good that build disaster resilience. Across 12 chapters a collection of academics and practitioners provide insights on the benefits of utilizing service-learning to address existing needs, build community capacity, and strengthen social networks while enhancing student learning. Key features: Discuss how sustainable service-learning partnerships can contribute to building disaster-resilient communities; Provide practical tools to cultivate and manage collaborative partnerships, and engage in reflective practices; Integrate disciplines to create innovative approaches to complex problems; Share best practices, lessons learned, and case examples that identify strategies for integrating service-learning and research into course design; Offer considerations for ethical decision-making and for the development of equitable solutions when engaging with stakeholders; Identify strategies to bridge the gap between academia and practice while highlighting resources that institutions of higher education can contribute toward disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Service-Learning for Disaster Resilience will serve as a user-friendly guide for universities, local government agencies, emergency management professionals, community leaders, and grassroots initiatives in affected communities.