Local and Professional Knowledge in Post-disaster Reconstruction: Overlaps and Differences in Maierato

In post-disaster reconstruction, it is important to consider the social aspects for improving the design, development, implementation and management of measures for risk adaptation, mitigation, and reduction in both emergency and ordinary conditions. In fact, considering a holistic approach that includes the historical, cultural, psychological and socio-economic dimensions in the context of the affected areas is essential for assessing the success of post-disaster reconstruction. This chapter aims at investigating different aspects related to the social dimension of post-disaster reconstruction in the context of the case study of Maierato (Calabria, Southern Italy). In February 2010, this town was hit by a large landslide, which produced relevant social and economic impacts. The chapter, through thematic analysis, analyses how the affected communities and professionals explore and assess different experiences of the reconstruction. From the analysis, a post-disaster framework with several unresolved issues emerges, including: permanent post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) among affected people; indirect economic losses that have not yet been compensated; a lack of satisfaction with the interventions carried out and abandonment and isolation of the affected communities in the post-disaster period.