An Introductory Note

This introductory chapter presents disasters and crises as sudden changes that create disaster landscapes, necessitating swift adaptation to uncertainty and systemic disruption. The consequences of these events extend across mental and public health, socioeconomic life, culture, and governance. The chapter argues that catastrophic events are socio-political phenomena shaped by pre-existing vulnerabilities, institutional arrangements and culturally embedded risk drivers, rather than solely natural or technological occurrences. The chapter emphasises how survivors’ expectations of government performance, along with misinformation and blame dynamics, mediate institutional trust and influence the prospects for long-term recovery. Moreover, the chapter highlights how place-specific conditions (e.g. density, sustainability failures and weak planning) can intensify vulnerability and transform hazards into complex, cascading crises. Finally, the chapter outlines the book’s comparative focus on Greece and the United States, examining how political narratives and leadership decisions can compound trauma, reshape recovery trajectories, and influence future political action through case studies such as wildfires, hurricanes, and train derailments.