On May 27, 2026, doctoral candidate Erika Iacona, enrolled in the doctoral programme "Human Rights, Society, and Multi-level Governance" successfully defended her doctoral thesis at the headquarters of the Human Rights Centre "Antonio Papisca," located at the Polo Beato Pellegrino of the University of Padova. 

Dr. Iacona presented her thesis entitled "Autonomy, Dignity, and End-of-Life Decision-Making: Law No. 219/2017 Between Legal Norms, Psychosocial Processes, and Caring Communities", under the supervision of Prof. Ines Testoni. The examining committee was composed of Prof. Marilena Fatigante from Sapienza University of Rome, Prof. Amedeo Boros from the University of Padua, and Prof. Santo Di Nuovo from the University of Catania.

The research explores how individuals understand, interpret, and engage with Law No. 219/2017, a major normative turning point in the regulation of end-of-life decision-making. Drawing on the theoretical framework of caring and compassionate communities, as well as perspectives from community psychology, the study examines how social representations of death, relational contexts, and forms of community engagement shape end-of-life decision-making processes. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with participants attending Death Education initiatives organised in public libraries. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings highlight the importance of community-level educational and dialogical spaces in fostering awareness, reflection, and engagement with end-of-life issues.

By successfully defending her thesis, Dr. Iacona has been awarded the PhD in Human Rights, Society, and Multi-level Governance. The Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua extends its congratulations to the newly graduated doctor and wishes her a future full of success in her academic and professional endeavours.