“Where are we going to go now?” European Union migrants' experiences of hostility, anxiety, and (non‐)belonging during Brexit

Taulant Guma; Rhys Dafydd Jones

doi:10.1002/psp.2198

“Where are we going to go now?” European Union migrants' experiences of hostility, anxiety, and (non‐)belonging during Brexit

Taulant Guma
, Rhys Dafydd Jones

Department of Geography & Earth Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

146 Citations (Scopus)

430 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the 2016 European Union (EU) referendum and its aftermath from the perspective of European migrants living in Wales. Drawing on interviews conducted with EU nationals in 2016 and 2017, the article highlights various examples of hostility and violence encountered by these migrants during and after the referendum campaign, demonstrating the longstanding nature of hostile experiences. It further outlines the uncertainty and insecurity experienced during this period, noting how Brexit affected not only EU migrants' rights and entitlements but also their settlement and sense of identity and belonging. The analysis sheds light on various negative emotions and reactions triggered by the referendum, illustrating the diversity of migrants' experiences. Highlighting the multiple and complex ways in which the referendum affected the migrants, the article argues that Brexit should be understood as an ongoing process of “othering” and unsettling.

Original language	English
Article number	e2198
Journal	Population, Space and Place
Volume	25
Issue number	1
Early online date	27 Sept 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2198
Publication status	Published - 01 Jan 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Brexit
EU migration
unsettling
belonging
Wales

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10.1002/psp.2198Licence: CC BY

"Where are we going to go now?" European Union migrants' experiences of hostility, anxiety and (non-)belonging during BrexitFinal published version, 246 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "{\textquotedblleft}Where are we going to go now?{\textquotedblright} European Union migrants' experiences of hostility, anxiety, and (non‐)belonging during Brexit",

abstract = "This paper examines the impact of the 2016 European Union (EU) referendum and its aftermath from the perspective of European migrants living in Wales. Drawing on interviews conducted with EU nationals in 2016 and 2017, the article highlights various examples of hostility and violence encountered by these migrants during and after the referendum campaign, demonstrating the longstanding nature of hostile experiences. It further outlines the uncertainty and insecurity experienced during this period, noting how Brexit affected not only EU migrants' rights and entitlements but also their settlement and sense of identity and belonging. The analysis sheds light on various negative emotions and reactions triggered by the referendum, illustrating the diversity of migrants' experiences. Highlighting the multiple and complex ways in which the referendum affected the migrants, the article argues that Brexit should be understood as an ongoing process of {\textquotedblleft}othering{\textquotedblright} and unsettling.",

keywords = "Brexit, EU migration, unsettling, belonging, Wales",

author = "Taulant Guma and Jones, \{Rhys Dafydd\}",

note = "Funding Information: We wish to thank Stephen Drinkwater, Andy Thompson, and the guest editors of this special issue, Kate Botterill, Naomi Tyrell, and David McCollum. Drafts of this paper were presented at the RGS‐IBG Annual Conference 2017 and at Cardiff University's Belonging, Believing, and Brexit symposium in October 2017, and we benefitted from the comments and questions received. Most of all, we are sincerely grateful to our respondents for sharing their experiences of a very emotive topic. This research was supported by the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods{\textemdash}a collaborative venture between the Universities of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, South Wales, and Swansea (ESRC Grant: ES/L009099/1). Funding Information: This work was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, UK, under Grant ES/L009099/1. We wish to thank Stephen Drinkwater, Andy Thompson, and the guest editors of this special issue, Kate Botterill, Naomi Tyrell, and David McCollum. Drafts of this paper were presented at the RGS-IBG Annual Conference 2017 and at Cardiff University's Belonging, Believing, and Brexit symposium in October 2017, and we benefitted from the comments and questions received. Most of all, we are sincerely grateful to our respondents for sharing their experiences of a very emotive topic. This research was supported by the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods?a collaborative venture between the Universities of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, South Wales, and Swansea (ESRC Grant: ES/L009099/1). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 The Authors. Population, Space and Place published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd.",

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N2 - This paper examines the impact of the 2016 European Union (EU) referendum and its aftermath from the perspective of European migrants living in Wales. Drawing on interviews conducted with EU nationals in 2016 and 2017, the article highlights various examples of hostility and violence encountered by these migrants during and after the referendum campaign, demonstrating the longstanding nature of hostile experiences. It further outlines the uncertainty and insecurity experienced during this period, noting how Brexit affected not only EU migrants' rights and entitlements but also their settlement and sense of identity and belonging. The analysis sheds light on various negative emotions and reactions triggered by the referendum, illustrating the diversity of migrants' experiences. Highlighting the multiple and complex ways in which the referendum affected the migrants, the article argues that Brexit should be understood as an ongoing process of “othering” and unsettling.

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KW - EU migration

KW - unsettling

KW - belonging

KW - Wales

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ER -

“Where are we going to go now?” European Union migrants' experiences of hostility, anxiety, and (non‐)belonging during Brexit

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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Rhys Dafydd Jones

Migrants, minorities and engagement in local civil society 2016-2017

WISERD Civil Society: Interpol (led by project 11438)

Cite this

“Where are we going to go now?” European Union migrants' experiences of hostility, anxiety, and (non‐)belonging during Brexit

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Permanent link

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Profiles

Rhys Dafydd Jones

Datasets

Migrants, minorities and engagement in local civil society 2016-2017

Projects

WISERD Civil Society: Interpol (led by project 11438)

Cite this