MAZZILLI & KING May 2018_What have I done to deserve this final.pdf (160.7 kB)
Download file"What have I done to deserve this?". Young Italian migrants in Britain narrate their reaction to Brexit and plans to the future
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 06:30 authored by Caterina Mazzilli, Russell KingThe aim of this article is to describe the reactions of young Italian migrants in Britain to “Brexit”, the 2016 referendum decision for the UK to leave the European Union. Brexit is seen as an historical moment of “rupture” which is not only reorienting Britain’s relationship with Europe and the world but is also 523 deeply affecting the lives of its 3.2 million migrants from the EU. The empirical material comes from 35 in-depth interviews with young Italian migrants living and either studying or working in the London region: 20 interviews carried out pre-referendum and 15 post-Brexit. The analysis documents their immediate reactions and interpretations of the result (surprise, shock, anger, a sense of betrayal), their coping strategies (stressing their “rights to belong” and drawing a social boundary between themselves and “other”, i.e. East European migrants), and their plans for the future. On this last question, Brexit has not fundamentally changed their ultimate plans to return home “one day”, but in some cases it has accelerated this decision, as well as making them think about moving to another European country.
Funding
Youth Mobility: maximizing opportunities for individuals, labour markets and regions in Europe (YMOBILITY); G1590; EUROPEAN UNION; 649491 - YMOBILITY
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Rivista Geografica ItalianaISSN
0035-6697Publisher
Rivista Geografica ItalianaPublisher URL
Issue
4Volume
125Page range
507-523Department affiliated with
- Geography Publications
Research groups affiliated with
- Sussex Centre for Migration Research Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes