Brexit And British Expatriates in The British Newspapers

Fathi Bourmeche

doi:10.29333/ejecs/964

Authors

Fathi Bourmeche University of Sfax, Tunisia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5595-3878

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/964

Keywords:

Brexit, Diaspora, EU, expatriates, frames, identities, media, polls, referendum, British expatriates

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explore the impact of Brexit on national identities. Particular focus is on British expatriates prior to and in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum held in June 2016 in the sense that Britain’s withdrawal from the EU raised concern about their identities in Europe. The paper uses media framing as a methodological tool in order to gain a better understanding of the way British daily newspapers represented British expatriates’ worries about Brexit. Corpus of the study, consisting in a selection of 200 articles from the Sun and the Daily Mail, is qualitatively analyzed in a bid to find out the way such newspapers framed Brexit in relation to British expatriates. Media frames are also juxtaposed to Ipsos Mori and YouGov polls dealing with Brexit and related issues to gain a better insight into media effects. Results of the study reveal that media frames seemed to have had a major impact on British expatriates, increasing their concern about their national identity to the extent that some of them decided to apply for another citizenship within the EU to keep their rights as EU citizens.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Fathi Bourmeche, University of Sfax, Tunisia

Fathi Bourmeche is Member of the Laboratory on Approaches to Discourse and Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Sfax, Tunisia, Faculty of Letters and Humanities. His major field of research is Media and Migration Studies. He has been working on recent migration trends and their impact on host societies, particularly in the US and Britain. One of his major concerns is the changing nature of host societies, touching upon various themes, including multiculturalism, integration, and ethnicity. His recent publications include Shaping Public Opinion.

References

Adam, R. G. (2020). Brexit: Causes and consequences. Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22225-3

Ben-Porath, E. N. (2009). Framing. In Sterling, C. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Journalism. Sage.

Bourmeche, F. (2020). Brexit and EU migration on the BBC and CNN: Britishness versus EU identity. In D’Silva, M. U. & Atay, A. (Eds.), Intercultural communication, identity, and social movements in a digital age (pp. 66-81). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203731277-5

Brexit briefing: fewer than one in five think the government is handling Brexit well. (2016, November 17). https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2016/11/17/brexit-briefing

Burrell, K. (2018). Brexit Mobilities: Anticipating a new Polish mobility regime. In M. Fleming (Ed.), Brexit and Polonia: Challenges facing the Polish community during the process of Britain leaving the European Union (pp. 105-118). Puno Press.

Calls to guarantee permanent residence for EU nationals ahead of Brexit talks. (2016, December 13). [Press Association]. The Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4023304/EU-nationals-living-UK-given-permanent-residence.html

Clark, D. (2020). Number of UK citizens living in EU countries 2018. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1059795/uk-expats-in-europe

Cook, F. (2016, June 24). ‘I’m shocked and fearful’: Brexit forces British expats to become FRENCH because they are so scared of being sent home. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3658450/I-m-shocked-fearful-Brexit-forces-British-ex-pats-FRENCH-scared-sent-home.html

Dathan, M. (2016a, March 29). Every day 100 British expats quit Spain as uncertainty over June’s EU vote triggers exodus from Europe. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3513626/Every-day-100-British-expats-quit-Spain-uncertainty-June-s-EU-vote-triggers-exodus-Europe.html

Dathan, M. (2016b, July 6). Let them stay! MPs from all parties unite to demand three million EU citizens in the UK are guaranteed right to remain in the UK after Brexit. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3676983/Let-stay-MPs-parties-unite-demand-three-million-EU-citizens-UK-guaranteed-right-remain-UK-Brexit.html

Dathan, M. (2017, August 31). British expats WILL be able to get free healthcare with EHIC cards after Brexit, David Davis confirms. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4363792/british-expats-will-be-able-to-get-free-healthcare-with-ehic-cards-after-brexit-david-davis-confirms/

Datta, P. R., Dasgupta, M., & Jones, M. T. (2020). We’re doomed! Brexit revisited. CBER.

Davidson, I. (2016, August 2) Hands Tied: Britain will be ‘powerless to remove 3 million migrants before Brexit happens’. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1537611/britain-will-be-powerless-to-remove-3million-migrants-before-brexit-happens/

Gilmartin, M., Wood, P. B., & O’Callaghan, C. (2018). Borders, mobility and belonging in the Era of Brexit and Trump. Polity Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781447347279.001.0001

Gordon, A., Hall, A., & Malm, S. (2018, September 3). Thanks, but no tanks: Expat who filled his German garden with UK memorabilia including a tank, phone boxes and double decker buses is ordered to scrap his Little Britain museum. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6126069/Expat-filled-German-garden-UK-memorabilia-ordered-scrap-Little-Britain-museum.html

Hawkes, S. (2016, June 30). Brit immigrant fear. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1365983/future-of-ex-pats-living-in-europe-could-be-in-jeopardy-following-brexit-bombshell/

If Britain leaves others will follow (2016, June 2). https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articlesreports/2016/06/02/europe-if-britain-leaves-others-will-follow

Ipsos MORI Research Highlights (2016, December 22). https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk

Kagubare, I. (2016, June 29). British expats flock to Brussels city halls to become Belgian. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3666134/British-expats-flock-Brussels-city-halls-Belgian.html

Macdonald, A. (2016, June 20). Brussels Brits eye going Belgian as EU referendum looms. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3650543/Brussels-Brits-eye-going-Belgian-EU-referendum-looms.html

Manning, S. (2016, June 26). Thanks for ruining my idyllic life in Spain, says Gove's fearful brother-in-law as Tory Minister celebrates Brexit vote. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3660268/Gove-s-fearful-brother-law-fears-life-Spain-ruined-Tory-Minister-celebrates-Brexit-vote.html

Martin, D. (2016, September 22). Costa fortune! Number of elderly British expats receiving winter fuel payments fell by more than two-thirds after crackdown on ‘sunshine benefits’. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3801150/Costa-fortune-Number-elderly-British-expats-receiving-winter-fuel-payments-fell-two-thirds-crackdown-sunshine-benefits.html

Mindus, P. (2017). European citizenship after Brexit: Freedom of movement and rights of residence. Palgrave. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51774-2

New survey shows Brexit vote slightly dents UK’s reputation among EU nations. (2016, December 20). https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk

PM defends not ‘giving away’ guarantee for EU citizens before Brexit talks. (2016, November 30). https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/brexit-may-right-not-give-away-rights-eu-citizens-1461260Reese, Stephen D., Oscar H. Gandy, Jr., & August E. Grant (Eds.) (2001). Framing public life: Perspectives on media and our understanding of the social world. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Referendum result has panicked UK businesses that are in need of reassurance. https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2016/07/05/brexit-vote-sees-business-confidence-plummet

Sculthorpe, T., Stevens, J., & Doyle, J. (2016, June 2). Foreign voters HAVE been wrongly sent polling cards for the referendum but will be stopped from taking part, election watchdog admits as IDS demands Cameron probe the 'deeply disturbing' claims. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3621700/Foreigners-stopped-voting-illegally-referendum-IDS-demands-gives-Cameron-24-hours-investigate-deeply-disturbing-claims-EU-citizens-sent-polling-cards.html

Searle, C. (1989). Your daily dose: Racism and the Sun. Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom.

Stephens, P. (2021). Britain alone: The path from Suez to Brexit. Faber.

Thomas, L., & Nikolaeva, M. (2016, July 6). France offers expats tax relief to attract London bankers. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3677097/France-lures-London-bankers-extra-expat-tax-break.html

Wall, S. (2020). Reluctant European: Britain and the European Union from 1945 to Brexit. OUP. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198840671.001.0001

Woodhouse, C. (2016, July 28). PM’s promise: Theresa May says all 800,000 Poles living in the UK can stay after Brexit… as long as Brits can stay in EU. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1518707/theresa-may-says-all-800000-poles-living-in-the-uk-can-stay-after-brexit-as-long-as-brits-can-stay-in-eu/

Brexit And British Expatriates in The British Newspapers

Authors

DOI:

Keywords:

Abstract

Downloads

Author Biography

Fathi Bourmeche, University of Sfax, Tunisia

References

Downloads

Published

How to Cite

Issue

Section

License

Make a Submission

Information

Metrics