Ian lives in Sweden and crosses the Öresund Bridge on a daily basis for his job in Denmark. As a cross-border worker what does Brexit mean for him and others like him, now and in the future? And what does it mean for the cross border rights—pensions, healthcare, sick leave, workers rights—based on European citizenship that have been the foundation for so many cross border workers? This episode is part of a set of episodes that we have released throughout the project that focus on the human face of Brexit and what it means for British citizens living in the EU27. Other episodes in this sele ..read more

In today’s podcast special, Michaela and Karen get together to reflect on (some of) the sociological takeaways from the project. And it’s a real tour de force! Get ready to hear them tackle the problems at the heart of the perennial question—why don’t they just go back to Britain?—that has become all too familiar to many Britons living in Europe in a time of Brexit. They return to questions of Britain and Britishness, citizenship and racism. And in their latest discussion of bordering they highlight the need to move beyond legalistic framings, and into understandings that recognise that ..read more

This blog was originally published in the LSE Brexit blog. It first appeared online on 7th October 2019. Brexit came as a shock to many Britons living in the EU27, but for many People of Colour, it confirmed their fears about the nature of British society and their experience of racism. Michaela Benson and Chantelle Lewis (Goldsmiths, University of London) argue that white Britons in the EU, suddenly confronted by the possible loss of their citizenship rights, have not realised the connection between Brexit and continuing fights for migrants’ rights. On 29 March 2019, the European Parliamen ..read more

One of the notable consequences of Brexit has been the rapid rise of transnational campaign groups lobbying for the rights of British citizens living in the EU26. Such political mobilisation of the British population across Europe is unprecedented, although understandable given the challenges that Brexit presents to their lives. However, as Michaela discusses with Jeremy MacClancy (Professor in Anthropology, Oxford Brookes University), political participation by British citizens living in the EU26 through getting involved in local campaigns, in becoming town councillors—an activity that is ..read more

Chantelle Lewis and Michaela Benson will be presenting research from the Brexit Brits Abroad project at the Centre for the Study of Democracy Research Seminar Series, at University of Westminster.  All staff, students and public welcome. Free event. Light refreshments provided.  Date: Tuesday 15th October 2019 Time: 5 – 6.30pm Location: The Forum, 5th Floor, 32-38 Wells Street, W1T 3UW The post RESEARCH SEMINAR: Brexit, British People of Colour in the EU-27 & Everyday Racism in Britain and Europe appeared first on Brexit Brits Abroad ..read more

Dr Michaela Benson (left) and Dr Adrienne Yong (right) at roundtable event, 11th June 2019. Dr Adrienne Yong organised a roundtable event on ‘Brexit’s Effect on Citizens, Human Rights & Immigration’, held at City, University of London on 11 June 2019. Brexit Brits Abroad Project lead Dr Michaela Benson spoke at the event, which brought together academics, lawyers, and citizens rights’ groups. The  focus was to discuss the unique legal questions raised in the aftermath of the UK referendum in June 2016, in particular, the new governance of immigration to the UK in the context of Brexit; h ..read more

In this episode Michaela talks over the line with Aoife O’Donoghue, Professor of International Law and Global Governance, Durham University and Colin Murray, Reader in Public Law at Newcastle University, about the special relationship between Britain and Ireland and in particular, the Common Travel Area. The CTA has meant that Irish citizens living the UK and British citizens living in Ireland have been treated not as foreigners or aliens, but as equivalent to citizens of each those states. But this has been a nebulous arrangement that for various reasons has always operated informally. An ..read more

Download the transcript In this episode, Michaela is joined on the line by Christine Barwick (Centre Marc Bloch, Humboldt University) to talk about her and her students’ recent research with British citizens living in Berlin. They focus in particular on how working with British citizens who live in cities opens up our understandings of who the British citizens are who live in Europe, how lifestyle interplays with other reasons for migration, and the absence of a British community. And as they discuss, Brexit has further strengthened their sense of identification with Berlin. This epi ..read more

No Deal Brexit: issues, impacts and implications is a new report published by the academic think tank, The UK in a Changing Europe (who fund our research). The report finds that No Deal will not “get Brexit done”, rather, it will usher in a period of prolonged uncertainty for citizens, workers and businesses, which is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.  “The likely implication of a no deal Brexit for … Britons elsewhere in Europe will be one of gradually increasing confusion and complexity as attempts by the UK and other member states to find pragmatic legal and administrative routes ..read more

Have a listen to Michaela talking with Howard Brereton on The Friday Conversation show on Talk Radio Europe, 23rd August 2019.  Talking current developments in Brexit negotiations and what Brexit means for Britons living in the EU-27.  The post Dr Michaela Benson talks to TRE’s Howard Brereton – Talk Radio Europe – August 2019 appeared first on Brexit Brits Abroad ..read more