Austerity Talk and Crisis Narratives: Memory Politics, Xenophobia, and Citizenship in the European Union.

Helga K Hallgrimsdottir,Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly,Ari Finnsson

doi:10.3389/fsoc.2020.00014

Helga K Hallgrimsdottir, Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2020.00014

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Journal: Frontiers in sociology	Publication Date: Mar 13, 2020
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Victoria, York University

Abstract

The focus in this paper is on understanding the complex intersections between crises and memory politics in shaping conversations about citizenship through an examination of the two defining crises of our time: the global financial crisis (GFC) of 2008 and the migrant crisis in the European Union (starting in 2011 and continuing). The paper looks at these crises as narrative devices that intersect with memory politics in ways that heighten and intensify xenophobic and nationalist anxieties. The paper's discussion is primarily theoretical, complemented with evidence drawn from public statements and policy platforms of three key right-wing Eurosceptic parties in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), the Rassemblement National (RN), and the Alternativ für Deutschland (AfD).

Highlights

Crisis is the catchword of our current historical moment (Dinan et al, 2017)
The focus in this paper is on understanding the complex intersections between crises and memory politics in shaping conversations about citizenship through an examination of the two defining crises of our time: the global financial crisis (GFC) of 2008 and the refugee reception crisis in the European Union
The paper looks at these crises as narrative devices that intersect with memory politics in ways that heighten and intensify xenophobic and nationalist anxieties

Summary

Introduction

Crisis is the catchword of our current historical moment (Dinan et al, 2017). For residents of the European Union, the global economic and financial crisis (GFC) of 2008 was succeeded by the sovereign debt crisis in 2009 (the Eurozone crisis), and the refugee reception (or migrant)1 crisis in 2015. The focus in this paper is on understanding the complex intersections between crises and memory politics in shaping conversations about citizenship through an examination of the two defining crises of our time: the global financial crisis (GFC) of 2008 and the refugee reception crisis in the European Union (starting in 2011 and continuing).

Results

Conclusion