British Migrants Research Articles

Renegotiating female transnational identities after Brexit: the importance of hybrid habitus

ABSTRACT Transnational European migrants develop identity trajectories and a sense of belonging in a country other than their own and constantly renegotiate them. We analyse this by adapting Bourdieu’s notion of habitus to include hybrid habitus or how cultural forms of capital are embedded in a new context in homemaking practices. This renegotiation is particularly the case for EU professional migrants for whom class, gender, and nationality are interleaved in complex ways. In this paper, two women’s experiences are chosen out of a larger qualitative study of 58 professional and educated EU citizens to illustrate these ideas among Dutch transnational migrants in Scotland and British migrants in the Netherlands. We consider the complex processes in which they have developed ideas of home and belonging and how this shifted during the Brexit process as these identity trajectories were recast.

The South American Center of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers: Circulation of British Engineers in South America, 1920–1949

British migration to Argentina was a phenomenon that occurred at the end of the nineteenth century, reaching its peak between 1850 and 1880. The circulation of British professionals, however, took place during the first half of the twentieth century as part of the migratory phenomenon framed in the context of a second phase of imperialism, the large number of British engineers, and the demand of South-American countries to develop their railways. This migratory process of professionals implied the transmission of knowledge and technology transfer, as well as a response from local engineering communities. The Institution of Locomotive Engineers and its center in Argentina are a clear example of the evolution of the forms of association characteristic of the nineteenth century, but also of the structuring, organisation, and expansion of the circulation of British engineers.

Language practices and identity construction on Facebook in the aftermath of Brexit: The case of a group of British migrants in Greece applying for Greek citizenship

This article examines the digital language practices in a Facebook group of seven British migrants, who live in Greece and have applied for Greek citizenship, throughout March 2021, in the aftermath of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. More specifically, it uses online ethnography to analyse the ways with which group members use language and construct identity through their public posts and comments. Although research into the digital language practices and identity construction of Greek migrants has been carried out, no such research exists in the case of British migrants residing in Greece. It will be shown how group members’ use of both Greek and English, as well as creative examples of code switching for the purpose of conveying concepts to other members, offers insight into how the group under study use language to position themselves in relation to both Greece and the Greek citizenship application process, as well as to other members who possess varying degrees of linguistic competency in Greek.

Fabrice Bensimon, Artisans Abroad. British Migrant Workers in Industrialising Europe, 1815-1870

Fabrice Bensimon, Artisans Abroad. British Migrant Workers in Industrialising Europe, 1815-1870

A successful transnational cold war intervention? Revisiting the Heung Yee Kuk’s “goodwill” tour of Britain’s Chinatowns, 1967–1970

ABSTRACT Most ethnic Chinese living and working in Britain in the late 1960s were from Hong Kong’s New Territories. Many of these British migrants blamed the Hong Kong government for importing cheap foodstuffs and driving farmers off the land to build new infrastructural projects. In 1967, Hong Kong experienced a wave of social and political unrest commonly referred to as the 1967 Leftist Riots. The unrest spread to parts of Britain’s Chinatown, where a leftist movement emerged in sympathy with the anti-colonial rioters. In response, the Heung Yee Kuk, a legal advisory organisation that represented established interests in the New Territories, proposed to send a ‘goodwill tour’ to Britain’s Chinatowns to demonstrate that the Hong Kong government was committed to their welfare. The unlikely alliance proved politically expedient as both had good reason to foster the political loyalty of Britain’s migrant Chinese. In particular, both parties understood the economic necessity of quieting the unrest to ensure the continued flow of remittance back to the colony. The detailed report of migrant Chinese grievances with the British and Hong Kong governments produced by the Heung Yee Kuk delegates led to welfare reforms for the Chinese communities of Hong Kong and Britain.

The Roots of Ethnic Conflict in Post-World War II Myanmar, Malaysia, and the Philippines

The impacts of colonial history on present-day ethnic relations in Southeast Asia, a region known for its cultural and ethnic diversity, remain significant in understanding the sociopolitical developments within the countries of the region. This paper examines the historical origins and contemporary implications of long-standing ethnic conflicts in Southeast Asia, focusing on Myanmar, Malaysia, and the Philippines. I argue that these conflicts stemmed from colonial legacies and can be traced back to each country’s respective colonial periods, which took place at different points in history. From the imposition of territorial boundaries to racial classification and differential treatment, colonial policies resulted in enduring tensions between ethnic populations, which continue to shape ethnic relations in these countries today. British colonial rule in Myanmar fostered tensions between the Bamar majority and non-Bamar minorities, while in Malaysia, disparities between Malays and ethnic Chinese were fueled by British migration policies. In the Philippines, conflicts involving the Muslim minority in Mindanao originated from attempts by the Spanish at Christianization and subjugation, further exacerbated by American imperialism. Despite variations in colonial experiences and timelines, ethnic conflicts underscore the lasting impact of colonization on these countries’ present-day social and political dynamics.

The relation between perceived non-native features in the L1 speech of English migrants to Austria and their phonetic manifestation in L1 productions

Aims: The purpose of this research was to investigate to what extent the most commonly identified non-native features in the L1 speech of late consecutive bilinguals are reflected in differences in the bilinguals’ productions of these features compared with those of monolingual speakers of the L1. Design: We investigated the L1 accent of English migrants to Austria and monolingual English speakers in the United Kingdom in two inter-related studies. Data: In Study 1, an accent-perception experiment, native English listeners rated the nativeness of the monolinguals’ and bilinguals’ L1 English productions of read sentences, using a 6-point scale, and subsequently commented on the accentual features associated with perceived non-nativeness. In Study 2, the monolinguals’ and bilinguals’ productions of the most commonly identified non-native features from Study 1 were compared acoustically and auditorily. Findings: The accent-perception experiment revealed significantly higher non-nativeness ratings for the bilinguals than the monolinguals. These were associated with a wide range of segmental and prosodic features ( n = 836 feature tokens), with /iː/ and /ɪ/ the most commonly identified for segments, and articulation rate and intonation for prosody. The phonetic analysis of these features in Study 2, in turn, revealed that the bilinguals produced /ɪ/ closer to /iː/ than the monolinguals and had more final rises in questions, with the articulation rate differences between them just failing to reach significance. Originality: This is the first study to document a direct link between the features perceived as non-native in bilinguals’ L1 speech and their measurable manifestation in non-native L1 speech productions. Significance: This research contributes significantly to our understanding of the relationship between the perception and production of attrition in L1 speech, and shows that where listeners are able to provide consistent, detailed descriptions of the features associated with non-nativeness, they truthfully reflect measurable patterns in the speech signal.

Living law, normative pluralism, and “fare dodging” on public transport in Budapest

This paper explores a situation regulated by plural normative orders, which every-day public transport users and ticket inspectors experience and practice in the urban realm of the Hungarian capital city, Budapest. The paper analyses everyday interactions between members of the public and public transport staff (typically ticket inspectors) in ways which are not only regulated by formal rules, but which manifest in a non-state regulated normative order. By doing this, the paper theoretically engages with the interplay between multiple normative orders and the urban dynamics in which they operate. The norms which regulate these practices can exist because of how the public transport system operates in Budapest. The paper is based on twenty-five in-depth interviews conducted between February 2017 and March 2019 with long-term Hungarian residents and British migrants living in Budapest. A synthesis of Ehrlich’s “living law” theory and Moore’s concepts of “semi-autonomous social fields” provide the underlying theoretical framework to examine these informal interactions.

Older British migrants in Spain: Return patterns and intentions post‐Brexit

AbstractAfter the Brexit referendum results, there may have been fears that a significant part of the British population in Spain, one of the largest outside the Commonwealth, would return to the United Kingdom. This paper uses different sources to assess whether, on the one hand, such a return movement has existed and, on the other hand, whether it could exist in the future. To do so, we analyse data from the Spanish Population Register (Padrón) and the Residential Variation Statistics (EVR) from 2003 to 2021, and a survey carried out in 2020 of 643 British people over 55 years of age living in Spain. In relation to the registry data, it has been observed that the return movement after Brexit has not been as significant as might be expected at a time of great uncertainty. Only in 2021 it was detected an increase in return movements, especially above the age of 75, probably caused by the end of the application of the Withdrawal Agreement. On the other hand, the survey results show that the intention to return is lower than in other similar surveys that have been carried out in the past, even in another COVID‐19 outbreak scenario. Moreover, this intention to return is especially related to variables linked to insertion, such as not being properly registered or owning a property in the United Kingdom, among other variables.

Ruiz, Marie (ed.), Bridging Boundaries in British Migration History. In Memoriam Eric Richards

Ruiz, Marie (ed.), Bridging Boundaries in British Migration History. In Memoriam Eric Richards

Labour migration in the United Kingdom post Brexit: its policies and reforms

This chapter analyses the British labour migration laws post Brexit inclusive of the European Union Settlement Scheme. The intricacies of the migration rules are explored and explained, leading the reader to understand the complex points-based system. An evaluation follows of the various employment routes’ visas with a mention of safe and legal routes. Its critical and theoretical conclusion accentuates the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary British migration system.

Contesting ‘Integration’: Personal-Experience Narratives of Scotland’s Immigrants

This chapter unpacks ‘integration’ by problematizing the term’s nebulous usage in political contexts and by re-examining it through the personal-experience narratives of immigrants in North-East Scotland. By focusing on three emergent narrative themes, the chapter explores how immigrants recount and make sense of their own experiences and encounters with integration. It considers the concept with relation to other immigrants, Scottish society more generally, and British migration policy. Emphasizing the creative narrative expressions of those most affected by wider discussions of integration, the author calls for the use of ethnographic methods to better examine immigration and integration from a groundlevel perspective.

Race, capital and the British migration–development nexus

Over the past 20 years, migration and development policy have been connected in British politics in two overlapping ways – one argument is centred on migration being used for development, the other using aid to reduce migration. In this article, I argue that two seemingly contradictory policy configurations – development and migration – and the different articulations of their relationship – migration for development and aid to stop migration – stem from the same framework of racialised capitalism. I show how these relationships are in flux; related to the demands of capital and to the different ideological approaches towards migration. In different ways, the nexus helps to produce varying forms of exploitable subjects and enacts control over surplus populations across the ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ world.

Marie Ruiz, ed. Bridging Boundaries in British Migration History: In Memoriam Eric Richards. Anthem Studies in British History. London: Anthem Press, 2020. Pp. 262. $125.00 (cloth).

Marie Ruiz, ed. Bridging Boundaries in British Migration History: In Memoriam Eric Richards. Anthem Studies in British History. London: Anthem Press, 2020. Pp. 262. $125.00 (cloth). - Volume 61 Issue 4

Plasticity of Native Intonation in the L1 of English Migrants to Austria

This study examines the plasticity of native language intonation in English-Austrian German sequential bilinguals who have migrated to Austria in adulthood by comparing it to that of monolingual English and monolingual Austrian control speakers. Intonation was analysed along four intonation dimensions proposed by the L2 Intonation Learning theory (LILt): the inventory of categorical phonological elements (‘systemic’ dimension), their phonetic implementation (‘realizational’), the meaning associated with phonological elements (‘semantic’), and their frequency of use (‘frequency’). This allowed us to test whether each intonation dimension is equally permeable to L2-on-L1 influences. The results revealed L2-on-L1 effects on each dimension. These consistently took the form of assimilation. The extent of assimilation appeared to depend on whether the cross-language differences were gradient or categorical, with the former predominantly resulting in intermediate merging and the latter in a complete transfer. The results suggest that native intonation remains plastic in all its dimensions, resulting in pervasive modifications towards the L2. Finally, in this first application of the LILt to the context of L1 attrition, the study confirms the model’s suitability not only to acquisition of L2 intonation but also for predicting where modifications of L1 intonation are likely to occur.

Distance and Blame: The Rise of the English Planter Class

Richard S. Dunn's Sugar and Slaves: The Rise of the Planter Class in the English, 1624–1713, remains a key book that shapes our understanding of the seventeenth-century Caribbean. His work depicts the creation of the English West Indies, with a special focus on Barbados's turn to sugar, its commitment to slavery, and the emergence of its planter class. Dunn sees the region as set apart by its socially dysfunctionality, a site of unprecedented brutality. He conveys a strong sense of moral outrage about the cruelties of life there. His depiction inadvertently supports the efforts to distance the slaveholding Caribbean from the English metropole. In this view, the Caribbean attracted the dregs of English society who then of necessity created a brutal social environment, one that included slavery. Dunn does not endorse this view of how slavery developed, acknowledging the role of elites and the middling sort in the rise of both slavery and the planter class that profited from it. We now understand slavery's reach differently, so that the West Indies (and even the lowest of its English migrants) can no longer be blamed for its rise and centrality.

Back to the Future: The Impact of Perceptions and Experiences of Time on the Lives of British Lifestyle Migrants in Spain

Increasingly, lifestyle migration research has focused on the ways that social categories like race, gender and sexuality, as well as concepts from post-colonialism to spatialisation, intersect and impact on lifestyle migrants’ everyday experiences, in an attempt to complicate its theoretical foundations. Adding to this body of work, this article explicitly investigates post-migration perceptions of time among lifestyle migrants, which have previously been more implicitly explored. It does so, by showing how British migrants in the Catalan tourist town of Sitges remained orientated towards the future in a way that conflicted with the temporal rhythm of the town itself, which was determined by a calendar of cultural festivals and events that was repeated annually, with minimal variation. As a result, participants soon felt so stuck within a seemingly unchanging present, which they were unable to transition fully into, that it often precipitated (or contributed to) return migration to the UK.

Dipping and rinsing dishes: a discussion involving cleanliness and sustainability in Brazilian and English households

This paper compares the way people wash dishes in England and in Brazil to contribute to the discussion of how practices are undertaken in different national contexts and by people with different cultural backgrounds in both places, in order to verify if there are different levels of strength in the elements of practice described by Shove et al. (2012). It is based on twelve oral histories, both from Brazilian residents (three Brazilian locals and two English migrants) and English residents (two Brazilian migrants, one English local, and two cross-national couples). This data examines different social conventions and expectations from multiple perspectives, considering procedures, interplay between partners, expected outcomes and items associated to the practice, to name a few. Different social conventions of what is expected from a practice and the culture play a significant role in this dynamic, allowing us also to think about different strategies that could be employed by companies and governments to promote sustainable behaviours. Overall, the analysis provides an original account of social practices, which offers insights in multiple domains, such as consumer behaviour, marketing, sustainability and governance strategy.

Spaces of the local, spaces of the nation: Intersectional bordering practices in post-Brexit Berlin

This article examines the relationship between bordering practices and processes of situated intersectionality by exploring how British migrants encounter and erect borders as they move through Berlin. Through exploring how research participants conceptualise and orientate themselves towards Berlin’s city spaces and how this relates to transnational and translocal processes of classification, I interrogate how processes of racialisation and classification move across European contexts to manifest within localised spaces. The research explores how these intersections work to minimise, accentuate or transfigure one another as inequalities come into being through urban space by placing feminist intersectional approaches in conversation with border studies. By uniquely focusing on a migrant group infrequently considered in European migration literatures, and often regarded as invisible or unproblematic, we can examine how race, class and gender intersect with nationality and how racialised exclusions from European belonging function through everyday processes. I highlight how classification processes have transnational portability and carry intra-European similarities, yet also assuming context-specific features.

Xenophobia against British Migrant Children in Canada at the End of the 19th Century

Xenophobia against British Migrant Children in Canada at the End of the 19th Century