Rebordering Britain & Britons after Brexit
Brexit and Citizenship by Descent: A Relational Understanding of Defensive Pragmatism and of the Rediscovery of Belonging
Abstract
By removing rights from British citizens and EU27 citizens in the UK, Brexit has redefined the value of national citizenships. This article shows the experiences of British citizens living in Belgium and the UK who considered obtaining Irish or Italian citizenship by descent, as well as British and EU27 citizens living in Belgium and the UK who adopted tactics to ensure the transmission of specific citizenships to their children. The interviewees were on the defensive and aimed to limit their loss of rights. This article argues that the decisions to pursue citizenship should be understood as relational, as different kinds of relations influence the decision, and as the decision is often taken for the benefit of relatives, especially children. At the same time, the process is not necessarily collective, as in some cases there are instances of non-collaboration or disinterest on the part of some of the relatives involved. © 2023, University of Poitiers. All rights reserved.
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