Be Beco coming ming Eu Euro ropean ean? Non-EU Migrants - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Be Beco coming ming Eu Euro ropean ean? Non-EU Migrants Negotiate European Identities in France, Great Britain and Spain Maricia Fischer-Souan PhD Candidate

Methodological Approach

Research Design 100+ in-depth interviews with first generation migrants in three EU contexts between 2014 and 2016 Algerian erians Ecua uadorian dorians Indi dian ans Spa pain 8 17 - France ance 37 - 10 Great at - 10 21 Britain in Intervi rview ew the hemes es: Motivations for migration COR arrival and settlement experiences Ethnic, national and supranational identities Spatial scales and everyday life Evaluations of country of origin (COO), country of residence (COR) and EU societies and politics

1. . ‘ Eu Europ ope ’ as a salient ent cat atego egory ry 19 19/1 /103 03 res esponden ondents made de sp spontaneou taneous ref eferenc erences es = = ju just st under der 1/ 1/5 Prin incipl iple th themes mes/me mean anings ings of sp spontan ntaneous eous references ences to to Europe:

Europe: I did it all for my daughters …I came to France for my daughters. The idea was that they would study …Nothing will come in their way. They can travel . I think my eldest daughter has visited thirteen European countries since we are in France. Me, I’ve only visited the Czech Republic outside of France ( Laughter) . … She is also European, being French. She is free . … My daughters are 18 and 22 years old. And they have French nationality. They are Europeans. They are citizens of this world. I took them from [Algeria] with a broken heart …[in the midst of civil war violence]. - Nabil, COO Algeria, 54, Paris suburbs

2. N . Non on-sal salienc ience of ‘ Eu Europ ope ’ 21 21/1 /103 03 res esponde ondents nts of offer er ‘ blan lank ’ rea eactions tions to to for orced ed ques estions ions on on Eu Europe ope = 1/ = 1/5 Con onfusion fusion Silence ence Laught aughter er Irritat ritation ion Irony ony

Confusion Q: As a s a Brit ritish ish citi tizen en you ou also so have ave EU EU citiz izens enship hip. . Do o you ou fee eel Eu European opean to o so some deg egree ee? A: …I have British itish citiz izens enship hip, not the EU one. *1.5 year before Brexit Referendum!

Q: If If I I sa say the word ‘ Eu Europe rope ’, what at is is the first st thing ing that at com omes es to o mind ind? A: … ( Blan ank facial ial ex expres pression sion )… Q: Does the idea of Europe mean anything to you? A: (Silence ence )… I don’t understand the question.

Emotional reactions Q: Do Do you ou fee eel Spani nish sh or or Eu European opean in n any ny way ay? A: ( Laught aughter er )…No!

“C’est quoi ce truc? Moi je sais pas ce que c’est moi, l’Europe !” Q: Do you feel European? A: What hat is is European?! Q: What does it mean to you? A: What is it? What is this thing ing ? … I don’t know what Europe is!

3. . Jus usti tifi ficat cations ions fo for Ide dent ntifi ficat cation ion/N /Non on- Ide dent ntif ifica ication tion wi with th Eu Europ ope ‘Individual’ or orient entatio ations ns/percepti perceptions ons ‘ St Structur uctural al ’ inf nfluen luences ces Prim imary ary soc ocial ialization ization: COO-level (Algeria/Ecuador/India) Se Secon onda dary ry soc ocializatio ialization: COR-level (France/Spain/UK)

Justitications: In Individual dividual-level level • Self-assessed acculturation /time in Europe • Experiences of international travel/EU mobility • Essentialist self-concept/ethnic identity • Perceived relation to ‘white’/ ‘European’ ethnicities • Cultural affinities and interests • Cosmopolitan values

Justifications: Pr Primary mary Soc ociali ializatio zation • Perceived COO-COR Cultural Proximity/Distance • Perception of COO/ethnic ‘status’ internationally • Dynamics of post-colonial state/nation-building • Regional integration processes and ‘cognitive maps’ • Pan-ethnic identities (e.g. Latin American/Berber/North African)

Justifications: Se Secon onda dary ry So Social aliz izatio ation • Frames and national discourses on European integration (Spain/France/UK) – Europe as ‘other’ – Cultural diversity an obstacle – Political vs. economic integration vs. European values • Citizenship status • Perceived mis-recognition/racism in COR • COR national and local attachments

Conclusion ‘ Way ays of of seei eeing ng ’ Eu Europ ope fr from om th the perspecti pe spective ve of ‘ stra trang nger ers ’ sha hape ped by by: Different contexts! Acculturation experiences! Individual characteristics!

Thank you! ms msou ouan anfi fi@cl @clio.uc3 io.uc3m.es m.es