Living through the pandemic in post-Brexit Britain: emotional damage and forms of resilience among middle-aged European citizens

This study ran between October 2021 and June 2022. Using a combination of participant-created artwork and semi-structured interviews, the project aimed to examine the effects of the Coronavirus epidemic and Brexit on the emotional wellbeing of middle-aged European citizens who have transnational caring responsibilities in the UK and in Europe. The qualitative research sought an in-depth understanding of the participants' emotional landscape and explored how their sense of belonging in the UK has been eroded by this combination of factors. The disconnect engendered by Brexit and the forced estrangement from family in Europe have prompted many EU nationals to return home, causing a loss of workforce for the UK economy at this crucial time of recovery. The project explored their experience with the objectives of identifying these individuals' needs and highlighting the resources they are using to adapt to the changes. The intention is for the results of the project to inform government at national and devolved levels, in support of a strategy to retain these individuals' contributions by rebuilding their sense of home in Britain. The research was funded by a British Academy/Leverhulme small research grant (SRG21\210667).