Jul 7, 2023
Understandings of migration are invariably reduced to immigration, framed by the policy agenda of receiving states. But what about the people who leave? And why does it matter that we remember, as French-Algerian sociologist Abdelmalek Sayad stressed, that ‘every immigrant is also an emigrant’?
From the role of emigration in the making of the British empire and other European colonial powers to its neglect in public and political conversations about migration today, this episode explores what is opened up when we turn the spotlight onto those leaving the sovereign territory of a nation. Elena Zambelli explains what we mean when we talk about emigration. Mukti Jain Campion, founder of the independent production company Culture Wise, reminds us of the relationship between emigration and the making of the British Empire. Nando and Michaela reflect on why we need to talk about emigration today. We look into how states engage with emigration from its role in net migration figures through to policies and concerns over brain drains. And we turn to consider who is leaving Britain today, drawing on what British citizens and EU nationals taking part in our research told us about the significance of Brexit to their emigration decisions.
You can access the full transcripts for each episode over on our website Who do we think we are?
In this episode we cover …
Emigration and colonisation
Leaving Britain today
Brexit and Brits Abroad
Active listening questions
Hear more from Michaela and Mukti about British emigrants today
Learn about The Migration Museum’s Departures exhibition
Explore the Brexit testimonies of British citizens living in the EU
Our podcast picks ...
Departures – 400 Years of Emigration from Britain
BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking, Emigration
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