The 'Others' in Post-Brexit Britain

Esther VAN DER VEEN

Diplomová práce

A Literary Analysis of Brexit Literature

Has a New Genre Arisen after Brexit? A Literary Analysis of 'Brexlit' Novels

Abstract:

In June 2016, Britain made the unprecedented and shocking decision to leave the European Union, but Brexit revealed a deeply divided country. Many variables, such as age, educational level, yearly income, and unemployment rates, played a role in the Referendum results. The academic field is highly interested in the explanations for referendum and its consequences. A new literary genre emerged, Brexlit, which concerns itself with the same questions. This thesis will explore Britain's dividedness by specifically focus on (British) populism and the process of othering. By close reading three Brexlit novels (Ali Smith's Autumn, Amanda Craig's The Lie of the Land, and John Lanchester's The Wall), this thesis aims to gain a deeper understanding of how Brexit's 'others' are envisioned in post-Brexit Britain and aims to explore the relationship between the British 'self' and these 'others'.

Abstract:

In June 2016, Britain made the unprecedented and shocking decision to leave the European Union, but Brexit revealed a deeply divided country. Many variables, such as age, educational level, yearly income, and unemployment rates, played a role in the Referendum results. The academic field is highly interested in the explanations for referendum and its consequences. A new literary genre emerged, Brexlit, which concerns itself with the same questions. This thesis will explore Britain's dividedness by specifically focus on (British) populism and the process of othering. By close reading three Brexlit novels (Ali Smith's Autumn, Amanda Craig's The Lie of the Land, and John Lanchester's The Wall), this thesis aims to gain a deeper understanding of how Brexit's 'others' are envisioned in post-Brexit Britain and aims to explore the relationship between the British 'self' and these 'others'.

Keywords

Brexit, Brexit Literature, Populism, Othering, Dividedness

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 2. 6. 2023

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Mgr. Elizabeth Allyn Woock, PhD.

UNIVERZITA PALACKÉHO V OLOMOUCI

Filozofická fakulta

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Humanities / Euroculture