The (Post-) Brexit Era in Jonathan Coe's "Middle England"

master's thesis

• Author: Veronika Bartulović
• Mentor: Vanja Polić Jurković (mentor)
• Committee member: Iva Polak (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Tihana Klepač (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-24, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This thesis delves into the depiction of the causes and consequences of the Brexit campaign and the impact on the personal relations and political attitudes of the characters in Jonathan Coe’s novel "Middle England" (2018). In the wake of rising nationalist and populist rhetoric delivered by the Leave campaign, the English society has become increasingly marked by affective polarization, that is emotional divisions between individuals or groups with opposing political views, while simultaneously becoming less tolerant towards immigrants. The thesis explores how Jonathan Coe, in the manner of a chronicler, offers a view of English society represented through an array of characters during a turbulent period in recent British history, when a set of arbitrary political decisions put a huge strain on their interpersonal relationships. Throughout the analysis, attention has been drawn to the position of immigrants and minorities in the context of British cosmopolitanism, but also to the challenges faced by the Eastern European immigrants who have moved to the rural parts of England as a result of the EU migration policies. The thesis also probes into the issues of nostalgia felt by some older characters who long for the England of their youth, mythologically represented as stable and a cohesive country that provided a sense of ontological security. The image of a conservative Albion is thus juxtaposed to a multicultural and cosmopolitan England that is ultimately shown as an illusion, since the intolerance that simmers just below the surface of civility is brought up by the Brexit referendum and the Leave campaign.

Abstract (croatian)

Ovaj rad bavi se prikazom uzroka i posljedica kampanje za Brexit te njezinog utjecaja na međuljudske odnose i političke stavove likova u romanu “Middle England” (2018.) autora Jonathana Coea. U jeku pojačane nacionalističke i populističke retorike koja proizlazi iz kampanje za izlazak iz EU, u engleskom društvu javlja se afektivna polarizacija, odnosno emocionalna podjela između pojedinaca ili skupina s oprečnim političkim stavovima. Također, društvo istodobno postaje sve manje tolerantno prema imigrantima. Rad istražuje kako Jonathan Coe u maniri kroničara oslikava presjek engleskog društva kroz život likova za vrijeme turbulentnog razdoblja u novijoj britanskog povijesti kada je niz arbitrarnih političkih odluka unio napetost u njihove međuljudske odnose. Posebna pozornost posvećuje se položaju imigranata i manjina u kontekstu britanskog kozmopolitizma, ali i izazovima s kojima se susreću istočnoeuropski imigranti koji su naselili ruralne dijelove Engleske potaknuti migracijskom politikom EU-a. Rad također ispituje problematiku nostalgije koju osjećaju neki stariji likovi koji čeznu za Engleskom svoje mladosti. Ona je mitološki predstavljena kao stabilna i kohezivna zemlja koja je pružala osjećaj ontološke sigurnosti. Slika konzervativnog Albiona na taj je način suprotstavljena multikulturalnoj i kozmopolitskoj Engleskoj koja se na koncu ispostavlja kao iluzija, budući da kampanja za Brexit razotkriva netrpeljivost koja se krije ispod površine civilnog društva.

• Keywords: Brexit; referendum; cosmopolitanism; nationalism; multiculturalism; immigration; nostalgia
• Keywords (croatian): Brexit; referendum; kozmopolitizam; nacionalizam; multikulturalizam; imigracija; nostalgija
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:549943
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-09-28 18:09:44