How Brexit impacts EU citizens' mental health and wellbeing : research findings, June 2019 /
Teodorowski, Piotr,author.
Woods, Ruth(Ruth R.),author.
Czarnecka, Magda,author.
Kennedy, Catriona(Catriona McAulay),author.
Robert Gordon University.
Our study shows that the Brexit campaign, referendum and subsequent political discourse have damaged EU citizens' wellbeing, primarily through undermining their integration into Scottish society. They have been left feeling unwanted, unwelcome, marked out as different and treated as inferior. They are concerned with the uncertainty around Brexit, reducing their ability to visualise their future in Scotland. Most saw Scotland and the UK as open, welcoming countries before the 2016 referendum, increasing their sense of shock and loss. Thus, we argue that the mental health of the EU citizens is important not only in its own right, but also as a barometer of integration and cohesion in Scotland. To heal EU citizens is to go some way in healing Scotland as a whole. Scotland has a critical advantage over the rest of the UK given its 'Remain' majority, but still faces challenges that need to be tackled on national and local levels. Key messages include: EU citizens' mental health and wellbeing are being impacted by Brexit; their mental health and wellbeing provides a window into the health of our nation, in relation to integration and cohesion; Scotland holds a critical advantage over the rest of UK, but still faces challenges.
Title from front cover.
Includes bibliographical reference.
Our study shows that the Brexit campaign, referendum and subsequent political discourse have damaged EU citizens' wellbeing, primarily through undermining their integration into Scottish society. They have been left feeling unwanted, unwelcome, marked out as different and treated as inferior. They are concerned with the uncertainty around Brexit, reducing their ability to visualise their future in Scotland. Most saw Scotland and the UK as open, welcoming countries before the 2016 referendum, increasing their sense of shock and loss. Thus, we argue that the mental health of the EU citizens is important not only in its own right, but also as a barometer of integration and cohesion in Scotland. To heal EU citizens is to go some way in healing Scotland as a whole. Scotland has a critical advantage over the rest of the UK given its 'Remain' majority, but still faces challenges that need to be tackled on national and local levels. Key messages include: EU citizens' mental health and wellbeing are being impacted by Brexit; their mental health and wellbeing provides a window into the health of our nation, in relation to integration and cohesion; Scotland holds a critical advantage over the rest of UK, but still faces challenges.