Brexit Fallout: European Researchers Launch Project to Counter ‘Brexit Lies’
Brussels, Belgium – A team of European researchers, deeply impacted by the 2016 Brexit vote, are preparing to present a powerful counter-narrative to the disinformation that fueled the UK’s departure from the European Union. The project, dubbed FOM@PLAY, is a compelling collection of 100 interviews with European citizens living across the continent, and is set to be unveiled at the European Parliament on September 25th.
The Genesis of FOM@PLAY: A Response to Brexit Disinformation
Pascual Pérez-Paredes, a professor of Applied Linguistics and English Linguistics at the University of Murcia (UMU) in Spain, was working as a researcher in Cambridge when the Brexit referendum took place. “At first, I couldn’t believe it. Then, I began to understand that there were geopolitical and economic interests behind all that great lie,” Pérez-Paredes shared from his current research post in Hong Kong. This realization sparked a collaborative effort, funded by an Erasmus+ grant, to create alternative discourses supporting freedom of movement within Europe.
The project isn’t simply an academic exercise. It’s a deeply human response to a political upheaval that continues to resonate across the continent. FOM@PLAY aims to provide a platform for voices often marginalized in the Brexit debate – the everyday Europeans whose lives were, and continue to be, affected by the decision.
90 Hours of Stories: The Heart of the Project
FOM@PLAY isn’t a collection of dry statistics or political arguments. It’s a tapestry woven from the personal experiences of individuals navigating life in a post-Brexit Europe. The project amassed 90 hours of recordings, capturing stories of adaptation, resilience, and the challenges faced by those exercising their right to live and work across borders.
The interviews reveal recurring themes, from the practical hurdles of language acquisition – with some parents questioning whether to pass on their native tongue for fear of hindering their children’s opportunities – to the persistent bureaucratic obstacles that complicate cross-border living. One poignant example highlighted in the project involves Romanian emigrants who settled in Spain before Romania joined the EU, and whose children, now Spanish citizens, are grappling with their own identities and sense of belonging.
Beyond Brexit: A Warning About Rising Xenophobia
While born out of the Brexit experience, the project’s findings raise broader concerns about the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment and the vulnerability of European citizens to discriminatory rhetoric. Pérez-Paredes warns that stereotypes targeting citizens from Eastern European countries – particularly Bulgaria and Romania – remain prevalent, fueled by misinformation and prejudice. “We have a lot of evidence in the scientific literature,” he states, “relating them to criminals or untrustworthy people.”
The researchers fear this trend could extend to other marginalized groups within the EU, mirroring the divisive tactics employed during the Brexit campaign. “There are many economic forces that want a divided, atomized, and poor Europe,” Pérez-Paredes emphasizes. He points to the UK press’s decade-long focus on blaming EU citizens for societal problems, from straining social services to overburdening the healthcare system, as a cautionary tale.
A Resource for Educators and a Call for Dialogue
The team isn’t just presenting their findings to policymakers; they’re equipping educators with the tools to foster critical thinking and promote understanding. FOM@PLAY has created a suite of pedagogical materials, which will be distributed at the European Parliament presentation, allowing schools and universities to incorporate the project’s insights into their curricula. The project’s website, fomatplay.eu, offers access to the interviews after registration, essentially creating a “Netflix-style” archive of personal stories.
The project also features compelling individual narratives, such as Viktoriya, a Russian journalist forced to emigrate for her safety and now living in Italy, and Adrián S., a Romanian living in Salamanca who worries his daughter’s accent might limit her job prospects. These stories, and many others, serve as a powerful reminder of the human cost of political division.
As Europe navigates an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, the lessons of Brexit – and the voices captured in FOM@PLAY – are more relevant than ever. The project serves as a vital reminder of the importance of safeguarding freedom of movement, combating disinformation, and fostering a more inclusive and united Europe.
Stay tuned to archyde.com for continued coverage of this developing story and in-depth analysis of the implications of Brexit for Europe and beyond.
