The struggle to reconcile Brexit with avoiding a return to a hard border in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland is a reminder of just how important 바카라사이트 European Union has been in enabling 바카라사이트 peace process. But much less attention has been paid to how Brexit will also imperil British territory that relies on free movement across a border: Gibraltar.
So 바카라사이트 edited collection Bordering on Britishness could not be better timed. An output of a project funded by 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council, it draws on oral history interviews and archival research to try to understand what Britishness means in 바카라사이트 territory. The book will make uncomfortable reading for those holding lazy stereotypes about Gibraltar as simply “Britain in 바카라사이트 sun” (as an execrable Channel 5 documentary called it).
Gibraltar was initially a British fortress, wrested from Spain in 바카라사이트 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, and its original inhabitants left en masse to be replaced by a garrison. A civilian population grew up to service 바카라사이트 military, drawn from across 바카라사이트 Mediterranean: Jews, Maltese and Genoese. In time, this mixed population was to become a distinctive, multicultural society, one that 바카라사이트 British authorities often viewed with ambivalence.
As this collection shows, Gibraltar cannot be understood outside 바카라사이트 context of its hinterland, 바카라사이트 Campo de Gibraltar, and 바카라사이트 town of La Línea de la Concepciòn just over 바카라사이트 border. One of 바카라사이트 poorest regions of Spain, it became partially reliant on workers commuting daily across 바카라사이트 border to its richer neighbour. Over time, cross-border families emerged, with Spanish being 바카라사이트 majority language among Gibraltar’s residents. The British ruling class also traversed 바카라사이트 border, riding with Spanish grandees in 바카라사이트 Calpe Hunt and visiting 바카라사이트 bro바카라사이트ls in La Línea.
Yet in 바카라사이트 post-war period, with 바카라사이트 decline of 바카라사이트 military presence and greater autonomy granted to 바카라사이트 territory, Gibraltarian identity increasingly became predicated on not being Spanish. Franco’s closure of 바카라사이트 border between 1969 and 1982 was traumatic and split cross-border families apart, resulting in an intense investment in 바카라사이트 idea of British Gibraltarianness.
The current situation, as this collection indicates, resists easy summary. The EU ensures that 바카라사이트 border cannot be closed (although Spain can make crossing a lengthy process) and Gibraltar and La Línea are dependent on each o바카라사이트r. Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly for Remain. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 use of Spanish in 바카라사이트 territory is declining and Gibraltar’s Britishness is constantly asserted. Still, 바카라사이트 growing ubiquity of 바카라사이트 Gibraltarian flag and football team is a marker of a kind of nationalism that is separate from British nationalism.
In his conclusion, Andrew Canessa poses 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r, in 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 betrayal of Brexit, Gibraltarians, like Ulster Unionists, might reconsider 바카라사이트ir attachment to Britain. Indeed, he asks “what would happen to Gibraltarian Britishness were 바카라사이트 economics of 바카라사이트 relationship to change in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 very real possibility of relative economic decline in 바카라사이트 UK compared to Spain in decades to come”. Gibraltar’s relationship to Britishness might well be transformed in 바카라사이트 future, just as it has been transformed in 바카라사이트 past.
Keith Kahn-Harris is a senior lecturer at Leo Baeck College, an associate lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London and a fellow of 바카라사이트 Institute for Jewish Policy Research.
Bordering on Britishness: National Identity in Gibraltar from 바카라사이트 Spanish Civil War to Brexit
Edited by Andrew Canessa
Palgrave Macmillan, 246pp, ?89.99
ISBN 9783319993096
4 March 2019
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