Framing Brexit as overwhelmingly negative prevents productive dialogue. Jennifer Jackson-Preece who has recently introduced the Generation Brexit project on the blog, which gives voice to the millennial generation, addresses ways of developing a less confrontational Brexit identity

Jennifer, Jackson-Preece

LSE Research Online

Divorce	doesn’t	have	to	be	bloody	difficultFraming	Brexit	as	overwhelmingly	negative	prevents	productive	dialogue.	Jennifer	Jackson-Preece	who	has	recently	introduced	the	Generation	Brexit	project	on	the	blog,	which	gives	voiceto	the	millennial	generation,	addresses	ways	of	developing	a	less	confrontational	Brexit	identity.In	a	recent	blog,	Steve	Bullock	rightly	reminds	us	that	tough	and	difficult	are	not	the	same	thing.As	a	former	EU	trade	negotiator,	he	speaks	from	experience.	But	his	article	is	itself	a	statement	of‘bloody	mindedness’.		As	with	so	much	of	the	recent	media	coverage,	Bullock’s	framing	of	theBrexit	negotiations	is	overwhelmingly	negative…	to	the	detriment	of	a	productive	dialogue.	Perhaps	if	wechanged	the	rhetoric,	we	might	create	a	less	confrontational	Brexit	identity?if	we	change	the	rhetoric,	we	might	create	a	less	confrontational	Brexit	identityA	broadly	critical	discourse	analysis	of	‘Brexit’	framing	may	offer	insight.	From	this	perspective,	identity	reflects	acontinuous	process	of	social	representations	underscored	by	changing	aspects	of	positioning	between	self	andother	(Andreouli	2010).	In	the	Brexit	process,	the	central	social	actor	positioning	is	between	the	UK	and	the	EU.The	boundary	between	the	UK	and	the	EU	in	this	context	is	highly	contested	and	embodies	deep-seated	powerconfigurations	constructed,	maintained	and	reproduced	by	a	variety	of	social,	cultural	and	political	actors.	Theforms	that	such	struggles	take,	which	we	can	usefully	conceptualise	as		‘identity	performances’,	determine	thesemiotic	content	of	public	debate	on	Brexit.Divorce	is	the	dominant	metaphor	of	BrexitDivorce	is	the	dominant	metaphor	of	Brexit.	Its	predominate	usage	in	the	mainstream	media	operates	to	sustainan	adversarial,	indeed,	antithetical,	representation	of	the	UK	and	the	EU.	Yesterday’s	headline	story	about	thelatest	quip	from	Boris	Johnson	that		‘the	EU	can	go	whistle’	if	they	expect	the	UK	to	pay	a	divorce	bill	is	a	classicexample.But	if	we	look	at	the	popular	discourse	of		‘real’	divorce	online,	we	find	a	more	positive	framing.	Various	‘self-help’websites	advocate	a	‘healthy	divorce’	identity.		For	example,	the	American	Psychological	Association	advises	‘notto	think	of	the	breakup	as	a	battle’.	Similarly,	the	NHS	encourages	those	going	through	a	divorce	‘not	to	getangry’	and	to	only	enter	into	‘conversations	with	a	clear	idea	of	what	you	want	to	achieve	without	getting	drawninto	old	arguments.’		Relate	says	‘blaming	yourselves	as	individuals’	is	counterproductive;	a	far	better	approach	isto	focus	on	‘what	the	relationship	was	lacking’	and	‘how	the	relationship	failed	to	meet	you	or	your	partner’sneeds’.The	‘healthy	divorce’	discourse	enables	constructive	dialogue	because	it	reformulates	conflict	as	cooperation.The	bright	dichotomy	between	self	and	other	that	sustains	a	‘bloody	difficult’	divorce	identity	becomes	blurred.Compromise	thus	emerges	as	a	reasonable	prospect.LSE Brexit: Divorce doesn’t have to be bloody difficult Page 1 of 2		Date originally posted: 2017-07-14Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2017/07/14/divorce-doesnt-have-to-be-bloody-difficult/Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/The	Generation	Brexit	project	offers	scope	for	exactly	this	sort	of	‘healthy	divorce’	approach.	On	the	GenerationBrexit	platform,	under	35s	from	across	the	UK	and	the	EU	are	actively	engaged	in	thinking	about	how	the	UK	andthe	EU	can	remain	on	good	terms	after	Brexit.	May	and	Juncker	should	take	note	of	their	constructive	ideas.This	blog	represents	the	views	of	the	author	and	not	those	of	LSE	Brexit	blog,	nor	the	LSE.Dr	Jennifer	Jackson-Preece	is	Deputy	Head	of	the	European	Institute	and	Associate	Professor	of	Nationalism,with	a	joint	appointment	in	both	the	European	Institute	and	the	Department	of	International	Relations,	LSE.LSE Brexit: Divorce doesn’t have to be bloody difficult Page 2 of 2		Date originally posted: 2017-07-14Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2017/07/14/divorce-doesnt-have-to-be-bloody-difficult/Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/

Divorce doesn't have to be bloody difficult

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