Not on holiday: A pilot study of the migratory experiences of Brits choosing to relocate to Bulgaria (BritMigEx)
Duration: March 2023 to July 2024
Funder: School of Sociology and Social Policy seed corn funding 2023
Project team:
- Dr Elena Genova (PI)
- Franka Zlatic (Research assistant)
Project summary
This pilot study aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of West-East migratory flows through the case of British migrants who reside either seasonally or permanently in Bulgaria.
Theoretically, the study draws on literature on lifestyle migration, which has been developed as a way of thinking about the migratory flows of those relatively affluent and privileged in ‘search for a better life’ (O’Reilly 2000; Hoey 2005; Benson 2009, 2011; Hayes 2014). A substantial body of literature within this field has explored in detail the largest migratory outflows of British nationals abroad to Spain (O’Reilly 2000, 2017) and to France (Benson 2010, 2011), which have been largely enabled by freedom of movement within the EU. Recently, the focus has shifted to detailing the uneven consequences for British nationals losing their EU citizenship across EU27, especially in France, Spain and Ireland (Benson et al 2022). Yet, the experiences of British migrants in Bulgaria in the context socio-political and economic instability remain underexplored.
Methodologically, this pilot study draws on qualitative content analysis of social media content produced by British nationals and in-depth interviews with those who reside either permanently or seasonally in the country in order to better understand their experiences of relocation and settlement in the country.