The Contradictions of Islandness: The Small Island of St Helena and the Emotions of Transnationalism

Parker, Charlie ORCID: 0000-0002-4569-7580 (2021) The Contradictions of Islandness: The Small Island of St Helena and the Emotions of Transnationalism. Emotion, Space and Society, 39. Art 100795. doi:10.1016/j.emospa.2021.100795

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Abstract

This paper investigates the emotions of transnationalism, when coming from the small, remote British Overseas Territory of St Helena. This paper captures how St Helenian islanders migrate for new opportunities and to escape island monotony. Even though dispersed, the St Helenian islanders retain a strong sense of attachment and belonging to their island, often establishing emotional and material ties in two hemispheres. This paper thus captures the emotions of feeling torn and the contradictory emotions of islandness. This research draws from 68 in-depth interviews with St Helenian islanders between 2006-2008, following the return of British citizenship in 2002, but before the island had a functioning airport in 2017. This research captured the emotions of transnationalism when travel was expensive, complex and arduous, due to a fickle British national identity as well as the island’s dependence on one single ship. At the point of publishing this research however, the UK was negotiating deals for Brexit and international air travel was limited due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Mobility for this transnational small island community, thus remains uncertain and complicated, due to their post-colonial national identity and geographical isolation.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Islandness; St Helena; Emotion; Post-colonialism; Transnationalism; Small islands; Stories
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Charlie Parker
Date Deposited:	27 Apr 2021 15:42
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 08:24
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/9559

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