Using visual and oral approaches, this article presents new findings on the social construction of place and belonging in the aftermath of the UK’s Brexit Referendum. Photographs by our British and non-British participants depict everyday life in a seaside town, with rare references to political aspects of migration. In their oral narratives, by contrast, the same participants emphasize the contested nature of belonging, which they associate with Brexit. We argue that the production of distinctly non-contentious photos is a strategy to deal with political uncertainty, reaffirm individuals’ sense of place and belonging, and transform experiences of disruption into hope.

本文使用视觉和口头方法，展示了英国脱欧公投后地方和归属感的社会建构的新发现。我们的英国和非英国参与者拍摄的照片描绘了一个海滨小镇的日常生活，很少提及移民的政治方面。相比之下，在他们的口头叙述中，同样的参与者强调归属的争议性，他们将其与英国退欧联系起来。我们认为，制作明显没有争议的照片是一种应对政治不确定性、重申个人的地方感和归属感并将破坏经历转化为希望的策略。