Paper short abstract:

Based on 10 semi-structured interviews to Italian academics in the NW of England conducted during/after Covid, this paper examines family and friendship relationships at a critical time for socialization.

Paper long abstract:

European academics in the UK are skilled migrants who usually moved for professional reasons and report considering themselves a (relatively) privileged group (see Authors in prep). Our study presents a critical reflection on the socialisation practices and experiences of a group of Italian academics in the North-West of England through an emic lens, by engaging with rich qualitative data. Drawing on the Brain Drain project this study focuses on 10 semi-structured interviews carried out during/post-Covid. This paper offers a re-evaluation of Daniele’s (2019) study of Italian academics in Liverpool pre-Covid. Data collected after Covid show a further level of complexity: there is a “here” (the UK) a “there” (Italy); there is a “before” and there is an “after”. Furthermore, many academics moved to the UK from other countries than Italy (onward migration), or moved within the country prior to the interview and have a complex network of ties, thus resisting a simplistic UK/Italy contrast. Broadly couched within Discourse Analysis, this paper aims at highlighting the complexities in the family and friendship ties established by a small group of Italian academics working in the North-West of the England during Covid.