Fishing, Brexit, and the Iconography of a Maritime Nation
The impact of fishing iconography on British politics: symbolism of coastal industries during the Brexit referendum.
By Rosalie Wright
Oxford Seascape Ecology Lab member Aadil Siddiqi has recently co-authored a paper in The Cambridge Journal of Law, Politics, and Art. This research explored the iconographies of British maritime culture and their use throughout the Brexit negotiations.
“During the Brexit referendum, the Leave Campaign made use of fishing iconography to advance their vision of an independent British utopia, for which the freedom of the sea was a powerful symbolic issue.”
After describing how fishing iconography interacts with and influences British politics, the authors identify exciting opportunities for the future of British maritime culture and marine conservation.
“We conclude that sustainable marine conservation policy may dovetail with the UK’s growing role in global environmental politics to create an iconography of public goods and biodiverse British seascapes.”
The Cambridge Journal of Law, Politics, and Art is the largest student journal at the University of Cambridge. Articles are written jointly with experts and take interdisciplinary approaches to the intersections of law, art, and politics.
Find out more about the journal here: https://www.cjlpa.org/
