Exodus, Reckoning, Sacrifice offers a very different take on Brexit to those found in most news segments or opinion pieces. Kalypso Nicolaidis, Professor of International Relations at Oxford University, examines Britain's relationship with the EU through the lens of Greek mythology, using three key archetypes to analyse the differing visions of the world that have clashed so dramatically over this issue.

'Exodus' makes Brexit a story about British exceptionalism; both a British problem and a testimony to the EU's incapacity to accommodate exceptions. 'Reckoning'brings the story back to the EU's shores, with Brexit a harbinger of terrible truths which we lump together under the easy label of euroscepticism. And 'Sacrifice' contends with the ironic possibility that after and perhaps because of Brexit, the EU will live up to the pluralist ideals that define both the best of Britain and the best of Europe.

Ultimately, the book contains a plea for acknowledging each other's stories, with their many variants, ambiguities and contradictions. And in this spirit of recognition, it calls for a mutually respectful, do-no-harm Brexit - the smarter, kinder and gentler Brexit possible in our hard-edged epoch of resentment and frustration.

An exploration of Brexit through the lens of mythology, by a Professor of International Relations at Oxford University

About the Author

Kalypso Nicolaidis is currently a Professor of International Relations and director of the Center for International Studies at the Oxford University. She is a graduate of Sciences-Po and received her PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University in 1993. Over the course of her career, she has advised a number of EU governments and EU institutions. Recent books include Echoes of Empire: Memory, Identity and Colonial Legacies (edited with Berny Sebe and Gabrielle Maas) and European Stories: Intellectual Debates on Europe in National Context (edited with Justine Lacroix).

Book Information
ISBN 9781783528097
Author Kalypso Nicolaidis
Format Hardback
Imprint Unbound Digital
Publisher Unbound