Assets and liabilities : refugees from Hungary and Egypt in France and in Britain, 1956-1960

De Aranjo, Alexandre G. A. (2013) Assets and liabilities : refugees from Hungary and Egypt in France and in Britain, 1956-1960. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates the reception and treatment of the refugees from Hungary and Egypt who arrived in France and in Britain after the Hungarian revolution and the Suez crisis. The thesis argues that the reception of the refugees from Hungary and from Egypt was primarily linked to the French and British immigration policies and influenced by the Cold War context.

The first part deals with the creation of the Hungarian refugees and their reception in France and Britain. Chapter two gives a brief account on the Hungarian revolution and what led 200,000 Hungarians to leave their country. Chapter three deals with the reception and treatment of the Hungarian refugees in France, and sets out to demonstrate how the revolution and the refugee situation were first exploited for propagandistic purposes and national political interests. It also examines immigration policy in France and how the Hungarians were to serve France's economic and demographic interests as candidates for immigration. French-Jewish responses to the refugee situation are also explored. Finally, it discusses the effects of the Cold War in the resettlement process. Chapter four explores similar questions about the Hungarians with respect to Britain.

The second part of the thesis studies the expulsion of the French, British and stateless Jews from Egypt and their resettlement in France and Britain. Chapter five deals with who the refugees from Egypt were, and the unusual nature of their nationality and cultural background. Chapter six deals with the reception and treatment of refugees from Egypt in France, and focuses on how the French government and administration oscillated between obligation and desire to provide relief to the French Jews of Egypt, as they were not considered to be suitable candidates for resettlement in France according to immigration policies and practices. As most of the refugees from Egypt were Jewish, the chapter also looks at the Jewish specificity of the resettlement policy and how their resettlement made the refugees question their French identity. Chapter seven discusses the reception of the refugees from Egypt in Britain. It analyses the different domestic context regarding the Suez crisis and its impact on the refugees. The question of identity and cultural background is also explored.

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Adler, K.
Wrigley, C.J.
Subjects: D History - General and Old World > DB Austria. Liechtenstein. Hungary. Czechoslovakia
H Social sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
D History - General and Old World > DA Great Britain
D History - General and Old World > DT Africa
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Arts > School of Humanities
Item ID: 13503
Depositing User: EP, Services
Date Deposited: 07 Oct 2013 11:51
Last Modified: 15 Dec 2017 06:41
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/13503

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