French Terror Attacks

Over the past two years, there have been a string of terror attacks enacted by ISIS throughout France which have grabbed the world’s attention and called for tighter anti terrorism legislation. From the Charlie Hebdo bombing of January of 2015 in Paris to the most recent major attack on Bastille Day in Nice, these events have shifted contemporary politics in an unchartered direction and have provoked new discussions on immigration, refugee crises and global security. These possibly monumental discussions between world powers have consequently popularized the continuing secularization of France, anti muslim rhetoric in the media and even fostered laws specifically targeted at the Muslim community.

How ISIS emerged

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Levant (ISIL) is a radical group following the ideas of a fundamental Wahhabi doctrine. In 2014 the group became widely known for attacking and gaining control of major cities in Iraq such as Fallujah and Mosul, however the group originated in 1999 under the name Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad. It was during the early 2000’s that the group became infamous for its use of suicide bombers against civilians, the Iraqi military and American convoys. In 2004 the group pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and changed their name to Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn or al-Qaeda in Iraq (IQA). From then until 2006 the group remained largely unchanged, however it consolidated with several smaller organizations and tribes where it rapidly expanded and became the Islamic State of Iraq, eventually encompassing Syria during the civil war in 2013 and officially became known as ISIS.

Where does ISIS’s anti-French sentiment come from?

The U.S. lead coalition against ISIS, also known as the ISIL, Levian or, Daesh, was formed on 5th September 2014, and initially had 9 member countries to fight against ISIS (Mathiot, N. and Nelson, J.). Among the EU coalition partners, France was one of the most active members and began airstrikes against ISIS in September 2014, the first military intervention of France in the form of airstrikes in Middle East. France has one of the highest Muslim populations in Europe and it includes more than a few ISIS sympathizers. The French have also passed anti hijab laws which have been seen by Muslims as restriction against religious expression.

The terrorist attacks in France started with the massacre at the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo (A satirical news magazine) on January 7th, 2015 which left 12 dead. It was followed by a Kosher supermarket attack that killed 4 hostages (Diego M.). al-Qaeda claimed the responsibility and was considered as revenge for insulting the Prophet and for the air strikes. After this event, France stepped up its involvement in fight against both ISIS and al-Qaeda by increasing the number of air strikes on terrorist bases in Iraq and also they’ve deployed a nuclear powered aircraft carrier to significantly enhance their striking capability while waging the war on the terror.

ISIS became upset with France for coining a new name to the group – Daesh which means “To trample” or in a broader sense “enemy of Islam”. ISIS, which was initially focused on creation of a caliphate, changed its strategy to extend mass casualty attacks on the civilians outside the conflict zones, particularly in the western countries. ISIS started developing its global network to radicalize their followers with a systematic propaganda campaign which led to creation of lone wolves who can take an attack to the front door step of many western nations. November attack in Paris which killed more than 129 lives and left 350 injured (Bolton, D.) - highlighted change in ISIS strategy and was a reflection of the dangers that surrounds the world.

This attack on Paris led to severe retaliatory air strikes by France against ISIS which also changed the rules of engagement on air strikes. Severe casualties were inflicted at terrorist base camps with little regard to civilian collateral damages. Attacks on western cities also forced the global intelligence community and the security personnel to revisit their strategies in their war against terrorism and called for reassessment of ISIS as a terror group and its reach on radicalizing lone wolves.

Why is this worthy of our attention?

France is considered as a large source of world power, it is the third largest nation in Europe and has been a huge role in much of Europe’s events (Noin, 1993, p. 1). France went through many struggles including World War II but has come out as one of the world’s largest agricultural and industrial providers (Noin, 1993, p.1). The country is a large component in the European Market. France is also one of America’s closest allies (Columbia University Press, 2012, p. 1).  The attacks of France have had devastating effects on the economy. Large consumers have made plans to stay away from crowded retail areas. This issue is not only specific to France but the continent of Europe. In cities such as London, during the busiest shopping times of the year, shoppers have avoided popular shopping malls even though security has increased. Tourism has suffered specifically from the Paris attacks in November 2015 because of this widespread fear (Laird, 2015, p.1). People are finding it harder to cross the border into different nations since the attacks.  Many nations have created temporary border controls to anticipate the increase of people fleeing the Middle East and Africa. It has been suspected that one perpetrator of the Paris attacks entered the European Union through Greece. Large manufacturers are now also finding it more difficult to sell product abroad because of the border’s increasing strictness.This particular effect can be hard to change after immigration restrictions are set in place (Laird, 2105, p.1).

The United States specifically should care about ISIS because this militant group is one that reigns in violence and terror. ISIS itself has declared violence towards anyone that steps in its path claiming those who do not follow their radical ideals to be “non-believers” (Hogan, 2015, p.1). There are single attacks in The United States that have connections to ISIS. Americans who choose to follow ISIS and perform attacks are increasing in number (Greenburg 2016, p.1). This radical terrorist group has asked Western nation followers to stand up and fight with them. Many of those who have been caught by the government with connections to ISIS have had plans of traveling out to Syria to fight alongside these terrorists (Greenburg, 2016, p.1). It is a scary reality as domestic attacks continue to occur in the United States.

Works Cited

Why did ISIS target France? (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2016, from https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/diego-muro/why-did-isis-target-france

Laird, L. (2015, November 16). The Paris Attacks And The Economic Impact Of Terrorism. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurielaird/2015/11/16/the-paris-attacks-and-the-economic-impact-of-terrorism/#40691743386d

Noin, D. (1993). History of France. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/History/DF_history.shtml

France: History. (2012). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/france-history.html

Yourish, K., & Williams, J. (2016). ISIS in America. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/04/us/isis-in-america.html?_r=0

Hogan, B. (2015, September 06). Why Americans Should Care About ISIS. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/problem-of-isis

Beauchamp, Z. (2015). ISIS, a history: how the world's worst terror group came to be. Vox. Retrieved 13 September 2016, from http://www.vox.com/2015/11/19/9760284/isis-history

Crooke, A. (2014). You Can't Understand ISIS If You Don't Know the History of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 14 September 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair-crooke/isis-wahhabism-saudi-arabia_b_5717157.html

Tony Blair Faith Foundation. (2014). Diving Deep into the Origins of ISIS. Retrieved 13 September 2016, from http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/religion-geopolitics/reports-analysis/report/diving-deep-origins-isis

HISTORY. (2015). The history of ISIS. Retrieved 14 September 2016, from http://www.history.co.uk/shows/terror-seven-days-in-paris/articles/the-history-of-isis

Bolton, D. (2015, November 18). Paris Attack Victims. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-attack-victims-list-french-government-identifies-all-129-people-killed-in-paris-terrorist-a6739116.html

Muro, D. (2015, November 20). Why did ISIS target France? Retrieved September 17, 2016, from https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/diego-muro/why-did-isis-target-france

Quintana, E., Eyal, J., Mathiot, N., & Nelson, J. (2015, October). Inherently Unresolved The Military Opera on against ISIS. Retrieved September, 17, from https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/op_inherently_unresolved_-_the_military_operation_against_isis.pdf.

A Refugee "Crisis": Where Are Migrants Fleeing From and Why?

A “crisis” as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “a difficult or dangerous situation that needs serious attention” or “an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending.” It is important to define what a “crisis” truly is in relation to the refugee situation stemming from the Middle East and East Africa. For many, the term “crisis” attached to the refugee situation is in response to the European Union’s reaction to the influx of immigrants from conflict-ravaged regions. Rather, the addition of “crisis” to the mass migration of refugees should be in regard to the situations in which they are escaping - the difficult times in which they live. These refugees are fleeing nations under siege and struggle; nations such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq in the Middle East and Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea in Northern Africa. In the following posts, we will discuss in further depth where these refugees are fleeing from, and why they are seeking asylum. Here, we will give you a brief introduction on how this crisis came about, and what implications it may have on the rest of the world.

The refugee “crisis” in the Middle East mainly involves refugees fleeing conflict in Syria, but also includes a significant amount of people fleeing other countries, mainly Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and others. Syrian refugees make up the majority of displacement, with over million people being displaced since what can be marked as the beginning of this “crisis.” The Arab Spring, which began in December of 2010, was a series of uprisings in Middle Eastern and North African countries, beginning in Tunisia, where a young street vendor set himself on fire, in protest of difficult economic situations and issues with an autocratic and corrupt government, not only in Tunisia but in other countries such as Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria. In the case of Syria, many people assembled and protested peacefully. However, things changed when 15 boys were arrested and tortured in Syria for graffiti that supported the Arab Spring movement. A 13 year-old who was among those arrested was killed after being tortured. The government attempted to crush these protests by killing and arresting many of the protestors. Military personnel in Syria proceeded to defect from the government, and form the Free Syrian Army, aimed at overthrowing the Syrian Government. Conflict between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Government led to civil war. As a result of the civil war, and other conflicts, such as terrorist organizations like ISIS fighting for control in Syria, have ultimately pushed the millions of people out of the country and away from the violence, to European countries, seeking asylum. Germany and Hungary have taken on many of the refugees, and other countries such as Italy, France, Finland and Sweden have also taken in many refugees.

While Europe struggles under the pressure of sustaining the mass influx of Syrian and Iraqi refugees, the dire need of aid for African refugees goes unnoticed. BBC’s "Map of the European Migrant Crisis" lists the most common ethnicity of Europe’s asylum seekers; among the top ten include Nigeria and Eritrea. Nigeria, a country notably more recognized than its partner, Eritrea, rests in West Africa, while Eritrea struggles along the eastern coast. Emigrants of Nigeria are fleeing the oppression of a governing jihadist group: Boko Haram. Although ISIS has created the brand as the most fearsome and ruthless extremist group in the media, it is important to remember that it is not the only evil. Boko Haram, in fact, began its active pledge to jihad much earlier than the Islamic State did. In 2014, Boko Haram exceeded ISIS’ death toll by over 600. Nigeria’s acting government has lost power, deeming it a failed state, as Boko Haram gained in reputation. Many remember First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama’s Twitter campaign #BringBackOurGirls attempted to raise awareness of the kidnapping of two hundred school girls by the extremist group, whose name means "Western education is a sin." The horrors of the underdeveloped world, creating the “crisis” in westernized Europe, cause global hurt, and will continue to do so until the world arrives at peace.

Refugees sought asylum and shelter in neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and Jordan while countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain refused the entrance to refugees. Basic resources became so scarce that refugees had to seek asylum even further, heading to countries in Europe. Little did everyone know that the European Union was not economically prepared for such a catastrophe. International Law states that a refugee must stay in the state he/she has arrived to first. Greece couldn’t do much to aid the influx of refugees as the country is experiencing its own economic depression.  Also, fear arose from the European population; fear of asylum-seekers overtaking the native population in upcoming years and the fear of future problems arising with so many displaced people. Luckily, the media has changed this perception for so many people across the world. Through the use of media, the world can see what is happening on the streets of Syria and how it is affecting the people who once lived there.  The United Kingdom said it would only accept 20,000 refugees for the next five years. Furthermore, Britain decided to leave the European Union, also known as Brexit, mostly to stop the influx of refugees. This issue took place during the summer of 2016 making top news worldwide. Cameron says he wants, “more controls on immigration from new member states, limits on benefits for immigration, more powers for national parliaments to block EU legislation, less red tape, faster trade deals, power returned to member states and an end to ever closer union” (Global Counsel 2015, Gregor Irwin). On top of that, the European Union came to an agreement with Turkey in which it states that asylum seekers who seek refuge in Greece are to be sent back; in hopes of easing the migrant crisis through the use of the Aegean. The agreement states that Turkey will receive $6.6 billion for organizations who look after the migrants plus visa-free travel and a possible restart to Turkey’s membership in the European Union. Oddly, the United Nations refugee agency is not in accordance with this agreement. Last year, Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to accept as many refugees as possible and scatter them through Europe, which is another reason this agreement was made. She then took action and helped develop the plan because her own country and much of the Continent have disagreed with her decision of unlimited access to refugees.

Sources

Botelho, G. (2015, March 28). Arab Spring aftermath: Revolutions give way to violence, more

unrest [Newsgroup post]. Retrieved from Cable News Network website:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/27/middleeast/arab­spring­aftermath/

Irwin, G. (2015, June). Brexit: The impact on the UK and the EU June 2015. Global Counsel. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from https://www.global-counsel.co.uk/sites/default/files/special-reports/downloads/Global%20Counsel_Impact_of_Brexit.pdf

K. (2015, September 17). The European Refugee Crisis and Syria Explained. Retrieved September 10, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvOnXh3NN9w

Kanter, J. (2016, March 18). European Union Reaches Deal With Turkey to Return New Asylum Seekers. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/world/europe/european-union-turkey-refugees-migrants.html?_r=0

Migrant crisis: Migration to Europe Explained in Seven Charts [Newsgroup post]. (2016, March 4). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world­europe­34131911

Shekau, Abubakar. "Who, What, Why: Exactly What Does the Phrase Boko Haram Mean?" BBC World. BBC, 13 May 2014. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

Syria’s Civil War Explained [Newsgroup post]. (2016, May 24). Retrieved from Al Jazeera

website: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/syria­civil­war­explained160505084119966.html

Taylor, Adam. "Is #BringBackOurGirls Helping?" Washington Post. The Washington Post, 6 May 2014. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.

Quick facts: What You Need to Know About the Syria Crisis. (2016, August 18). Retrieved

September 18, 2016, from Mercy Corps website: https://www.mercycorps.org/articles/iraq-

jordan­lebanon­syria­turkey/quick­facts­what­you­need­know­about­syria­crisis

Relations Between The United States and Cuba

Relations Between The United States and Cuba

By Angelica Becker, Becky Fisk, Mariah Hall, Cassie Murphy, and Dominic Rubio

The United States and Cuba had completely severed diplomatic relations in 1961. After decades of embargos and isolation, Cuba still has not been able to return to its former prosperity. President Obama is trying to change this situation. On April 11, 2015, President Obama met Raul Castro, brother of former dictator Fidel, at the summit of the Americas in Panama. This was the first meeting between the United States and Cuban leaders since 1961. Later in March of 2016, Obama and his family went to Cuba. This is the first time a President of the United States has stepped on Cuban soil during Presidency since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Obama has said that "Neither the American nor the Cuban people are well-served by a rigid policy that's rooted in events that took place before most of us were born." Obama believes that it is time to try something new, and only time will tell if he’s right.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/12/15/cuba-us-one-year-anniversary-diplomatic-relations-whats-changed/77085846/

The United States and Cuba have a long history of interactions, which helps in explaining the current state of relations. It began in the 1850s, with pro-slavery Americans pushing for the purchase or forced conquest of Cuba from Spain, while anti-slavery sentiments advocated against this form of imperialism. These opposing interests were once again reignited with the Spanish American War, in which the U.S. backed a Cuban uprising against the Spanish, resulting in a supposedly independent Cuba. However, the U.S. still had a hand in Cuban foreign policy and the right to interfere in their affairs with the passing of the Platt amendment. These interventions, often military in practice, happened multiple times in the ensuing decades, both in 1906 and 1917, usually in order to safeguard their economic interest in sugar imports, despite fronts of needing to solve “political crises.” In 1933, a Cuban uprising led the establishment of a democracy, despite no support from the U.S., who stayed neutral in the conflict. However, this progress was halted by Fulgencio Batista, an authoritarian dictator who rose to power through a coup in 1952, revoking the Constitution and oppressing the people.

http://www.wptv.com/news/world/alan-gross-cuba-frees-us-citizen

At this time, Fidel Castro and the Communist party he represented were beginning to gain support, as an equality-promising savior in opposition to the oppressive rule of Batista. However, the U.S., still entrenched in Cold War fears, backed Batista, who was nevertheless toppled by Castro in 1959. What followed was a time of conflict, with the U.S. pushing embargos to sabotage Cuba’s economy, as well failed assassination attempts on Castro. The Bay of Pigs is a pertinent example of the U.S.’s desperately-pursued containment policy, where CIA-trained Cubans were sent to take over the island, but were unsuccessful. Castro then looked to the Soviets for help, to which Stalin happily obliged, sending nuclear missiles to Cuba. The U.S. government was in a state of turmoil as they began intense negotiations with Cuba, with both sides pointing their nuclear weapons at each other and threatening to shoot. After a while, things settled down, but in the 1980s, new developments brought new conflict. Castro began allowing people to leave the island for the first time, prompting mass migration to Florida, where a growing population of Cuban dissidents began to extend an influence on American politics. These generation that followed would be known as ABCs, or American-Born Cubans.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations were still unable to be normalized despite agreement from both Clinton and Castro. The public sentiment, especially that of older Cuban-Americans, was staunchly anti-Castro, while ABCs still hoped to one day return home. After Cuba’s shooting of two private planes chartered by Cuban-American activists, Clinton ended attempts to normalize relations. When Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother, assumed control in 2008, he seemed to have provided a more progressive mindset in Cuba, which led to increased possibilities for normalizing of relations. After meetings between the Pope, Raul, and Obama in 2013, these possibilities started to become realized.

Despite the complicated history between the U.S. and Cuba, or perhaps because of it, Cuba remains relevant today. The normalization of the relations between the two countries reflects the continuing fall of Cold War Era hostilities. Moreover, the fact that Cuba is now more open to the influences of global commerce, including tourism, the state will prove to be a fascinating case study in the effects of isolation in a globalized world. Because of Cuba’s isolation from global oil and natural gas, they were forced into developing more sustainable and home-grown methods of energy. While their comparative environmental sustainability is in part due to lower standards of living, it stills serves as an interesting model for the impact of globalization on the environment. With the normalization of U.S./Cuba relations, the state will prove to serve as an interesting yardstick to compare the rest of the world with going forward.

APA Citations:

V. (2016, April 12). A brief history of America and Cuba. Retrieved September 13, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chYBlArm9Ao

Cuba–United States relations. (2016, September 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:45, September 13, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuba%E2%80%93United_States_relations&oldid=738816174

Gomez, A. (2015, December 15). One year later: What’s changed -- and what hasn’t -- in U.S.-Cuba relations. . Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/12/15/cuba-us-one-year-anniversary-diplomatic-relations-whats-changed/77085846/

Hoff, R., & Regler, M. (1997). Uneasy neighbors: Cuba and the United States. New York: F. Watts.

Jaffe, A., & CNN, E. L. (2014, December 17). President announces new U.S.-Cuba relationship. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from World, http://www.wptv.com/news/world/alan-gross-cuba-frees-us-citizen

Kim, S. Here's What Happened the Last Time a US President Visited Cuba. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://abcnews.go.com/International/happened-time-us-president-visited-cuba/story?id=2768973

Mitchell, A., & McClam, E. (2014, December 18). Cuba frees American Alan Gross, held for Five years. . Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/u-s-cuba-relations/cuba-frees-american-alan-gross-held-five-years-n269926

Newsmax (2016, February 18). Cuba history: What is the teller amendment? FastFeatures. Retrieved from http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/cuba-history-teller-amendment/2016/02/18/id/71505

Rhodes, James Ford (1893). History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850, Vol. II: 1854–1860. New York: Harper & Bros.

Brexit and the European Union

By Sarah Benewith, Hannah Grayson, Pippa Walton, Gretchen Roderick, & Emma Endres

In the past 30 years, there have arguably been three major historical events with widespread international consequences: the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, and Brexit just this past summer. While the effects of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 have long been felt and analyzed, Brexit has left the world in somewhat of a panic.

What is Brexit? What is the European Union?

Brexit, an abbreviation for “British exit”, refers to the British referendum on June 23, 2016 in which British citizens voted to leave the European Union. It was immediately evident that Brexit would drastically change Britain. Not only did the statistical results highlight how divided the county was, but the major political parties all changed leadership; this included the resignation of the Prime Minister. However, the effects of Brexit on the European Union (EU) remain uncertain. After the initial shock of Brexit and the surge of people googling “What is the EU?”, the world began to consider what would happen next to the European Union.

British demonstrators in an anti-Brexit protest

The idea of a structure like the European Union came about following the social and economic catastrophes of World War I and World War II, when the Allied powers in Europe sought a way to restructure the continent. After decades of experimenting with different types of unions, the states of the European Community adopted the name the European Union (EU). The EU has effectively tied the continent together, based on the concept of economic interdependence. The countries have open borders (allowing free travel between states), charge no tariffs or duties on traded goods, and impose high tariffs on goods imported from outside the EU. It is simple and effective to travel between countries and to access a larger market for goods, promoting expansion; if one country profits, so do the rest.

What are the causes of Brexit?

Immediately following the UK's introduction into the European Union in the 1970s, there has been constant opposition to the membership among the British public. This partially stems from the UK’s history of being strongly independent and being the least integrated into the continental Europe. A centuries-old, example of this divided history is the UK's own established church while Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and Ireland all practice Roman Catholicism under the Pope. The UK is also geographically isolated, allowing the country to develop ties elsewhere and become more independent compared to the rest of Europe. Additionally, many British media sources have showed an anti-EU bias ever since the UK joined, demonstrating that propaganda (like Brexit: The Movie) potentially influenced public opinion. Several British public and political figures were also influential in saying that economically, the UK did not need the EU, citing that Britain has the second largest economy in the EU and that Britain uses the pound, not the euro, as currency. Overall, the lack of trust in the EU caused public discontent in the UK. This dissatisfaction led the former Prime Minister David Cameron to promise the public, with the personal intention of being re-elected, a referendum vote on leaving the European Union, the “Brexit” we now know.

What does this mean for the EU?

Since the implementation of the EU in the 1990s, and through the introduction of the euro, this union has been highly successful. However, the economic crisis of 2008 in the United States had impacts across the Atlantic, and the Eurozone suffered. Greece’s economy crashed, leading to a huge recession, and the entire EU has been trying to salvage the country before the euro collapses and the system falls apart. Since 2010, multiple countries have considered ceding from the EU, Great Britain is the first to officially do so. The Vote Leave campaign (in favor of Brexit), which, among other things, claimed that Great Britain sent 50 million pounds a day to the EU, and that after leaving the EU the Labour Party would donate 350 million pounds to the National Health Service a week. These claims were quickly rejected after the referendum, but they still convinced the public that leaving the EU was an economically sound idea. Before the referendum was even over, the value of the British pound dropped from $1.47 to $1.37, the greatest drop in history, and currently stands at $1.30. By the morning after the referendum, both domestic and international investors pulled their money out of the stock market. Without membership of the EU, Britain can no longer enjoy duty free trade, and therefore will have to pay tariffs on all imported goods. In some ways, Brexit has assisted the economy: more foreigners are planning vacations and buying British goods before Brexit is put into action. However, for the population of the UK, travel has become far more expensive and the cost of living is going to rise. For the remaining members of the EU, the next few years will be instrumental in terms of the resulting economy of the union.

Along with the important economic consequences of Brexit, it is also very important to discuss the social and political impact that the referendum will have on the United Kingdom, Europe, and the rest of the world. Socially speaking, the people of Great Britain have become divided, not only from Europe but from each other as well. Countries like Scotland and Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly to remain a part of the European Union, and tensions are rising between borders. The youth who voted in are now at odds with the older generations who voted out and hate crimes have been reported to have gone up by 57%. Politically, the main issue present is that of immigration and of the refugee crisis. Now that Britain is no longer a part of the European Union, workers from neighboring countries will now have to apply for work permits, as opposed to a “points-based” system of immigration, and students studying abroad will have a much harder time going to school in the UK. These measures, among others, are put in place to curb immigration into the country, an issue that prompted many to vote out of the EU. Still, it is clear the Brexit is a turning point in Europe; the social, political, and economic circumstances of the continent remain up in the air.

Works Cited

Brexit the Movie (2016, May). In YouTube. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTMxfAkxfQ0

Chan, R. (2016, June 24). The U.K. Is Googling What the E.U. Is Hours After It Voted to Leave. In Time.com. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://time.com/4381612/uk-brexit-google-what-is-the-eu/

Dennison, J., & Carl, N. (2016, July 18). The ultimate causes of Brexit: history, culture, and geography. In The London School of Economics and Political Science. Retrieved September 16, 2016 http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/explaining-brexit/

"How divided is the UK post-Brexit vote?." Inside Story. Al Jazeera. 1 July 2016. Web. 15 Sept. 2016, from http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2016/06/divided-uk-post-brexit-vote-160630181600745.html

Donald, A. (2016, June 1). Immigration points-based systems compared. In BBC. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29594642

EU Referendum Results (n.d.). In BBC.com. Retrieved 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/eu_referendum/results

"European Union (EU)." Salem Press Encyclopedia. Salem Press. 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2016.

The EU in Brief (n.d.). In europa.eu. Retrieved from https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/eu-in-brief_en

“The Great Recession.” The State of Working America. Economic Policy Institute. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://stateofworkingamerica.org/great-recession/

Kellner, P. (2016, February 2). It’s immigration, not immigrants, that British people say they don’t like. In The Guardian. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/02/immigration-immigrants-british-people

Riley, C., & Long, H. (2016, June 24). Brexit shock vote: What you need to know. In CNN Money. Retrieved September 16, 2016, from http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/24/news/economy/brexit-uk-european-union-vote/

Soffen, K. (2016, June 24). The stunning collapse of the British pound, in charts. In The Washington Post. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/24/the-british-pound-has-suffered-a-stunning-collapse/

Stone, J. (2016, July). David Cameron Officially Resins as the UK Prime Minister . In INDEPENDENT . Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-resigns-prime-minister-theresa-may-resignation-speech-brexit-the-queen-a7134966.html

Thompson, M. (2016, January 21). Two months to save Europe? Refugee crisis and Brexit risk break up. In CNN Money. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/21/news/economy/europe-crisis-refugees-brexit/

Travis, A. (2016, June 27). The leave campaign made three key promises- are they keeping them?. In The Guardian. Retreived September 18, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/27/eu-referendum-reality-check-leave-campaign-promises

Work permits among Brexit options, home secretary says (2016, September 11). In BBC. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37332282