Scotland and immigration: moving beyond political narratives of openness

Young adult migrants in Scotland experience racism and discrimination in their everyday lives. This makes it difficult to establish stable identities and to gain a sense of security in the new setting. These traumatic experiences go against the dominant political narrative that Scotland is a receptive country for migrants. As a response, individual migrants are encouraged to adapt their lived experiences to fit with the larger narrative in their security seeking processes.

Debates on immigration continue to polarize debates in world politics. For example, the recent plans announced by the UK government, to process asylum seeker claims in Rwanda, have been met with international condemnation. The devolved nations of the UK have tried to distance themselves from the UK’s hostile immigration policies. Scotland is one such country which has presented a pro-immigration politics.