Political groups in Scotland have been able to use policies and public speeches to position the country as more open and progressive than the rest of the UK
Politicians talking about inclusivity is always to be lauded, but...immigration policy and the economic contribution of migrants are often aligned. In Scotland, this is because the country has an ageing population and negative population growth and is in need of migrants to work in public service jobs to secure the future economy. So although politicians present Scotland as inclusive towards migrants, this is often based on the country’s economic needs.
When we spoke to young adult migrants living in Glasgow, we found that the idea of Scottish distinctiveness placed a number of expectations upon them. ... it led interviewees to discount the seriousness of their experiences of racism.
Despite these barriers and traumatic experiences, the young adult migrants...strongly believed that Scotland was welcoming to everyone because the country “needs more people” and because they had been given equal opportunities to study and work. Some arrived as refugees in Scotland and were notably thankful to escape the persecution they had experienced in their own countries. This may explain why they did not want to appear critical of any racism or discrimination they experienced.
Some justified their view of Scottish distinctiveness with the opinion that Scotland was more welcoming to migrants than England, which was perceived as intolerant and more racially segregated.
These findings suggest that the idea of the special Scottish distinctiveness embraced by many Scots plays an important role in shaping the opinions of migrants living in Scotland. But their actual experiences reveal that the country is not as tolerant as it likes to think it is.
In the coming years, we are likely to see further claims of Scottish distinctiveness as the SNP government seeks to gain support for a second independence referendum. While it is encouraging that Scotland embraces a pro-immigration stance, we should also be aware of how the issue can be used as a political tool.