The Politics of Immigration in Scotland

While most nationalists worldwide fear immigration will dilute their national culture, pro-immigrant advocacy has become a critical element of nationalism and nation-building in Scotland. Elite-level endorsement of immigration and diversity serves Scotland’s moral and strategic interests and is a symbol of Scotland’s distinction from England, which justifies arguments for further devolution or, ultimately, independence. This book examines the central features of Scotland’s social and political environment that provide an opportunity for the development of pro-immigration policy preferences. It evaluates how well those preferences are communicated with quantitative and qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data. The book also analyses the elite and mass divergence in understandings of Scottish identity and the desirability of immigration, which threatens the implementation of the government’s multicultural policies. It illustrates the extent of the divergence and presents recommendations for how Scottish leaders can bridge the gap.