How do young adult migrants negotiate their identities in Scotland?

Blog post by Marcus Nicolson, Institute for Minority Rights, Italy

Scotland has been described as having a progressive politics towards immigration and migrant integration, which is closely tied to the civic brand of nationalism that has been promoted by the Scottish government in the 21st century.

But what effects do these narratives have on young adult migrants who have made Scotland their home, and how do they relate to these narratives when negotiating their own identities? These are the key questions which are explored in my Identities article, ‘Transnational identities and agency: navigating everyday life as a young adult migrant in Glasgow, UK'.

This study builds on the identity narratives of a group of young adult migrants living in Glasgow, UK. It explores the complexities of everyday social interactions, and the perceptions of wider society in shaping identities. For example, the perspective of Esther, a young Nigerian woman, illustrates the limitations on adopting a Scottish identity:

People are not going to say, ‘why are you calling yourself Scottish, you know, you’re black, that’s very offensive!’ People might not want to say that. But I’m that kinda person, I’m very cautious of wherever I am, I wouldn’t wanna identify as what I’m not. (Esther, 19)

Due to these perceived barriers, the study participants were often reluctant to describe themselves as Scottish. Instead, the participants outlined how it was possible to adopt transnational identities, in light of their own capacity for agency, and the perceptions of others. This process is demonstrated in the following interview extract:

. . . I have a friend and when he’s speaking with us blacks, he’s speaking to us in a certain way in a Ghanian accent. When he’s in a mix of other people who are white Scottish, he’s got a very different accent. One day I spoke to him and asked why do you do this? He was like, that’s him, that’s who he is, so it’s that thing of Ghanian-ness and Scottish-ness and the coming together of the two identities. (Abina, 24) 

Theoretically, theories of identity and transnational agency are used to analyze how young adult migrants are able to establish a sense of security in their identities. It is argued that the participants can enact a degree of agency, through the adoption of transnational identities, which allows them to navigate their everyday lives in Scotland. 

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​Image credit: Photo by Artur Kraft on Unsplash

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Read the Identities article:
​​Nicolson, Marcus. (2024). Transnational identities and agency: navigating everyday life as a young adult migrant in Glasgow, UK. Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power. DOI: 10.1080/1070289X.2024.2428037   OPEN ACCESS​

Read further in Identities:

Renegotiating female transnational identities after Brexit: the importance of hybrid habitus   OPEN ACCESS

Transnational and diasporic youth identities: exploring conceptual themes and future research agendas

The making of a ‘risk population’: categorisations of Roma and ethnic boundary-making among Czech- and Slovak-speaking migrants in Glasgow​