The Scottish diaspora framework: a new paradigm of Scottishness?

It is generally accepted that members of diasporas tend to maintain a connection with and identification with their home nation. This is often expressed as a hyphenated identity and may be maintained through generations; later generations may become involved in family research to reactivate ties to the homeland. The Scottish diaspora is a classic example of such an identity but, although that sense of identity with the homeland is expressed by the diaspora, it is not clear if this is reciprocated by the homeland, whose attitude to diaspora members may not necessarily be an inclusive one.

Contemporary Scotland, a nation with a very large diaspora, provides us with an opportunity to examine this closely. In this paper, we explore attitudes towards the Scottish diaspora and how things have changed, with a Scottish Government proactively connecting with its diaspora. In particular, we explore their recent diaspora policy framework document, which has begun to redefine ‘Scottishness’ to be a more inclusive and transnational identity.