The Department of Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen is hosting the upcoming workshop\, &ldquo\;Migration and Asylum in Scotland: A Philosophical Perspective&rdquo\;. This one-day event will explore how a distinctively philosophical voice might be added to the existing scholarly literature on migration and asylum in Scotland in particular\, and in sub-state regions more generally. \;
\nWorkshop Date: \;Friday 12th June 2026
(rescheduled from \;Wednesday 29th April 2026)
Confirmed Speakers:
\nOrganiser: \;Eilidh Beaton (University of Aberdeen)
\nExpressions of interest in attending should be sent to Eilidh Beaton at eilidh.beaton@abdn.ac.uk.
\nDetails
\nThe philosophy of migration and asylum is often state-centric. Much work in this area focuses on migrants&rsquo\; entitlements against states\, and states&rsquo\; corresponding responsibilities to fulfil these entitlements (e.g. Carens 2013\, Miller 2016\, Gibney 2018). In recent years\, however\, calls have been made to move beyond this state-centric lens\, including by paying more attention to the role of sub-state political authorities (e.g. Sager 2016\, Buxton 2024). \;
\nAgainst this background\, Scotland presents itself as a promising case study. As a devolved nation within the UK\, the Scottish Parliament retains control over a wide range of social matters\, including housing\, benefits\, and social services. Hence\, as Gareth Mulvey (2018) nicely summarises\, while immigration policy is reserved to Westminster\, immigrant policy&mdash\;what happens once people arrive&mdash\;is largely devolved to the Scottish government. Layered legal landscapes of this sort raise questions which remain as-yet under-explored in the philosophical literature. For instance\, how should existing recommendations for migrant integration and inclusion (e.g. Carens 2013\, De Schutter &\; Ypi 2015\, Miller 2016) be (re-) interpreted and applied in such contexts\, given their distinctive features\, promises\, and risks (e.g. Arrighi 2014\; Galandini et al 2018)?
\nSocio-culturally too\, the Scottish context is ripe for further exploration. It is common across sub-state regions to find discourse portraying the regional government as more progressive and welcoming than the &lsquo\;exclusionary and hostile&rsquo\; central state (Edwards &\; Wisthaler 2023)\, and Scotland is no exception (e.g. SNP 2025\, Brand Scotland). However\, the reality of Scottish attitudes toward migration is more complex than these announcements suggest (e.g. Kyambi &\; Kay 2025)\, and this discourse of progressiveness often serves regional nation-building projects (Edwards &\; Wisthaler 2023\, Wisthaler 2023). Again\, this context raises normative questions worthy of greater philosophical attention&mdash\;for instance\, the extent to which advocates seeking meaningful material support for migrants should support or oppose such rhetoric. \;
\nThis one-day workshop aims to explore how a distinctively philosophical voice might be added to the existing scholarly literature on migration and asylum in Scotland in particular\, and in sub-state regions more generally.
\nThis workshop is sponsored by the Scots Philosophical Association\, the Society of Applied Philosophy\, and CEKAS at the University of Aberdeen.
\nReferences
\nArrighi\, Jean-Thomas\, &lsquo\;Managing Immigration in a Multinational Context. Border Struggles and Nation-Building in Contemporary Scotland and Catalonia&rsquo\;\, in The Politics of Immigration in Multi-Level States: Governance and Political Parties ed. by ed. by E. Hepburn and R. Zapata-Barrero (London: Palgrave MacMillan\, 2014)\, 108-129.
\nBrand Scotland\, &lsquo\;Scotland Welcomes Refugees&rsquo\; (accessed Jan 2026). Available at .
\nBuxton\, Rebecca\, &lsquo\;The State by Philip Pettit&rsquo\;\, Mind (2024)\, 1-7.
\nCarens\, Joseph\, The Ethics of Immigration (Oxford: Oxford University Press\, 2013).
\nDe Schutter\, Helder and Lea Ypi\, &lsquo\;Mandatory Citizenship for Immigrants&rsquo\;\, British Journal of Political Science 45:2 (2015)\, 235-251.
\nEdwards\, Catrin Wyn and Verena Wisthaler\, &lsquo\;The Power of Symbolic Sanctuary: Insights from Wales on the Limitations and Potential of a Regional Approach to Sanctuary&rsquo\;\, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 49:14 (2023)\, 3602-3628.
\nGalandini\, Silvia\, Gareth Mulvey\, and Laurence Lessard-Phillips\, &lsquo\;Stuck Between Mainstreaming and Localism: Views on the Practice of Migrant Integration in a Devolved Policy Framework&rsquo\;\, Journal of International Migration and Integration 20 (2019)\, 685-702.
\nGibney\, Matthew J.\, &lsquo\;The Ethics of Refugees&rsquo\;\, Philosophy Compass 13:10 (2018)\, 1-9.
\nHepburn\, Eve and Ricard Zapata Barrero\, The Politics of Immigration in Multi-Level States: Governance and Political Parties (London: Palgrave Macmillan\, 2014).
\nKyambi\, Sarah and Rebecca Kay\, &lsquo\;Attitudes to Immigration in Scotland: Changing\, complex\, contradictory&rsquo\;\, Migration Policy Scotland (2025). Available at .
\nMiller\, David\, Strangers in Our Midst (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press\, 2016).
\nMulvey\, Gareth. &lsquo\;Refugee Integration Policy: The Effects of UK Policy-Making on Refugees in Scotland&rsquo\;\, Journal of Social Policy 44:2 (2015)\, 357-375.
\n&ndash\;&ndash\;&ndash\;&ndash\;&ndash\;.\, &lsquo\;Social Citizenship\, Social Policy and Refugee Integration: a Case of Policy and Divergence in Scotland?&rsquo\;\, Journal of Social Policy 47:1 (2018)\, 161-178.
\nSager\, Alex\, &lsquo\;Methodological Nationalism\, Migration and Political Theory&rsquo\;\, Political Studies 64:1 (2016)\, 42-59.
\nSNP\, &lsquo\;First Minister John Swinney addresses the nation about Scotland&rsquo\;s right to decide &ndash\; Full Speech&rsquo\;. Available at .
\nWisthaler\, Verena\, &lsquo\;Migrants\, New Citizens\, Co-Citizens and Citizens by Adoption &ndash\; Regionalist Parties&rsquo\; Framing of Immigrants in the Basque Country\, Corsica\, South Tyrol\, Scotland and Wales&rsquo\;\, in Revising the Integration-Citizenship Nexus in Europe ed. by Roxana Barbulescu\, Sara Wallace Goodman\, Luicy Pedroza (Cham\, Switzerland: Springer Nature\, 2023)\, 91-109.
ORGANIZER;CN=Eilidh Beaton: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR