ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the case of asylum seekers living in Glasgow and the legal, social and economic barriers they face as a result of exclusionary immigration policies that have been enacted in the UK. By consequence, the discussion frames asylum seekers as a disempowered and marginalised group who are not bestowed the same benefits and access rights as others in society. It then reflects on the Scottish context where the integration policy has been developed to support asylum seeker inclusion into society, mainly for economic reasons. However, arguments are presented to suggest that while the Scottish policy on integration perhaps enables social inclusion, significant barriers may continue to impede this goal. The discussion then focuses on the citizenship status of asylum seekers but argues for a broader definition of citizenship that extends beyond legal status to include the practice of citizenship rights and obligations. Finally, this chapter introduces the empirical research design, which takes an embedded case study approach.
