ABSTRACT
This second chapter sets out the study’s theoretical framework, which is grounded in ontological security theory (OST). It traces the origins of this theoretical perspective and considers its continuing development within sociological and international relations scholarship. The chapter examines the flexibility of OST and its application across various international contexts, including analyses of minority group experiences. It then outlines the methodological approach adopted in the study, which combines narrative interviews with creative arts-based research activities involving young adult migrants. Complementary interviews with politicians provide an additional analytical layer to the investigation. Together, these methodological tools offer a comprehensive view of individual migration experiences in Scotland. The chapter concludes with short biographies of the participants, offering contextual insight ahead of the empirical chapters that follow.
