Nationalism, Identity and the Governance of Diversity - (Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship) by F Barker (Paperback)

About the Book

"Fiona Barker examines what happens when the 'new' diversity arising from immigration and the 'old' politics of substate nationalism intersect. Depending on their integration patterns, migrants could become allies of substate nationalists or could instead buttress the statewide majority and undermine substate autonomy claims. Grounded in extensive archival and interview-based research, this comparative study asks how political leaders in Quebec, Flanders and Brussels, and Scotland have responded to immigration, migrant integration and diversity, and what shapes their policy approaches over time. Barker shows that institutional and power configurations of the multilevel state, leaders' perceptions of how immigration impacts on national autonomy goals, and dynamics of competitive nation-building all shape substate responses to immigration and migrants. Barker offers a new dimension to scholarship on immigration by examining policy responses among substate nationalists and in societies already possessing deep diversity. Nationalism, Identity and the Governance of Diversity also explores the implications of political decentralization for how multilevel, multinational democracies govern diversity"--

Book Synopsis

Examining the evolving responses to immigration, migrant integration and diversity of substate governments in Quebec, Flanders and Brussels, and Scotland, Fiona Barker explores what happens when the 'new' diversity arising from immigration intersects with the 'old' politics of substate nationalism in decentralized, multinational societies.

Review Quotes

"This is a well-written book that provides a comparative overview of the development of sub-state migration policies vis-à-vis their national projects and identity. The text is recommended to students and academics in the fields of politics, sociology and social policy. ... serve as a complementary insight into the overall macro context of studies that focus on specific migrant experiences in Quebec, Flanders and Brussels and Scotland. ... suitable to scholars interested in migration studies and issues related to sub-state nationalism." (Elena Genova, Network, Issue 121, Autumn, 2015)

About the Author

Fiona Barker is Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.