How to keep your ‘story straight’: exploring lived citizenship through documents in the case of EU Roma migrants in Scotland

Abstract

Drawing on ethnographic material collected in Glasgow, Scotland, between 2018 and 2019, this paper delves into the instrumental and affective dimensions of citizenship and the strategic narratives of belonging among migrants facing heightened deportability. Analysing documents both possessed and inaccessible, the paper is situated in broader scholarly discussions on the implications of documents for citizenship. I emphasize the transformative power of documents in reframing individuals’ societal positions, shedding light on bureaucratic processes where citizens are made and unmade. Through the lens of documents, the study reveals migrants’ active engagement with bureaucratic systems, showcasing instances of creative disruption and transformation. The affective dimension of documents, described as the ‘affective underside’, is explored, unveiling participants’ varied emotional responses, from fear and panic to comfort and protection. The paper underscores documents as a critical site for analysing power dynamics between migrants and the state, offering new insights into the implementation and effects of legal regulations beyond the specific context of EU Roma migrants in Scotland.