Immigrant narratives and nation-building in a stateless nation: the case of Italians in post-devolution Wales

Abstract

This article aims to contribute to the study of migration and nation-building in stateless nations. It explores the media portrayal of Italian immigration in Wales after the 1997 devolution. It assesses why Italian immigrant narratives have figured prominently in the Welsh media after devolution. It shows that, being seen as Wales's ‘model minority’, Italians have ideally served a reinforcement of the surrounding inclusive rhetoric, one that draws on an old-standing Welsh tolerance-myth. Thus, this article argues that stateless nations aiming to gain increasing autonomy can use their immigration history to construct and disseminate a tolerant and inclusive national image, one that aims to foster both indigenous people and migrants' sense of national belonging.