Back to Caledonia : Scottish Return Migration from the Sixteenth Century to the Present

Global interest in the multifaceted phenomenon of return migration is increasing, yet it remains a largely neglected area of historical research in all countries, including Scotland. Academic studies in the field of Scottish diaspora have flourished in the last twenty years. However, so far, only a handful of essays have shed light on the experience of Scottish emigrants who decided to head back home.

The contributors to this volume exploit analytical tools from the disciplines of history, anthropology, sociology and literature to explore the issue of remigration from different angles, across different geographical areas and through five centuries of Scottish history. Drawing on a range of diverse sources, including 'traditional' historical sources as well as literary and 'lived experience' documents, these essays have a distinctively multidisciplinary character. This collection opens up new avenues of research and features groundbreaking work which contributes significantly to knowledge in the field.