1. SocialExclusionLinda MossPUPP 2171

2. Social Exclusion Theterm social exclusion first originatedin Europe, where there has tended to bea greater emphasis on spatial exclusion. There is also a policy focus on those livingin deprived areas, where poorhousing, inadequate social services, weakpolitical voice and lack of decent work all combine to create an experience ofmarginalisation. 3. Social Inclusion Social integration has been defined as theprocess of promoting the values, relations andinstitutions that enable all people toparticipate in social, economic and politicallife on the basis of equality of rights, equityand dignity (UN Expert Group Meeting onPromoting Social Integration: Draft Summary,Finland, July 8-10 2008, p.2). However, social integration can also implyintegration on poor terms (like adverseincorporation), and cultural homogenisation. 4. Voluntary exclusion Some minority groups voluntarily excludethemselves from wider society. This phenomenon should be distinguishedfrom social exclusion, which occurs forreasons that are beyond the control ofthose subject to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJC4V_8S24M&feature=related 5. Political exclusion Politicalexclusion can include the denialof citizenship rights such as politicalparticipation and the right to organise,and also of personal security, the rule of law, freedom of expression and equality of opportunity. 6. Social Exclusion Social exclusion may take the form ofdiscrimination along a number ofdimensions including gender, ethnicity and age, which reduce the opportunity for suchgroups to gain access to social servicesand limits their participation in the labourmarket 7. Cultural Exclusion Culturalexclusion refers to the extent to which diverse values, norms and ways of living are accepted and respected. 8. Inequality and exclusion People may be excluded because ofdeliberate action on the part of others (e.g.discrimination by employers); as a result of processes in society which donot involve deliberate action; or even bychoice. However, more generally, the causes of socialexclusion that lead to poverty, suffering andsometimes death, can be attributed to theoperations of unequal power relations. 9. Citizenship and exclusion Social exclusion addresses the politicalnature of deprivation, in that it examinesthe links between peoples lack ofcitizenship status and their levels ofpoverty. Citizenship is centred on the capability ofexercising individual and collective rights,and inequalities in this capability cangenerate a social hierarchy, made up offirst- and second-class citizens. 10. Inequality This often means that not all individuals areequal before the law, and that they do not allhave the same access to public goodssupplied by the state. Political aspects of exclusion can include thelack of political rights, such as politicalparticipation and the right to organise;alienation from or lack of confidence inpolitical processes; and lack of freedom ofexpression and equality of opportunity. 11. Reversing social exclusion (i) Justice: This is not retributive justice, buta notion of when it is fair for people to betreated the same, and when it is fair forthem to be treated differently (ii) recognition: Of the intrinsic worth of allhuman beings, but also of their differences 12. (iii)self-determination: Peoples ability toexercise some degree of control overtheir own lives (iv) solidarity: The capacity to identify withothers and to act with them in their claimsfor justice and recognition. 13. Rights issues Individualversus collective rights: Liberalindividualism, despite claiminguniversality, is a product of the history ofindustrialisation in the West. Individualism has little place in manysocieties, which have a strong sense of kinand community ties. These societies striveto balance individual rights with collectiverights, putting a strong emphasis on thelatter 14. Political issues and exclusion Rights and duties: The rise of neo-conservative thinking has argued thatpeoples reliance on the state to fulfil theirbasic needs breeds dependency. This has led to duties being regarded asthe condition for rights. The accompanying vision of social serviceprovision by the third sector has led to theco-optation of civil society groups. 15. Effects of exclusion The greater poverty of socially excludedgroups often translates into poorer levelsof health and education, particularlywhen their poverty is combined withremoteness and lack of infrastructure andsocial services. Cultural exclusion can also result inambivalence towards education, furtherentrenching income inequality 16. Social exclusion can lead to and resultfrom disparities in income distribution, with the wealthiest segments of acountrys population receiving thegreatest proportion of its national income. Income inequality arises from inequities inthe distribution of assets such as land,credit and education. 17. The inequalities that arise from socialexclusion are self-reinforcing. Recent research has demonstrated howincome inequalities persist because oftwo inequality traps, which relate to human capabilities and access to capital. 18. Inclusion? Associal and cultural capital inequalities cannot be eliminated by policy, strong affirmative action in other areas such as education and employment is justified. 19. References StewartF., 2009, Horizontal Inequality: Two Types of Trap, Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, vol. 10, no. 3, pp.315-340 Helen Pinnock et. al., 2008, Making Schools Inclusive: How Change Can Happen, Save the Children UK, London http://www.gsdrc.org/go/topic- guides/social-exclusion/introduction