SOCIAL EXCLUSION: A GLOBAL PHENOMENON

4^TH INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON “SOCIAL EXCLUSION AND DEVELOPMENT”, DECEMBER 5-6, 2016,ISRAA, BIDISA, INDIA

Vijay Prakash Sharma,  Director, VAIDYAS-India. E.mai. drvijayprakash@yahoo.co.uk

Introduction

Emile Durkheim, an eminent French Sociologist fought desperately against social alienation or (exclusion), for himself or for all men. He was convinced that the social interdependence of individuals was the reality and true glory of human life, and he applied his own extraordinary independence to the scientific foundation and application of that principle. The true “spirit” of human life for Durkheim was the “spirit of collectivity”. All metaphysical systems- religious and scientific- are symbolic projection’s  of man’s everyday life on earth and that life is inherently a social one. The great implication in Durkheim’s work is that man alone or, more precisely; men together direct their own fortunes. (Kardiner and Preble 1963, 95)¹². In the light of this back drop, I would like to examine  the problem of social exclusion in the world .

According to Canadian Council of Social Development (CCSD), “Ethnic disparities in the correctional system seem to be the result of both discrimination and biases in the system, as well as disproportionate offending within certain populations. However, research shows that those minority groups which are disproportionately involved in offending are those which are economically and socially disadvantaged, in many cases as a result of historical discrimination”¹¹.

The term ‘social exclusion’ first originated in Europe in 1997, where there has tended to be a greater emphasis on spatial exclusion. There is also a policy focus on those living in ‘deprived areas’, where poor housing, inadequate social services, weak political voice and lack of decent work all combine to create an experience of marginalisation. However, there are various understandings of social exclusion and integration. In the seminal article below, Hilary Silver highlights these, and illustrates how they stem from analysts’ own backgrounds and political traditions.

Social exclusion is a socially constructed concept, and can depend on an idea of what is considered ‘normal’. In many developing countries, where most people do not enjoy an acceptable standard of living, defining what is ‘normal’ is not a simple task, especially given the lack of the welfare state and a formalised labour market. Indeed, as social exclusion can be structured around hierarchy, the exclusion of people on the basis of their race, caste or gender, may be viewed by the society excluding them as ‘normal’. As such, the concept of social exclusion is contested, in that it is often difficult to ‘objectively’ identify who is socially excluded, as it is a matter of the criteria adopted and the judgments used.

This paper proposes to discuss, what is social exclusion? How has the concept been applied in developing countries? What new insight into poverty – if any – is provided by the approach of social exclusion?