Authors:
Iveta Kapicakova
Vagionaki Kyriaki
Tereza Lusková
Lefteris Manioudakis
Veronika Mičanová
Hitomi Sekine
Vasiliki Athina Skella
Michaela Špringlová
Examples of social exclusion definition:
“Social exclusion is a process and a state that prevents individuals or groups from full participation
in social, economic and political life and from asserting their rights. It derives from exclusionary
relationships based on power“ (DFID 2005).
Source: J. Beall and L-H. Piron, DFID Social Exclusion Review, London, ODI, 2005,
https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/2301.pdf, (accessed
31 October).
Social exclusion is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. Social exclusion
is the process in which individuals or people are systematically blocked from (or denied full access
to) various rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of a different
group, and which are fundamental to social integration and observance of human rights within that
particular group (e.g., housing, employment, healthcare, civic engagement, democratic
participation, and due process).
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 judgements used (Silver, H., 1994, ‘Social Exclusion and Social Solidarity: Three
Paradigms’, International Labour Review, Volume 133, Numbers 5-6, pp. 531-578).
THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Definition of Agency for Social Inclusion:
Socially excluded people are such, who have limited access to institutions and services (therefore
institutional help), are expelled from social networks and therefore they do not have enough vertical
contacts outside of the socially excluded locality.
Source: http://www.socialni-zaclenovani.cz/co-je-socialni-vylouceni
Found definition explicit enough to be able to describe the problematics, however they continue
with further description: the socially excluded people usually face multiple problems which are
complex in their nature (I think that is important to mention) and marginalized people usually
perform activities and behaviour paterns which are contradictory to the major society. On the other
hand, the definition does not mention the possibility of the free choice of people, for example that
they might have chosed this lifestyle themselves.
Social exclusion can be defined as a process by which individuals and entire groups of people are
deprived of the resources which are necessary to link up in the social, economic and political
activities of society as a whole. The process of social exclusion is primarily the result of poverty
and low incomes, low education, discrimination and others. People in social exclusion are cut off
from social services, institution, social networks and quiet often from educational and work
opportunities. [Sociální exkluze]
We can find lots of examples in our own environment. The reasons for the social exclusion can
come from unemployment, family breakdown, poor health, poverty, low qualifications or living in
ghetto or excluded communities.
Also we can see some repeated phenomena of people in social exclusion. In one way it could
change their own identity, their own view about their lives, future and feelings. Lots of people
have problem to square up with their situation and they lose their belief in better life. They can
also have feelings as helplessness or hopelessness.
I consider that the actual issue in sphere of social exclusion in Czech republic is abuse of poverty
which is becoming to be point of business. It´s relatively easy for traders to lend some money to
needed people. When they are not able to pay off the debts, they can ask for their social benefits. It
seems to be a circulation which they can´t stop.
Source: „Sociální exkluze". Varianty [online]. Dostupné z: https://www.varianty.cz/slovnicek-
pojmu/35-socialni-exkluze.
SLOVAKIA
Definition from national administration for EMCCDA (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and
Drug Addiction)
,,Je proces, ktorého prostredníctvom sú určití jednotlivci vytláčaní na okraj spoločnosti a je im
zabránené plne na nej participovať v dôsledku svojej chudoby, nedostatku základných spôsobilostí
a príležitostí celoživotného vzdelávania alebo v dôsledku diskriminácie. Toto ich vzďaľuje a izoluje
od zamestnania, príjmu a príležitostí vzdelávania, ako aj sociálnych a komunitných sietí a aktivít“.
Social exclusion ,,is a process through which some individuals are marginalized and prevented from
fully participating in society because of their poverty, lack of fulfillment of basic needs and
opportunities for lifelong learning or as a result of discrimination. This holds them back and isolates
them from employment, income and education opportunities as well as from social and community
networks and activities”.
Source:
http://www.infodrogy.sk/narodnasprava/index.cfm?module=ActiveWeb&page=Webpage&s=05pa
rtA81
GREECE
According to SENK final report «exclusion consists of dynamic, multi-dimensional processes
driven by unequal power relationships interacting across four main dimensions - economic,
political, social and cultural - and at different levels including individual, household, group,
community, country and global levels. It results in a continuum of inclusion/exclusion characterized
by unequal access to resources, capabilities and rights which leads to health inequalities» (Popay et
al. 2008:2).
There are many social excluded groups in Greece but I would like to focus on immigrants. Greece
has become a destination country for many immigrants the last decades. Immigrants are regarded
as vulnerable group because they are not fully accepted by the local society and they are facing
difficulties in many levels of everyday life. The children of the immigrants are usually influenced
too because they come from another country as a result to be considered as “strangers” and they
suffer for that stigma at schools and many times they are victims of racism. However, in the field of
education Greek State legislate that all the children of immigrants can attend to the schools and
more importantly, they adopted the cross cultural education. Cross cultural education is a specific
education who aims to the equality and to respect of each child regardless social or cultural identity.
In Greece is very common for people to be criticized by country of origin. Especially for people
originating in Albania life in Greece is difficult, because of stereotypes and prejudices which are
widespread between locals. It all started some years ago, when borders between Greece and Albania
opened and through them some criminals from Albanian prison escaped. So in that time, most of
Albanians that came to the country where robbers and rapists, therefore that period of time rapes
and robberies were increased. This experience was transferred from generation to generation among
Greek people, giving the impression that Albanians are not trust worthy. In conclusion, we realize
that in Greece someone can be social excluded because of his/her origin.
Responding to government proposals in 2008 to introduce legal rights for cohabiting couples,
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the leader of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece,
suggested that "There is a need to change with the time". It is unclear, however, whether this view
applied to same-sex couples, particularly as the Church has previously opposed gay rights in general
and civil union laws in particular. Following government talks in November 2013 regarding the
legalisation of civil unions for homosexual couples, the Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim voiced
vehement opposition against it, threatening that he can and will excommunicate anyone who should
vote for it. Moreover, he added that the bill "legalises the corruption of the human existence and
physiology and cements the psychopathological diversion that is homosexuality". Additionally, he
mentioned that such movements constitute "significant offenses of public decency" by sending out
messages of "perverted sexual behaviours" to young people that "torpedo the foundations of family
and society". So, as a conclusion we can see that the Orthodox Church of Greece is trying to exclude
LGBTQI people from their society, by depriving them some of their legal rights.
JAPAN
Social exclusion' is “To lose the status and qualification of the membership in the various areas of
society such as welfare system and labor market.”
Source:
http://jawe2011.jp/cgi/keyword/keyword.cgi?num=n000175&mode=detail&catlist=1&onlist=1&s
hlist=1
This is defined by Japan Association for Women’s Education. I think that Japanese people usually
don’t consider race, ethnicity, or religion as a factor of social exclusion because Japan is
homogeneous country. Most of Japanese have same skin color, physical feature and are not
interested in religion. This definition does not consider the factor of social exclusion and it will help
others to understand this Japanese society’s tendency.