Exclusions and Marginalisation

The terms exclusion and marginalisation have been part of the standard vocabulary of sociological research for several decades. They indicate that the issues of social inequality extend beyond material resources. Relational and social references, questions about belonging are gaining importance and complement traditional ‘vertical’ inequality research. In many cases, the topic of exclusion and marginalisation is even seen as ‘the’ social question of the twenty-first century. The (economic) relationship between ‘above and below’ has been replaced by the (cultural) relationship between ‘inside and outside’. However, the ‘old’ question of social classes is by no means passé. The aim of this chapter is therefore to clarify how and why the concepts of exclusion and marginalisation have evolved. What social developments have they responded to and in what context did they emerge? In addition, their scientific value will be critically examined, and they will be located in sociological inequality research and linked to other scientific concepts.