Social exclusion is a term that characterizes the distancing of a person or group who is in an unfavorable or vulnerable situation in relation to other individuals and groups in society.
This phenomenon usually comprises the deprivation of this person or group from all instances of social life for some reason.
Typically, it is related to a condition of contemporary capitalism, characterized as a failure of social organization, driven by the structure of this economic and political system.
People and groups living in this condition of social exclusion are usually marginalized by society for various reasons. reasons, suffering prejudice due to differences in social status, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, life choices, among others.
These groups, in many cases, end up being isolated in spaces where they live only among themselves, as a form of segregation.
These conditions of prejudice and withdrawal from social life can affect some aspects of the lives of people who live in social exclusion, leading to other problems such as social isolation and even psychological problems such as depression.
Social exclusion and the problems generated by it are very explicit in everyday life and the responsibility for solving this phenomenon is divided between the government and society, through public policies to encourage the re-inclusion of these people in activities social.
Measures of social inclusion they can be formulated and applied to improve the situation of these groups that live in situations of exclusion and so that they can be fully integrated into society.
See also the meaning of Social inequality and Poverty.
Forms of Social Exclusion
Social exclusion presents itself in several ways, among which we can highlight:
- cultural and ethnic exclusion: it is aimed at ethnic and cultural minorities. Ex: indigenous communities.
- economic exclusion: determines the exclusion of people with lower incomes. Ex: the poor.
- age exclusion: designates age exclusion. Ex: children and elderly.
- sexual exclusion: this type of exclusion is determined by different sexual orientations. Ex: the exclusion of transsexuals.
- gender exclusion: is related to male and female. Ex: the exclusion of women.
- Pathological exclusion: disease exclusion. Ex: people with HIV.
- behavioral exclusion: it directs the exclusion on the destructive behaviors. Ex: drug addicts.
social exclusion in Brazil
In Brazil, this social problem stems from a process with historical roots since colonization, where throughout this In the process, there were situations of exclusion that were decisive for Brazilian society, such as slavery, due to example.
This structural mark was presented in different periods of the country's history, where social processes were guided by this excluding logic and this situation became even more evident.
In the country, groups that still suffer from social exclusion stand out for their choices related to sexuality, religion and cultures. Indigenous communities, quilombolas and riverside communities are also included in these situations.
In recent decades, public policies and social inclusion projects developed were important for these gaps to become increasingly smaller. Social movements were also being created to give voice to these groups and through them, many rights were conquered, such as racial quotas to enter universities.
See more about the meaning of Social movement.