Social Exclusion

Social exclusion is a concept used in many parts of the world to characterise contemporary forms of social disadvantage.

It refers to processes in which individuals and entire communities of people are systematically blocked from rights, opportunities and resources (e.g. housing, employment, healthcare, civic engagement...) that are normally available to members of society and which are key to social integration.

This is the outcome of multiple deprivations that prevent individuals or groups from participating fully in the economic, social, and political life of the society in which they live.

It is often connected to a person's social class, educational status, religion, race, living standards and how these might affect access to various opportunities. It also applies to some degree to people with a disability, to minority, of all sexual orientations and gender identities, to the elderly, and to youth. Anyone who deviates in any perceived way from the norm of a population may become subject to coarse or subtle forms of social exclusion. Additionally, communities may self-exclude by removing themselves physically from the larger community, for example, in the gated community model.

Homeless people are usually discriminated because of their material status, many people also think that every homeless has to be a drunkard.

There are still prejudices in the modern world about women.

This picture perfectly shows that they do not have freedom of speech. In some cultures they cannot have their own opinions and rights. Sometimes they depend on their husbands' opinions. It comes from traditions, cultures or religion. Even in well-developed countries sometimes women are discriminated e.g. at work they earn less money than men.

The mere statement on the part of a religion that its own beliefs and practices are correct and any contrary beliefs incorrect does not in itself constitute intolerance. On the other hand, religious tolerance would mean that each person is free to choose their own faith and no other person would have any right to express opinions on the faith of the person. Religious intolerance, rather, is when a group specifically refuses to tolerate practices, people and their beliefs on religious grounds.

Counteracting Social Exlusion Results of the survey

1. What do you think „social exlusion” is ?

• A situation when a person is somehow “out” of the society

• A situation when a person is not accepted by the rest of the society

• Being a “no-life”

2. What people are at risk of being socially excluded ?

• People who are different than others in any way

• People with disabilities

• People who are original or weird

• Poor or sick people

• Homosexuals

• People who do things which are not-accepted by the rest of society

• criminals, prisoners

• Shy, calm and reserved people

3. Can you see the problem of social exclusion in your surroundings ?

• Yes – 92 %

• No – 8 %

4. What can we do to deal with the problem ?

• Educate people

• Talk about the problem

• Be tolerant

• Be open – minded

• Try to accept some “differences”

• Break the stereotypes

• Try to make friends with people who have some problems

• Try to treat every person equally

• Try to change the point of view

Racism is one of the cruelest things in the world. Racism is usually defined as views, practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable or more desirable.

Oliwia Dumnicka, Paulina Olivier

with the help of en.wikipedia.org