Marginalization

Marginalization refers to the process by which certain groups are pushed to the social, economic, or political periphery, limiting their access to resources, rights, and influence. It operates through formal institutions, informal social norms, and unequal power relations, and can affect people who share identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, immigration status, class, or age. While related to poverty, marginalization is not simply about income; it concerns exclusion from participation and decision-making.

Causes and mechanisms: Structural inequalities, discriminatory laws, and cultural stigmas drive marginalization. Institutions such as schools, labor markets, housing, health care, media, and government may reproduce exclusion through policies, practices, or biased data. Segregation by geography, language barriers, and underrepresentation in decision-making reinforce persistent disadvantage.

Impacts and examples: Marginalization can lead to reduced access to services, limited political voice, poorer health and education outcomes, higher exposure to violence, and lower economic mobility. Examples include racial segregation, caste-based exclusion, disability access barriers, immigrant or refugee exclusion, and stigma against LGBTQ+ people.

Responses and measurement: Addressing marginalization involves anti-discrimination laws, affirmative action, universal design, inclusive services, and participatory governance. Data disaggregation and indicators on income, employment, health, education, housing, and political representation support monitoring. The concept is complemented by intersectional analysis, recognizing that overlapping identities produce unique marginalization. Some critiques argue the term can overgeneralize or obscure agency and resilience.