Social Exclusion & Inclusion (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Revision Note

Social exclusion occurs when individuals or groups are denied full participation in social, economic, political and cultural life

It goes beyond financial poverty — it includes:

• isolation

• stigma

• lack of access to resources such as education, work, healthcare and housing

Social exclusion is often linked to long-term unemployment, discrimination and inequality

• E.g., unemployment can cause exclusion — people may be unable to afford leisure activities, lose confidence or feel powerless

Social exclusion damages physical and mental well-being, limits access to opportunity and traps individuals in poverty

Social inclusion refers to efforts to ensure that everyone can participate equally in society

Being out of work often means:

• having no disposable income for social activities or basic goods

• experiencing low status, isolation and feelings of worthlessness

• suffering stress and mental health issues

• increased risk of domestic conflict and family strain

Long-term unemployment can lead to a sense of exclusion from mainstream society

The UK Faculty for Public Health reports that unemployed people face a higher risk of mental health problems and suicide

People from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to experience social exclusion due to:

• racism and institutional discrimination

• language barriers or cultural unfamiliarity

• unequal access to housing, education and employment

Moral panics and negative media portrayals, e.g. of immigrants or asylum seekers, increase prejudice and fear

Some minority groups are excluded from community life and feel marginalised

Racism and prejudice can block access to jobs and education, worsening poverty and limiting equality of opportunity

People with disabilities face both physical and attitudinal barriers to inclusion

Historically, public buildings and transport were not accessible, limiting participation

Laws such as the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and the Equality Act (2010) require reasonable adjustments to promote inclusion, e.g. ramps, accessible toilets, adaptive technology

Despite these measures, discrimination and stigma persist, especially against people with mental health conditions

Functionalists argue that society must work together to remove these barriers and ensure full participation for all groups

Poverty and social exclusion are difficult to solve, even in a wealthy nation such as the UK

People living in poverty often become trapped in a cycle of deprivation

Long-term reliance on benefits, poor education, and unemployment can pass disadvantage from one generation to the next

Escaping poverty requires not only income, but also access to opportunity and inclusion

Sociologist Oscar Lewis (1966) argued that poor people develop their own subculture, adapting to hardship

• This includes values and behaviours such as fatalism, dependency and lack of ambition

• These attitudes may be passed from parents to children, reinforcing the cycle of poverty

Critics argue that this blames the poor rather than addressing structural causes of inequality

Murray claimed that a “welfare-dependent underclass” has developed, with values that reject hard work and responsibility

• He argued that cutting benefits would encourage self-reliance

Critics — especially Marxists and Social Democrats — argue that this view stigmatises the poor and ignores structural inequalities such as unemployment and discrimination