Marginalization and Exclusion

Abstract

In general, marginalizing refers to the process of relegating, downgrading, or excluding people from the benefits of society. In the context of globalization, one can interpret marginalization to be the intended or unintended relegation of individuals, groups, or entire nations by limiting their access to the benefits of globalization. Limited accessibility could be based upon persisting historical or cultural reasons or on social, economic, and political choices made by those in control of the local, national, or global system. In either case, the end result is the same: exclusion due to inaccessibility and non-participation. The industrial revolution denied many people — the poor, the uneducated, the rural, the elderly, children, and women — equal access to participate in the benefits of modern life. Globalization, coupled with the technological revolution, promises to embrace these historically excluded people and offer them new channels of participation. For instance, rural people can theoretically access the virtual marketplace via the internet in the same manner as their urban counterparts. The same holds true for home-bound women and the elderly who face challenges of mobility. Irrespective of their capacity to pay the high cost of private tuition, children can find access to educational material via the internet. Villagers and farmers have the opportunity to join an organization to seek information and voice their opinion in any part of the world.