The idea of exclusion is applied to the social sphere when reference is made to the action of voluntarily or involuntarily marginalizing a portion of the population. Although the term social exclusion is usually related to socioeconomic aspects, this marginalization can also be linked to other reasons, such as ideological, cultural, ethnic, political and religious.
Social exclusion of various kinds has always existed throughout history and is almost an inherent issue in the formation of social communities in which some members do not share all the features or elements of life. However, social exclusion is particularly important in today's modern societies due to the high number of individuals who cannot reach the minimum standard of living. These individuals who are voluntarily or involuntarily marginalized are those who do not have access to basic elements such as clean water, safe housing, hygiene and health, food, work and education. Therefore, they remain outside the bulk of the population and must organize their lives around large cities, in makeshift and unsafe housing, with a high level of promiscuity, crime and lack of health care.
However, exclusion can also be due to reasons of another type and which are generally much deeper since they have to do with the thought and belief structures of a community. In this sense, exclusion for ideological reasons, for ethnic reasons, for religious, cultural and even sexual reasons, implies the voluntary and explicit segregation exercised on some minority sectors of a population that seem not to comply with the moral, religious and cultural rules of the country. set of that society.
Marginalization of any kind always implies a certain level of ignorance towards the excluded sector as well as the formation of prejudices with respect to those individuals who are left out of the majority of the population. These prejudices are what allow this situation of marginalization to be maintained and that excluded groups cannot change the unworthy conditions of life.
