Abstract:
The article concerns research in the normative social science and is aimed at making
a contentious argument that the conceptual frameworks which underpinned much of
the literature and research on social exclusion are rooted in European and Anglo Saxon
traditions. As such they ignore the contributions made by people of Africa, Asia and Latin
America. The discourse regarding social exclusion and social inclusion could therefore
not be only with a Western perspective, but should note that the reality of global exclusion
is felt most in the developing world. A second challenge is the marked absence of any
discussion on power imbedded in social relations and the disruption of bonds between
individuals and society. The third challenge to the discourse is the tepid acknowledgement
of racism, sexism and other forms of socially constructed exclusions. The fourth challenge
relates to the role of the state. It is argued that the discourse should be adapted to country
specific situations and contacts to have policy relevance. The European/Western model
should be rearticulated with a more developmental focus that puts global inequalities
up front and centre and draws from the global South. The future of the social inclusion
debate will depend on the ability to develop a global social inclusion drawing on the
intellectual capacities of both the global North and the global South.
