marginalization
mar-jin-ul-uh-ZAY-shun
/ˌmɑːrdʒɪnələˈzeɪʃn/
The treatment of a person, group, or concept as insignificant, peripheral, or excluded from social power.
Focuses on the active process of pushing vulnerable populations to the outer edges of economic and political life.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'margo', meaning page border. Sociologists in the mid-20th century adopted the term metaphorically to describe people forced onto the border of civic life.
Word relationships
- exclusion: Exclusion means shutting someone out completely, whereas marginalization often keeps them included but powerless on the fringes.
- disenfranchisement: Disenfranchisement focuses specifically on stripping political voting rights, while marginalization is broader.
- integration: Integration brings groups fully into central socio-economic participation.
- inclusion: Inclusion guarantees active representation and access for all individuals.
Commonly confused with
- marginalization vs alienation: Marginalization is structural exclusion by society; alienation is a psychological feeling of detachment.
Word family
- marginalize (verb): To relegate to an unimportant or powerless position.
- marginalized (adjective): Pushed to the fringe of society.
Collocations
- social marginalization
- economic marginalization
- marginalization of minority groups
- prevent marginalization
Idioms & expressions
- pushed to the margins
Example sentences
- "Economic restructuring led to the marginalization of rural workers disconnected from high-tech industries." Sociological research
- "Legal aid initiatives aim to counteract the systemic marginalization of low-income defendants in court." Human rights policy
Memory hook
MARGIN = page border. Marginalization pushes people off the main page into the tiny margins. Pushed to the margin, out of the spotlight.
When not to use
Do not use for voluntary personal isolation or minor individual disagreements.
Fun facts
- The term 'marginal economy' originally described farming land barely fertile enough to yield profits.
Related words
Explore more words
marginalize, marginalized, Ostracism, ostracize, underprivileged, alienate
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