While issues of marginalization and participation have engaged scholars across various disciplines and domains, and a range of theoretical perspectives and methodological framings have been deployed in this enterprise, the research presented in this volume aligns itself to alternative traditions by focusing on people’s membership and participation across settings and institutional contexts. The work here, thus, focuses on the constitution of marginalization inside, outside and across a range of settings. It centre-stages marginalization and participation as action in the human world. Going beyond a focus on the marginalized or explanations of marginalization or comparing groups of the marginalized with the non-marginalized, a number of contributions focus on mundane processes inside, outside and across institutional settings in different geopolitical spaces. Other chapters in the book demonstrate the marginalization of specific analytical foci in the research process or hegemonies of national high-stake testing protocols and specific dialects in different geopolitical regions or in domains such as the sporting arena. In contrast to other studies on marginalization and participation, this book takes its point of departure in the complexities that characterize and shape both individuals and societies, past and present. Its chapters challenge demarcated fields of study and conceptions of identity framed marginalization and participation. Drawing attention to the fact that the centre (continues to) define the margins, the work presented here joins research efforts that highlight the need to focus on the constitution of marginalization and participation in a wide range of settings with the explicit aim of going beyond static boundaries that define the human state at different scales of becoming and beyond an understanding of development and progress in terms of a linear trajectory.

This book defines and examines the needs of the marginalized student and presents a theoretically grounded model to guide institutions of higher education toward developing new and more effective programmatic responses. Taking the implementational experience of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, South Africa, as a case study, it investigates the experience of students who present problems of learning and inadequate preparation for sustained performance, including learning disabilities, lack of study skills, motivational factors, and cultural support systems. Further, it identifies the pressure for institutions to be responsive to social and political pressures to accommodate the needs of students previously excluded from participation in higher educational or vocational training opportunities. In addressing this timely area of development, the authors formulate a unique conceptual foundation for the consideration of a new paradigm, based on cognitive and biosocial theories: those of the theory of structural cognitive modifiability and mediated learning experience and of Feuerstein and Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystem structural orientation. Innovative, applicational, and optimistic in nature, this book will appeal to scholars, researchers, administrators, and postgraduate level students working across the fields of higher education, educational psychology, and student counseling.

This edited collection explores issues that arise when researching "hard-to-reach" groups and those who remain socially excluded and marginalized in society, such as access, the use of gatekeepers, ethical dilemmas, "voice," and how such research contributes to issues of inclusion and social justice. The book uses a wide range of empirical and theoretical approaches to examine the difficulties, dilemmas and complexities surrounding research methodologies with particular groups. It emphasizes the importance of national and international perspectives in such discussions, and suggests innovative methodological procedures.

There is evidence that the global COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating existing inequalities and marginalization of vulnerable groups, including exceptional learners, stateless, street, migrant, and refugee children and youths, and the limited use of frameworks of emergency planning with and for marginalized and at-risk individuals. These challenges are multi-sectoral and intersecting, and they require multi- and interdisciplinary interventions to inform inclusive responses. These issues include being at a greater risk of excluding vulnerable learners from gaining access to equitable education (online/remote and blended education). Intersecting forms of discrimination such as gender, socioeconomic and legal status further exacerbate the problem. This has alerted us to examine the living conditions of marginalized and vulnerable populations around the globe, and to reveal their experiences, problems, and needs from an educational perspective, thus bringing insights into their vulnerabilities during the pandemic.

This book provides an overview of marginality or marginalization, as a concept, characterizing a situation of impediments – social, political, economic, physical, and environmental – that impact the abilities of many people and societies to improve their human condition. It examines a wide range of examples and viewpoints of societies struggling with poverty, social inequality and marginalization. Though the book will be especially interesting for those looking for insights into the situation and position of ethnic groups living in harsh mountainous conditions in the Himalayan region, examples from other parts of the world such as Kyrgyzstan, Israel, Switzerland and Finland provide an opportunity for comparison of marginality and marginalization from around the world. Also addressed are issues such as livelihood, outmigration and environmental threats, taking into account the conditions, scale and perspective of observation. Throughout the text, particular attention is given to the context and concept of ‘marginalization’, which sadly remains a persistent reality of human life. It is in this context that this book seeks to advance our global understanding of what marginalization is, how it is manifested and what causes it, while also proposing remedial strategies.

Current debates around participation and marginalization dominate the agenda of many European political forums. There is an increasing concern about the stability of social cohesion and a growing number of particular groups of people who are regarded as being at risk of being socially excluded or marginalized. This volume goes beyond the surface of public discussions to look at the central role played by welfare services in European societies in either strengthening or hindering participatory citizenship and democracy. In current discussions welfare services - understood in a broad sense - are centrally positioned: there are high expectations that welfare services can hinder marginalization and enable participation. Yet marginalization is, in most cases, rooted in the deeper structures of society, with economy, participation and involvement dependent on political or highly personal factors, which are beyond the scope of welfare services. This groundbreaking volume posits that participation and marginalization are ‘twin’ concepts, expressing opposing sides of one and the same processes faced by individuals and communities. It will be essential reading for social workers, sociologists and policy-makers throughout Europe.

With the newly inaugurated US Presidential Administration signing several orders to mitigate discrimination and racism within the United States government, attentions globally are once again brought to the Black Lives Matter campaign, and its message. Discrimination in business contexts, social interactions, and educational institutions remains a concern for leaders today. The empowerment of marginalize communities has been rapidly spreading through societies, thanks to the platforms that social media now offer. The Research Anthology on Empowering Marginalized Communities and Mitigating Racism and Discrimination is a three-volume, hand-selected compilation of the highest quality research on the empowerment of marginalized communities that have been experiencing ongoing discrimination. To shed light on the underpinnings of disparities between marginalized groups and overreaching society, this text explores social justice applications and practices and the changes being made or pushed for around the globe that promote equality, fair treatment, and inclusivity. This book is ideal for sociologists, teachers, activists, practitioners, managers, administrators, policymakers, government officials, researchers, academicians, and students working in fields such as gender studies, race studies, social justice, behavioral studies, history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, law, as well as anyone interested in the current practices and advances in mitigating racism and discrimination in society.