Marginality, Marginalization and De-Marginalization. A Theoretical Reorientation

Zusammenfassung

I have in mind to develop a few theoretical considerations to an old problem that has in some way run out of control, although it has been taken up again and again since Emile Durkheim discusses it for the first time in a proper way in his Rules of the Sociological Method (1894–95). This problem is the main topic of our Congress and has been summarized very well in the Preamble to the Theme of the Congress: “the study of the phenomenon of the “Marginals”… (and) the complex problems associated with the etiology of marginality in their proper context, as well as the social processes deriving from it and the possible remedies to combat the injustices and harm which may result from it”. The Preamble very rightly points to the fact that recently important changes have occured in the interpretation of how marginality originates.