SOSC 103D Social Inequality in HK Lecture 19: Social Exclusion and Cohesion

Marginalized groups Groups of people who have encountered difficulties in participating fully in society Those who are in lack of: Economic resources (poverty) Community support (discrimination) Social rights (citizenship) Esp. Multiple Deprivation L19: 18.04.07

Example: Street sleepers How are they being marginalized? Exclusion from land Exclusion from security Labour market exclusion L19: 18.04.07

Example: Street sleepers How are they being marginalized? Exclusion from land Exclusion from security Labour market exclusion An initial cause of social exclusion (poverty) A result of further exclusion (discrimination) L19: 18.04.07

Example: Street sleepers How are they being marginalized? Exclusion from land Exclusion from security Labour market exclusion Exclusion from goods and services Exclusion from social and political rights Exclusion from development strategies Role of the government, policies and the social system L19: 18.04.07

Other E.g. of marginalized groups Cage-homers, Elderly, New arrivals, Ethnic minorities L19: 18.04.07

Other E.g. of marginalized groups Single parent families Youth (finished schooling but unemployed) The disabled or those who have serious illness Released prisoners Sex workers L19: 18.04.07

Problem of social exclusion Social isolation (vicious circle) Invisible in our “normal” society Policies and development further neglect their needs and problems Hostility Social instability Lack of social cohesion Social problems Criminals L19: 18.04.07

Problem of social exclusion Recent problem: From neglect to concern? Stigmatization (role of government, media, etc.) Discrimination (role of the general public and employers) Further marginalized L19: 18.04.07

Hostility 爭 取 居 港 權 人 士 在 入 境 處 縱 火 ， 五 十 人 死 傷 二OOO 年 八 月 二 日 下 午 ， 廿 多 名 自 稱 有 居 港 權 的 內 地 人 ， 在 入 境 處 要 求 獲 發 身 份 證 無 效 後 ， 有 人 用 易 燃 液 體 放 火 ， 令 廿 多 名 入 境 處 職 員 及 卅 多 名 內 地 人 士 當 場 受 傷 。 其 中 入 境 處 高 級 事 務 主 任 梁 錦 光 及 爭 取 居 權 的 內 地 人 林 小 星 先 後 傷 重 不 治 。 警 方 稍 後 落 案 起 訴 十 九 名 涉 嫌 與 縱 火 有 關 的 內 地 人 。 L19: 18.04.07

Hostility Chinese migrants torch Hong Kong immigration building August 2, 2000 Migrants from mainland China doused Hong Kong immigration headquarters with flammable liquid Wednesday evening, then set a fire that injured 46 people, including three officials who were seriously burned. Eighteen immigration officers and an unspecified number of mainlanders were hurt as Hong Kong's drawn-out dispute over residency rights turned violent in the migrants' most dramatic effort yet to avoid being sent home. L19: 18.04.07

Readings: Saloojee, Anver (2001) “Social Inclusion, Citizenship and Diversity,” in the Canadian Council on Social Development http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/inclusion/bp/as.htm L19: 18.04.07