Economic Marginalization

Economic marginalization refers to the process by which individuals or groups are pushed to the edges of economic life, with limited access to stable employment, adequate income, credit, property, and the institutions that provide security and advancement. It often overlaps with poverty and social exclusion but emphasizes structural separation from the mainstream economy. Robert Park’s marginal man described people living between social worlds, and Janice Perlman’s study of favelas challenged the myth of marginality by showing that the poor are integrated into the economy on exploitative terms. Loic Wacquant analyzed advanced marginality in urban ghettos and banlieues, while William Julius Wilson linked marginalization to deindustrialization and the disappearance of work. Peter Doeringer and Michael Piore’s dual labor market theory explained segmentation, and Guy Standing described the precariat as a growing class with insecure work. Hilary Silver and Ruth Levitas examined social exclusion discourses, and Amartya Sen emphasized capability deprivation. Race, gender, disability, migration status, and geography intensify marginalization. Critics note that the term can imply that marginalized people are outside society rather than disadvantaged within it. Economic marginalization remains central to research on poverty, labor markets, urban inequality, and social policy.