I nequality and E xclusion ? The question being asked in this section has three broad answers which may be stated briefly as follows. First, social inequality and exclusion are social because they are not about individuals but about groups. Second, they are social in the sense that they are not economic, although there is usually a strong link between social and economic inequality.
Third, they are systematic and structured – there is a definite pattern to social inqualities. These three broad senses of the ‘social’ will be explored briefly below.