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Wer ist drinnen und wer ist draussen? Dynamiken der soziokulturellen und politischen Integration und des Ausschlusses in der Schweiz

English title Who's In and Who's Out? The Dynamics of Socio-Cultural and Political Integration and Exclusion in Switzerland
Applicant Bergman Manfred Max
Number 69226
Funding scheme NRP 51 Social Integration and Social Exclusion
Research institution Institut für Soziologie Universität Basel
Institution of higher education University of Basel - BS
Main discipline Sociology
Start/End 01.02.2004 - 31.12.2006
Approved amount 116'467.00
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All Disciplines (3)

Discipline
Sociology
Political science
Psychology

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
The dynamics of social integration and exclusion

The theoretical framework of this project draws on Bourdieu’s concepts of capital/power and an interactionist perspective. Using representative data sets, models will be examined which investigate interactive dynamics between social institutions and actors.

Background
Due to rapid social and economic changes in modern industrial societies, government policies relating to social and welfare services may risk becoming unresponsive and illadjusted, and may even unintentionally contribute to old and new forms of social exclusion. While many groups are singled out in the governments’ efforts to combat exclusion, and while socio-economic policies attempt to relieve hardship through investment in preventative or remedial programmes, it is not quite clear what the dynamics are that lead to, explain, and affect social integration or exclusion.

Aim and method
The research aims can be divided into two interdependent strands: first, the preconditions, dynamics, and consequences of socio-cultural and political integration and exclusion will be explored; second, it will be examined how individuals and institutions interact such that integration and exclusion are processes and outcomes that are continuously negotiated between social structures and individuals who participate in the (re)production of such structures. These goals are pursued via three research questions:
- What is the interplay between individuals and structuring forces in the process of integration and exclusion?
- What are the relations between economic, social, and human/cultural capital in relation to social exclusion?
- How does political behaviour relate to exclusion and how does it differ between the excluded and the integrated?

Significance
The main scientific contribution of the project will be to:
- pioneer and develop an innovative theoretical framework for analysing social exclusion and integration;
- explore the variations in national contexts;
- provide a better insight into the ways in which the dynamics of social exclusion and integration operate;
- provide an empirical basis for contributing to current policy debates in this area.

On a macrolevel, understanding the dynamics of social integration and exclusion will help formulate coherent approaches and policies for combating social exclusion and promoting social integration. On a microlevel, social workers and other service providers who are involved with individuals that are either at risk of, or identified as, socially excluded will be able to better understand and respond to their clients.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

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