Social exclusion and the plight of asylum seekers living in Ireland

This paper examines the term social exclusion and how it has been conceptualised and operationalised within society. The expression has become a key issue for contemporary governance in understanding disadvantage, and in so doing tackling the lack of resources as well as inadequate social participation. This paper traces the origins of the term social exclusion and its evolution into the multidimensional process it has become. It examines weak and strong conceptualisations of the term and argues that in Neoliberal societies the views and social needs of disadvantaged groups are measured quantifiably without exploring the subjective realities of how they view their own personal welfare and quality of life. This paper also draws on primary research conducted by the author, which explores the lived experience of (female) asylum seekers1 in Ireland and argues that the Irish States’ policies of Dispersal and Direct Provision severely marginalize this group and exacerbates their social exclusion in society.