ABSTRACT
A distinction can be made between voluntary and enforced social exclusion. Within sociology society has always been defined precisely with reference to processes of integration and exclusion. The way a community defines itself is by making a distinction to those outside it; by drawing the boundary. A number of explanations have been offered as to why this shift from poverty to social exclusion has occurred. One is the political sensitivity of poverty; in some countries the existence of poverty is simply politically incorrect, since a lot of resources are devoted to welfare arrangements. The recognition of poverty is then a critique of the existing policy measures. Social exclusion, on the other hand, may be a more feasible concept, since it locates the problems more on an individual level. The idea is that the socially excluded should be obliged to do something in return for assistance, which in Europe has been termed activation.
