ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to understand the extent of social exclusion experienced by Muslims in Kolkata and shows how this has led to their spatial segregation within the city. It deals with the concept of 'social exclusion' and how it can be employed to understand the current situation of Muslims in the city. This is followed by a brief historical background of Muslims in Kolkata, the process of social exclusion and ghettoisation experienced by them, the nature of their vulnerability and the causes behind them. To understand the process and the various dimensions of social exclusion of the Muslims of Kolkata and how it is reflected in their spatial segregation, one needs to trace the historical process and backgrounds, demographic patterns and socio-economic conditions of the community since the colonial period. For various reasons, the Muslims of Kolkata occupy only a few selected pockets in the city where they are numerically dominant.
