Table of Contents
Definition of Social Marginality
(noun) A condition in which an individual inhabits two group identities simultaneously.
Etymology of Social Marginality
- Coined by Robert Ezra Park (1864–1944) in Human Migration and the Marginal Man (1928).
Social Marginality Pronunciation
Syllabification: so·cial mar·gin·al·i·ty
Audio Pronunciation
Usage Notes
- Plural: social marginalities
- Social marginality leads to stigmatization and is similar to double consciousness.
Related Quotation
- Intersectionality introduces critical perspectives on the complex interrelations of gender, race, class, and sexuality. Feminist theorist bell hooks frames this concept in terms of margin and center; author Gloria Anzaldúa describes experiences as “border” or mestiza consciousness; legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term ‘intersectionality theory.’ To make a difference, intersectional analysis must go beyond describing individuals’ identities. This framework enables us to use a feminist lens for understanding transnational issues such as imperialism, pollution, war, human trafficking, and globalization. Intersectional analysis can be used to work toward the systemic change needed for all people to be able to maximize participation in free societies” (Tarrant 2009:13–14).
Related Video
Additional Information
- Word origin of “social” and “marginality” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
- Rosenblum, Karen Elaine, and Toni-Michelle Travis. 2016. The Meaning of Difference: American Constructions of Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, Sexual Orientation, and Disability. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Related Terms
Reference
Tarrant, Shira. 2009. Men and Feminism. Berkeley, CA: Seal Press.
Works Consulted
Kendall, Diana. 2011. Sociology in Our Times. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Ritzer, George, and J. Michael Ryan, eds. 2011. The Concise Encyclopedia of Sociology. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Scott, John, and Gordon Marshall. 2005. A Dictionary of Sociology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Taylor & Francis. (N.d.) Routledge Handbooks Online. (https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/).
Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).
Wiley. (N.d.) Wiley Online Library. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/).
Cite the Definition of Social Marginality
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2016. “social marginality.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved February 9, 2025 (https://sociologydictionary.org/social-marginality/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
social marginality. (2016). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/social-marginality/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2016. “social marginality.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://sociologydictionary.org/social-marginality/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“social marginality.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2016. Web. 9 Feb. 2025. <https://sociologydictionary.org/social-marginality/>.