Traditionally, marginality (from Latin margo — edge) in sociology (R. Park, E. Burgess) was understood as the state of groups and individuals who were pushed to the periphery of society due to their inability to adapt to the dominant culture as a result of migration or social upheavals. However, in the 21st century, the nature of marginality has radically changed. It is no longer just a result of spatial or cultural displacement, but also a consequence of systemic transformations — economic, technological, and ecological. Modern marginals are not only migrants and ethnic minorities, but also new social categories emerging as a result of globalization and the digital divide.
Digitalization has given rise to a new dimension of inequality that did not exist before. Digital marginality is a state of exclusion from the digital space, leading to limited access to information, education, services, and the labor market.
At-risk groups: Elderly people, low-income individuals, residents of underprivileged regions without access to high-speed internet, people with low digital literacy.
Challenges: The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global experiment that has exposed this problem. Children from poor families who did not have access to online education have found themselves in an educational marginalization situation with long-term consequences. According to the UN, about 3.6 billion people in the world remain offline, which automatically deprives them of opportunities in the modern economy.
Responses: Government programs to provide digital infrastructure (the Starlink project in rural areas), digital literacy programs for the elderly (Silver Surfers in the EU), development of public digital spaces (libraries as digital hubs).
The British sociologist Guy Standing has identified the precariat — a new social class characterized by unstable, unprotected employment (freelancing, gig economy, platform labor), the absence of social guarantees and professional identity.
Characteristics: Delivery Club couriers or Uber drivers, remote workers on short-term contracts, creative workers. They are formally included in the economy but are in a state of chronic vulnerability and social insecurity — economic marginality.
Challenges: Lack of pension savings, paid sick leave, trade union protection. This leads to "social anomie" and political instability.
Responses: Review of labor legislation (recognition of the status of "employed" in the EU), creation of trade unions for platform workers (Freelancers Union), development of a portfolio career and continuous education system.
Climate change has given rise to a new category of forcibly marginalized people — those losing their habitat and means of subsistence. They are in a state of existential marginality.
Examples: Residents of small island states (Tuvalu, Kiribati), threatened by rising sea levels; Sahelian farmers whose lands are turning into deserts; populations in coastal regions of South and Southeast Asia suffering from more frequent floods.
Challenges: Lack of legal status ("climate refugee" is not recognized under international law), loss of cultural identity associated with territory, mass internal and transboundary displacements.
Responses: Development of new legal frameworks (initiatives to supplement the Geneva Convention), programs for planned resettlement and adaptation on the spot, the principle of climate justice, requiring developed countries to compensate for damage.
Modern societies are seeking ways not just to "adapt" marginals, but to transform the systems that generate exclusion.
A shift from special institutions for "problematic" groups to the creation of an inclusive environment that takes diversity into account. For example, schools where children of migrants, children with special needs, and children from underprivileged families study together along individual trajectories with the support of tutors and psychologists. This prevents the reproduction of marginality across generations.
Fighting spatial marginalization through the involvement of residents of peripheral districts in the design of public spaces. Example: the *"Park on the Embankment of the 11-million-city" project* in St. Petersburg, where the concept was developed with active participation of local communities. This turns marginalized territories into places of power and reduces social tension.
Digital democracy: Platforms for civic participation (Decidim in Barcelona), allowing those who were previously excluded from the political process to be involved in decision-making.
Financial technology (fintech): Mobile banking and microcredit in Africa (the M-Pesa platform) have allowed millions of people without access to traditional banks to be included in the economy.
Crowdsourcing and platform cooperation: Creating alternatives to exploitative platforms in the gig economy, where workers themselves own the platform and distribute profits (cooperative Stocksy United for photographers).
Interesting fact: In Portugal in 2021, one of the most progressive laws in the world on remote work was adopted, which directly combats the marginalization of the precariat. It obliges employers to compensate for electricity and internet expenses, prohibits contacting the employee outside working hours, and establishes the right to "disconnect" (right to disconnect), protecting the boundaries of private life.
In response to the pressure of the globalized mainstream, there is a phenomenon of conscious, or voluntary, marginality — the creation of alternative communities (ecovillages, digital nomads, ethical communities). These groups consciously reject dominant consumer and career growth values, creating new forms of sociality on the periphery of the large society, but within their own sustainable ecosystem.
Modern forms of marginality are not an anomaly, but a systemic product of global capitalism, technological revolutions, and the ecological crisis. Responses to these challenges require not one-time social programs, but a rethinking of basic principles:
From the sacredness of economic growth to the idea of inclusive and sustainable development.
From rigid social categories to the recognition of fluidity and multiplicity of identities.
From paternalistic assistance to marginals to their recognition as full-fledged subjects of social dialogue and agents of change.
Marginality in the 21st century ceases to be the lot of "losers" and becomes an experimental laboratory of new forms of life and solidarity. Ultimately, the ability of society to integrate its marginalized groups, listen to their criticism, and transform itself under the influence of this dialogue is the main test of its democracy, sustainability, and humanity. The future will be determined by whether we can turn the challenges of new marginality into an opportunity for profound social transformation.
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