Social Exclusion of Char Inhabitants in Assam

Abstract

Social exclusion is an effective tool both in academic and policy discourse to explain and analyse different disadvantageous situations of groups or individuals of a society. Social exclusion is an accumulation of confluent processes with successive ruptures arising from the heart of economy, politics and society; 'gradually distances and places persons, groups, communities and territories in positions of inferiority in relation to centre powers, resources and prevailing values'. Multidimensionality is the key feature of the concept of social exclusion. A comprehensive understanding of cultural exclusion of Char inhabitants necessitates engagement on the issue integrally with Na-Asamiya Muslims. Instances of cultural exclusion occur in their day-to-day experiences when erosion-induced displaced Char inhabitants appear in the 'mainland' in search of livelihood. The idea of social and cultural exclusion, in particular of Char inhabitants, is primarily attributed to the xenophobic issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh.