Social exclusion: Continuities and discontinuities in explaining local patterns

This article analyses place-specific and common social exclusion patterns and trends in a wide variety of European localities from a comparative case study perspective. The local level is where the interrelationship of multiple factors leading to social exclusion becomes obvious, and at the same time where policies responding to it are most directly needed. In our analysis, we focus on the national and local policy environment, the economic environment, and individual and territorial characteristics as generally accepted factors causing or contributing to social exclusion. Based on our empirical findings, we discuss connections/disconnections between these and locally specific patterns and trends of social exclusion. Though the results point to the highly contextual nature of social exclusion, there are nevertheless clear continuities and discontinuities in explaining local patterns.