Marginality

The dictionary definition of the word marginal generally relates to the placement of an object–that is, an object is considered marginal in relation to another more centrally located object. Throughout history, a central task in defining marginalization has been to determine the criteria for placing an object in a position of centrality or in the margin. Racial and language characteristics, values, and cultural perspectives, all of which can be embedded in constructs of power and dominance, have been identified as criteria for differentiating objects as central or marginal. In this context, marginalization is the categorization of persons of nondominant culture as inferior or lesser persons.