Archive of European Integration (AEI) (University of Pittsburgh) · 2008 · 19 citations · 0 references
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Social SciencesSocial PolicySociologyGerontologySocial InequalitySocial RightsEuropean Union StudiesPension PolicyRetirement PolicySocial ExclusionSocial GerontologySocial InclusionAge-related Social ExclusionComparative Pension SystemsOlder Adult Social ExclusionSocial Exclusion MeasurementSocial Exclusion Theory
Combating social exclusion is one of the key objectives of pension systems. This report focuses on social exclusion among the elderly (defined as the 55+ age group) in the EU’s member states. Social exclusion has been conceptualised as a state of individuals in relation to four dimensions. Two of these dimensions – material deprivation and social rights – are of a structural nature. The other two – social participation and normative integration – pertain to social settings and subcultural factors. Theoretically and empirically, the dimensions refer to one latent underlying social exclusion variable. The original method for measuring social exclusion was devised and tested for the Netherlands, making use of a dedicated dataset. In this study, the measuring instrument has been extended to EU member states, performing secondary analyses of various surveys.