Limits of the concept of “social exclusion” and its concealment of the foundations of the “social issue”: implications and challenges for Social Work

Abstract

This article seeks to problematize the implications of the concept of "social exclusion" for the apprehension of the "social issues", and theoretical-political developments for Social Work, in the current scenario. For this purpose, we use a bibliographical review, based on the critical-dialectical perspective, pointing out the main nuances that circumvent the debate and its implications. In carrying out such a discussion, we conclude that more than a new concept to be incorporated in the set of theoretical-methodological approaches of the profession, the notion of "social exclusion" can constitute itself as a pitfall that guards the main determinations that configure the "social issues" within the framework of the structural crisis of capital, implying challenges to the profession in the affirmation of a project of critical inspiration.