<ARTICLES>A New Approach to Social Inclusion: The Case of The Big Issue Japan

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Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • <論文>社会的包摂策変容の可能性 --「ビッグイシュー」を事例として--
  • 社会的包摂策変容の可能性 : 「ビッグイシュー」を事例として
  • シャカイテキ ホウセツサク ヘンヨウ ノ カノウセイ : 「 ビッグイシュー 」 オ ジレイ ト シテ

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Description

While the concept of social inclusion has been widely discussed in the academic arena, sociologists such as Ruth Lister have pointed out several associated dilemmas. Modern society is prone to value people according to their contribution to industrial society, and schemes of social inclusion often reflect this. They try to redirect excluded people back into society via some "remedy" or "treatment." This paper explores another possible means of achieving social inclusion, by examining the case of The Big Issue Japan. By tracing the transformation of the measures of social inclusion practiced for the street magazine vendors, the author tries to identify the elements needed to bring about significant changes. First, this paper reviews the literature related to social inclusion and examines the Japanese policy of Jiritsu-Shien-ho, a law aiming to enhance the self-support of homeless people, enacted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2002. Second, it traces the transformations in social inclusion practiced by The Big Issue Japan by examining its magazine content and organizational outlines. Third, three of the homeless people who act as street vendors for the magazine were interviewed to investigate how their daily practices helped broaden the range of social inclusion possibilities available. In the last chapter, the author investigates how the social inclusion plan embodied by The Big Issue Japan has been transformed under the influence of the decisions made by the organization, the daily practices of the vendors themselves, and by the prevailing social structure.

Journal

  • Kyoto Journal of Sociology

    Kyoto Journal of Sociology 27 69-94, 2019-12-25

    京都大学大学院文学研究科社会学研究室

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