Understanding the nexus of marginalisation and events

Abstract

A diverse range of events can be conceptualised as being at/for/in the margins or as marginal. They may include events in/for groups or communities marginalised based on race, gender, religion, [dis]ability, ethnicity, citizenship status and/or income or a combination thereof. They may be held in geographically isolated places and as such be on the physical margins, which raises not only a set of potential challenges for event managers but also potential rewards for event managers and communities alike. Marginal events may also seek to empower the marginalised or resist/challenge the hegemonic discourse, as is the case with protest events such as riots. This chapter discusses the nexus of marginalisation and events and begins with a definition of ‘the margins’. This is followed by an examination of the ways in which groups and/or communities may be marginalised, along with some of the consequences of marginalisation. The final section details the wide variety of events and the ways in which they may engage with the margins and the marginalised, drawing out the contributions of the subsequent chapters.