A policy, practice, or belief system that intentionally excludes certain groups of people from rights, opportunities, or participation.
From 'exclude' + '-ism' (a system of beliefs or practices). The '-ism' suffix makes it into an ideology or systematic approach rather than just the act of excluding.
Many historical movements have been built on exclusionism—from apartheid to caste systems to immigration restrictions—and studying the word helps us recognize when systems are deliberately designed to keep people out rather than letting it happen by accident.
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