We hereinafter propose to answer the question, what does it mean, to “do sociology”, and to refer, in extension, to social sciences in general, trying to accumulate and put at hand significant studies, as well as a corpus of theoretical perspectives, doubled by rigorously underlain researches, as related to concept and methodology. By various topics of interest we hereby propose, we are trying to significantly contribute to the understanding of contemporary social structures and processes and to mark out the important role sociology has in understanding them. We chose such approach, theoretical and practical in the same time, as we often face issues related to sociological studies which offer a theoretical, explanatory perspective but disclose few hints related to practical consequences, without considering the background and dynamics of the current social institutions.

Thus, Chapter I analyzes the social exclusion concept, specifying the conceptual dimensions and its causal determinants. The approach of social exclusion domain can be realized on several dimensions, namely: institutional, relational, dynamic and distributional. It presents important issues on the factors that increase the likelihood of poverty and social exclusion, at the individual level, such as education and family. In the second part, it presents the forms of social exclusion and social vulnerable groups and the situation of social exclusion in Romania. In the last part of the work, which includes quantitative analysis methodology, are analyzed the empirical determinants of social exclusion on the available data and I carried forth the results of analysis.