This article adopts a multidimensional, capabilities approach [Sen 1993] to social exclusion to help extend the practical use of the concept. It explores the scope for the analysis of social exclusion across a range of existing indicators sets in order to examine the possibility of using the concept of social exclusion in contexts other than the European conditions in which it was originally developed, specifically in the Arab world. ­The article illustrates the applicability of this comprehensive approach to social exclusion through a case study of Assiut in Upper Egypt. Because social exclusion is not static but a dynamic process, the article turns to the interplays between social exclusion and attempts to practice and foster greater inclusiveness in society. The article thus contributes to research on social exclusion by examining struggles for greater inclusiveness, an important value for 'democratic learning' [Sadiki 2015] in youth activism in Egypt.