The purpose of this research is to examine what blind begging is; why it exists; what it means; what causes it; and how beggars operate. It explores the theme that begging has evolved in Southern Africa through the influence of colonialism linked with institutionalised religion and traditional cultural conceptions: Christian, Muslim or Buddhist that equates giving, particularly to blind beggars, to receiving some form of salvation. The underlying theme is that blind beggars fulfil a requirement in society which satisfies a hierarchal social identity and the need to discard the excess or unwanted articles to those less fortunate in the guise of blind beggars. The hypothesis can be extended to the civilized west needing to be the developed and a polar opposite undeveloped Africa to which to donate and thus discard the excess or unwanted articles to appease some moral outlook but not to extract the blind beggar or underdeveloped state from poverty. Thus, blind begging is a professional response to a perceived market need and the blind beggars have the physical infrastructure to successfully exploit this niche market and thus make a sustainable livelihood that allows them to develop a business plan that guarantees a return that allows them to invest and eventually retire. I used a parachute method where I observed where the beggars operate and approached them for a focus group discussion, then individual interviews with participants. In Johannesburg they operate differently so I approached each beggar individually. This research is important to examine some lives of marginalised disabled in our society that may be misunderstood because of stereotypical social attitudes. It serves to highlight their plight and contribute to possible solutions to social mis-conceptions and practices. Most of the people I encountered giving donations made up the panel of givers.

Thesis--Berlin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Berlin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Köln.

Thesis (Honors)--College of William and Mary, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69). Also available via the World Wide Web.

No description available.

Inaug.-Diss. - Freiburg i. Br. / Cover title. Vita. Bibliography: p. 177-188.

Föreliggande uppsats har undersökt volontärers uppfattningar om vilka stödinsatser som är till störst nytta för romska EU-medborgare från Rumänien som kommer till Sverige för att tigga, samt hur de förstår EU-medborgarna och deras situation. Syftet var att få en helhetsbild av hur frivilligarbetarna ser på EU- medborgarna och hur de anser att eventuellt stöd bör utformas. Ett övergripande syfte var att bidra till ökad kunskap om gruppen EU- medborgare som tigger. Detta gjordes genom sju semistrukturerade intervjuer som analyserades tematiskt. Studiens resultat, som analyserades med hjälp av empowerment- och tillitsteorier, visade att frivilligarbetarna anser att det är viktigt att stötta de individer som kommer till Sverige för att tigga. De uttrycker nödvändigheten av att bistå med det mest basala, men att det viktigaste och mest omfattande biståndsarbetet bör ske förebyggande i hemlandet Rumänien. Frivilligarbetarnas syn på EU-medborgarna framstår som positiv och hoppfull, samtidigt som de uppvisar gedigna kunskaper om romernas komplicerade situation i Rumänien. De uttrycker en tilltro till romernas möjlighet, att med visst bistånd, kunna påverka sin tillvaro i hemlandet. / The present study explores the experiences of volunteers working with Roma EU citizens who spend time in Sweden for the purpose of begging. The overall purpose was to investigate how the volunteers viewed the begging EU citizens and their need of support, in order to increase our awareness of begging EU citizens. Seven semi-structured interviews were carried out and, the data were analyzed using a thematic approach. Theories on empowerment and trust informed the analysis. The results indicate that the volunteers believe that Roma EU citizens are best supported preventively, where they live in Romania, although all of the volunteers expressed the necessity of basal support when the EU citizens were in Sweden. The volunteers, who showed profound knowledge of the complex Roma situation in Romania, seem to have an optimistic view of the possibilities for EU citizens to, with some support, improve their situation in Romania.

The purpose of this study was to examine how the Swedish press produced begging phenomenon in Sweden during the year of 2014. The used method was a qualitative content analysis using the theoretical perspectives, social constructionism and labeling theory. This study has covered 90 articles focused on begging phenomenon within the Swedish press.The main results in this study were that Swedish media often present the phenomenon of begging on the basis of ethnic group, the Roma. Due to a long history of discrimination they lack social and economic security both in Sweden and in the rest of the EU. The phenomenon of begging is presented as a result of organized crime and the given solution resolving begging is to ban it. Social knowledge about who the involved individuals are and why they beg is represented clearly in the press. We acknowledge that the results, based on theories and previous research, not always integrates and correspond with reality. The press often forgets to mention that this ethnic group has no safe and secure place to call "home".

Esta pesquisa investiga o discurso produzido por mendigos na cidade de São Paulo, bem como as relações que se estabelecem entre a prática da mendicância e as subjetividades que são positivadas nessa condição. Foram entrevistados seis mendigos moradores de rua em três localidades da cidade de São Paulo: zona sul, centro e Av. Paulista. Após a transcrição literal das entrevistas, procedeu-se à análise do material, utilizando como referência metodológica a análise de discurso (a.d.), tal como proposta por Marlene Guirado. Apreendeu-se três tipos de subjetividade na mendicância, a partir dos lugares a que era remetido o entrevistador na situação de entrevista. A saber, um tipo que o incluía na cena discursiva, outro que o excluía dela e um último que não lhe atribuía lugar definido. Evidenciou-se, dentre outros, que a mendicância, apesar de estar prevista nas leis das contravenções penais brasileiras, constitui-se em uma prática legitimada pelas pessoas que a praticam e, apesar do paradoxo, é utilizada por elas como referencial de honestidade. Identificou-se também, no discurso dessas pessoas, uma série de vetores de resistência às limitações e dificuldades impostas pela condição de rua. / This research examines the speech produced by beggars in the city of São Paulo, as well as the connections between the act of begging and the subjectivities produced in this situation. Six interviews were made with beggars that live in three different regions in the city: south, downtown and Av. Paulista. After a loyal transcription of the interviews, the material was analised using as metodological reference the speech analysis as proposed by Marlene Guirado. Three types of subjectivities, in a begging situation, were organized. These types of subjectivities referred to the role attributed to the interviewer: either he was included in the speech scenario, or he was excluded from it, or he was not attributed a role in the scenario. The research showed that the act of begging, although it is against brazilian laws, it is legitimated by the people that beg; and even thought it is a paradox, it is used by them as a honesty indicator. It is also been identified in these people speechs, a series of resistance tools against the limitations and problems associated to living in the streets.