Begging Rome: Norms at the margins, norms of the in-between

Abstract

In this article, I argue that begging and beggary represents and must be analyzed through a twofold prism: as an economic exchange taking place at the margins but amply within the structures of the market economy and as a social relationship and cultural exchange that, due exactly to its in-between liminal nature, touches upon and generate central values; an exchange in which crucial norms are negotiated and established. Begging activities are just one example of how the market oriented economy intertwines with underground networks and ''informal economies'', and how these interconnections produce implicit and explicit norms. Romeo (act 5, scene 1)You're this poor and wretched and still afraid to die? Your cheeks are thin because of hunger. I can see in your eyes that you're starving. Anyone can see that you're a beggar. The world is not your friend, and neither is the law. The world doesn't make laws to make you rich. So don't be poor. Break the law, and take this money. (he holds out money) Apothecary I agree because I'm poor, not because I want to.

Threatening the Social Order

“…Public attitudes against begging, like those against vagrancy, have worsened with industrialization and the rise of capitalism. In Rome, panhandling has increased in frequency over the last decades; in the capital city of Catholicism, mendicity is played out as an exchange involving both the performance of piety and the practice of charity (Thomassen 2015). However deep the Christian roots of charity, begging is at the heart of a cluster of contentious practices that have been the object of disputes in law-making and public debate.…”

Differences in the Spatial Distribution and Characteristics of Urban Beggars: The Case of the Sanglah District in Denpasar (Indonesia)

“…The rest of the public places, such as settlements, shops, trade centres, and places of worship, are found in each route. Thomassen (2015) states that beggars in Rome are seen in many churches, supermarkets, minimarkets, schools, ATMs, and magazine shops. Similarly, Mirjat et al (2017) mention restaurants, supermarkets, recreational parks, places of worship, educational institutions, stations, and banks as the most frequently visited places for panhandling.…”

Tvilsomme informanter, troverdig forskning?

“…Det vi kalte «tiggernarrativer» kunne for eksempel vaert velegnet for en type kritisk diskursanalyse eller narrativ analyse. Andre studier har for eksempel tatt for seg hvordan tiggere iscenesetter seg selv overfor potensielle givere, gjerne i kontrast til deres hjemlige selvpresentasjoner (Tesar, Thomassen, 2015). Tiggernarrativer kunne vaert et inntak til å studere hvordan folk aktivt forsøker å etablere en asymmetrisk relasjon som innbyr til sympati og giverglede, eller man kunne brukt dem til å studere hva slags diskursive og kulturelle repertoarer som er tilgjengelige for tiggerne, som tross alt er lite kjent med norsk kultur og samfunn.…”