To see how obscene this suggestion is, do a mind experiment. Have the down
and outs conduct the same study of rich people to see why they are such a
problem - walking into their lives, observing, interviewing in their
drawing rooms and clubs and offices and then making recommendations to
faceless bureaucrats and poor people sitting in authority to implement
social and police policies to "deal with them."
These are people, not stick insects.
Try responding as human beings instead. Do as George Orwell did. Go live
on the street for a year and them write a novel that enables others to meet
these people and feel the pain, hopelessness and suffering as well as
understand why and what can be done.
For an idea of what to do, I suggest reading "Down and Out in London and
Paris".
Mike H
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:32:54 GMT
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: begging in Europe
>
>Organization: University of Luton
>Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:19:35 GMT
>Priority normal
>Subject: begging in Europe
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>Joint Project for a Comparative Study of Begging in Europe: Partner
>Search
>
>We are looking for partners who might apply together with us to
>Brussels for funding for a joint project. We aim to seek funding
>through the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission, and
>possibly additional or parallel funding from the UK Department for
>International Development and/or the UK Economic and Social Research
>Council.
>
>The proposed international comparative project will focus on begging in
>Western and Eastern Europe.
>
>Background
>
>The Department of Applied Social Studies at the University of Luton
>includes a small group of social policy specialists with interests in
>issues of welfare and citizenship, social exclusion and informal and
>street-level economic activities, both in the UK and in Eastern Europe.
>Specifically, individual members of this group have recently undertaken
>a pilot study of begging in England and Scotland, conducted research on
>street homelessness in Russia, and organised a successful national
>seminar on begging A book based on the contributions to this seminar is
>due to be published in September [Dean, H. (ed.) Begging and
>Street-level Economic Activity, The Policy Press].
>
>We now hope to set up an international comparative project on begging
>and its implications for social policy.
>
>Objectives of the project
>
>The proposed project will address the proliferation of begging
>throughout Europe as a reflection of processes resulting from
>transformations in the nature of differing types of welfare states. The
>research project would seek:
>
>1) To provide an understanding of the limits of welfare provision in
>various welfare cultures as reflected in the emergence of wide-spread
>street-level economic activities in general, and in begging in
>particular. We will look at the significance of changes in the
>distribution of public resources, in social security, housing, and
>mental health provision which exacerbate or produce social exclusion and
>begging. We are also planning to study how the processes of
>international and domestic migration and exclusion of migrants from
>citizenship/residency rights lead to the increase in begging.
>
>2) To determine how the increase in the informal economic activities,
>including begging, reflects the changes in global economic conditions
>and labour markets and the changing nature of work in various European
>countries.
>
>3) To study the extent of begging and, in particular, the composition
>of the population that obtain their living (or a part of it) by begging
>in different European cities in order to reveal the cultural factors
>which influence how, where and in what circumstances people may resort
>to begging. We plan to study the social and demographic characteristics
>of beggars, their ethnicity and citizenship, and access to welfare
>rights. Although we do not envisage a quantitative survey of begging,
>relevant sources on the numbers and characteristics of people who beg
>will be identified and studied.
>
>4) To reveal the particular characteristics of begging as an informal
>economic activity, including the various strategies adopted by beggars
>in interaction with the members of the public, the interrelationship
>between begging and other forms of informal and street-level economic
>activity, and the interrelationship between begging and homelessness.
>
>5) To address the issue of begging and citizenship, including the
>beggars' perceptions of their citizenship rights and obligations in a
>particular culture. We would look at the issue of whether and to what
>extent the beggars remain a part of the social and cultural mainstream
>and are subject to the same ideological influences; including the issue
>of alternative lifestyles.
>
>7) To implement a cross-cultural study of perceptions of begging. We
>would look at such issues as perceptions of undeserving and deserving
>poor in various cultures, perceived causes of begging and relationship
>between political beliefs and the attitudes to beggars.
>
>8) To study the policy initiatives in relation to begging at the
>national and local levels, both those directed to the regulation and
>control of begging and those directed to the protection and assistance
>of street people.
>
>Research Methods
>
>We would probably aim to conduct research in five major European cities.
>Research methods would include in every country:
>
>- a comprehensive literature review;
>- a public opinion survey of perceptions of begging (as appropriate, in
>order to complement existing data sources);
>- observation and in-depth interviews with beggars;
>- semi-structured interviews with policy makers and practitioners.
>
>
>We are looking for active partners in Western European countries other
>than the UK and in Eastern Europe, but also, possibly, potential
>collaborators from other UK institutions with direct experience of
>research in this field. If you are interested in participating in this
>project, we would very much like to hear from you. Please get in touch
>with me, indicating:
>
>- the basis of your interest;
>- the specific expertise or facilities which you are able to offer;
>- the particular components of the proposed project with which you
>might be able to assist;
>- any ideas or suggestions you may wish to contribute or share with us
>in relation to the development of the project.
>
>Yours sincerely
>
>Dr. Svetlana Sidorenko-Stephenson
>Department of Applied Social Studies
>University of Luton
>Park Square
>Luton
>LU1 3JU
>UK
>Tel: +44 (0)1582 732886
>Fax: +44 (0)1582 734265
>E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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