One of the oldest survival pursuits undertaken by the weak and the
downtrodden people across the world has been begging. Going back to the
ancient Christian biblical times up to the present epoch as well as
across varying spatial settings, in situations of trouble and
tribulations, parts of various communities have resorted to beggary to
either overcome immediate adversities or longer term calamities. Drawing
on insights from two polar theoretical lenses of Social Constructionism
and Social Deconstructionism, and guided by a pithy study of the begging
across the African continent especially by Zimbabweans, this book
troubles the various contours related to the subject of begging. Inter
alia, the book considers the concept of begging, the causes of the
prevalence of begging across the world and particularly among
Zimbabweans, the challenges and benefits associated with the pursuit of
alms, the impact of begging in foreign lands as well as some of the
strategies that beggars employ to maximize their collections and/ or
profits. What can be discerned from the book is that for many, begging
is one of the last resort undertakings with low pickings. However, from
a utilitarian perspective, begging has helped to sustain the
impoverished livelihoods of Zimbabweans, both inside and outside the
borders of the country since the advent of a debilitating crisis
experienced from the turn of the new millennium. On the whole, this book
seeks to provoke further researches on an important socio-economic area
that affects many African communities but has so far been scantily
researched. The book is handy for students and practitioners in economic
history, African studies, economics, risk and disaster management,
social anthropology, political science, and development studies.
