The Beggar's Gaze: A Covert Participant Observation of Society's Norms and Values

Abstract

Norms and values are key determinants of any society or culture, holding it together by performing latent and manifest functions. Beggary is one of the crucial social problems that indicates the impoverished economic condition of a country. However, beggary is not merely an economic issue; as an integral part of society, it also demonstrates certain realities of that particular society - the norms and values attached to it, the different rituals of culture, and the varying standards by which people behave toward it. With the passage of time, some norms and values have shifted slightly due to acculturation and modern technology. People's way of living is changing, and so are their thoughts. This generational gap is clearly visible in how older individuals and children behave differently toward beggars. On the other side, beggars are also adopting new techniques to earn more, analyzing the situation before begging in order to maximize alms received. This study draws on covert participant observation, in which the researcher assumed the identity of a beggar to examine everyday interactions in public spaces. Guided by the concepts and theories of Bourdieu and Mashima and Takahashi, the study identifies two key themes, courtesy stigma and suspicion towards unfamiliar poverty and the moral economy which illustrate the beauty and bitterness of social norms and values. No prior research has examined beggary through this specific embodied and covert lens; as such, it serves as an important tool for uncovering the norms and values embedded within a given society. This study contributes to sociological understanding of poverty, gender, and class by revealing how social norms are enacted, challenged, and reproduced through everyday encounters with an unfamiliar, stigmatized identity.

Keywords: Participant Observation, Beggars, Alms, Norms, Values, Stigma, Gendered Harassment, Poverty, Social Status, Culture, Perceptions.