The Village of the Damned? Myths and Realities of Structured Begging Behaviour in and Around Phnom Penh

Parsons, Laurie; Lawreniuk, Sabina

Abstract

This paper concerns the nature of structured begging migration in Phnom Penh, as well as its impact and meaning in sender communities. It interrogates a popular myth known throughout Cambodia concerning the supernatural motivation of ‘rich’ beggars, arguing that its prevalence reflects the growing incidence of structured, circular migration based around alms seeking in the capital. In doing so, it seeks to bridge the lacuna between the literature on begging and that on migration by showing that the distinction between the two is both blurred and straddled by migrants in many cases.

Citation

Parsons, L., & Lawreniuk, S. (2016). The Village of the Damned? Myths and Realities of Structured Begging Behaviour in and Around Phnom Penh. Journal of Development Studies, 52(1), 36-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2015.1056787

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 2, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Aug 24, 2015
• Publication Date: Jan 2, 2016
• Deposit Date: Sep 15, 2020
• Journal: The Journal of Development Studies
• Print ISSN: 0022-0388
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-9140
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 36-52
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2015.1056787
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4778382
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=fjds20