Begging is widely condemned, but little understood. It is increasingly visible, yet politically controversial. Though begging is linked to issues of street homelessness, mental health, and social exclusion, this book focuses on begging as a distinctive form of marginalized economic activity. It looks at: the significance of face-to-face contact between beggars and passers-by; the preoccupation with the classification of beggars; the stigma associated with begging and judgements required by the passer-by; and the place of begging in the spectrum of informal economic activity. The book also takes into account the voices of beggars themselves.