Panhandling

 One skill that is central to both the physical and social sciences is the ability to observe and take detailed notes on your observation. You will be practicing this skill in a paper on panhandling. You are to observe an active panhandler- one who is begging for money. You are to write an essay that combines participant observation of a panhandler and a comparison of your results with Intimate Apartheid: Ethnic dimensions of habitus among homeless heroin injectors by Bourgois and Schonberg. You are to incorporate the ideas of “habitus” from Bourgois and Schonberg. Participant Observation- Observing behaviors in a natural setting; the researcher becomes part of the group. For this assignment, you will be doing covert participant observation. Do not approach the subject. Do not speak to the subject! Be unnoticeable- walk the walk of everyone around you.  Do not do someone that you see every day and know any information. Pick someone that you do not know! Choose one single individual and collect information on the following: Subject: gender, age, style of dress, general look, behavior, etc. Environment: location, time, describe surroundings Style of panhandling: approach, attitude, contact with people, eye contact, props, etc.  Do not make assumptions that you know the person or their situation. You need to recognize that you are doing a brief observation and only collecting a thin description. View the panhandlers as active participants in their life. You might want to visit the location of the panhandler after they have left and consider why they chose the location. Why did they chose the time? Within the essay, compare your results with the article on Intimate Apartheid. Instead of an ethnic segregation, can you also find a class segregation? What is the difference between a thin and thick description? What information are you missing and would like to know? If you feel you must include a quotation, limit it two text lines in your paper. It will not earn you any points. Within the body of the essay, you are allowed a maximum of two lines of quotation for the entire essay. The quotes should fit well with the discussion of the essay and help you argue a point. You must give the source with page number for the quote. Be very careful with quotations; do not use more than two lines! Your overall score will be lower by 10 points for each additional line of quotations. Write the essay. The essay should be written in professional and clean manner. You can use any editing style that you feel comfortable with or have used in the past. (Many anthropologists use the Chicago Manual of Style). The essay should be double-spaced with one-inch margins. Keep the type to a 12 point. A bibliography will earn you extra points.