- How is the phenomenon of begging shaped in crisis-stricken Greece?
- How has the demographic mosaic of begging changed in recent years and who are the beggars in the modern city?
- What forms of organization do they follow?
- What are their habits and daily lives like?
- How are the identities of beggars constructed today?

This study, based on long-term ethnographic research, for the first time comprehensively approaches the phenomenon of begging in the Greek urban space, attempting to shed light on all aspects of the daily survival and actions of beggars in Athens today.

The first part examines both the theoretical schools related to social marginality internationally and the corresponding developments in the field of social sciences in Greece. Additionally, the phenomenon of begging is comparatively analyzed through examples, while the historical trajectory of begging in Greece during the 19th and 20th centuries is presented.

The second part of the book extensively discusses the phenomenon of begging today, as experienced and recorded by the author through on-site research and personal contact with beggars. Specifically, the multiple identities of beggars in the modern city are analyzed, as well as the conditions of their daily living, survival strategies in the urban space, networks and collectives they develop, and the forms of organization and action of beggars. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on the experiences, thoughts, and emotions of these individuals, through the analysis of their discourse, in order to present their own perspective on the phenomenon of begging: how they ultimately see themselves, their relationship with "others," their expectations, and their thoughts about their future.