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Asking, giving, receiving : friendship as survival strategy among Accra's street children

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Mizen, Phil and Ofosu-Kusi, Yaw. (2010) Asking, giving, receiving : friendship as survival strategy among Accra's street children. Childhood: a global journal of child research, Volume 17 (Number 4). pp. 441-454. ISSN 0907-5682

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0907568209350511

Abstract

This article considers friendship among street children in Accra. Drawing upon the findings of a three-year qualitative research project, the article argues that friendship is a neglected element of research yet cooperation, mutuality and exchange between friends are essential to street children's survival. Living within the extremities of the urban informal sector, the article considers the existence of a strong ethos of 'help' between friends and how street children go about the (re) creation of friendship around those aspects of their lives essential for their daily survival.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare

Divisions:

Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Street children -- Ghana -- Accra -- Social conditions, Urban poor -- Ghana -- Accra -- Social conditions, Informal sector (Economics) -- Ghana -- Accra, Friendship -- Ghana -- Accra, Friendship -- Sociological aspects

Journal or Publication Title:

Childhood: a global journal of child research

Publisher:

Sage Publications Ltd.

ISSN:

0907-5682

Official Date:

November 2010

Dates:

Date	Event
November 2010	Published

Volume:

Volume 17

Number:

Number 4

Number of Pages:

Page Range:

pp. 441-454

Identification Number:

10.1177/0907568209350511

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Publication Status:

Published

Access rights to Published version:

Restricted or Subscription Access

Funder:

Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS), University of Warwick

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