“Alms, for the sake of…God?”

Abstract This article explores the power dynamics in the governance of talibé children involved in begging in Senegal and the complex interplay of sociological, economic, political, and ideological factors in this field. The article provides an analysis of how antagonistic conceptions of childhood influence the approaches regulating the lives of talibé children. It explores how daaras (Quranic schools) are perceived as one of the most favorable environments in which to allow boys to develop a particular masculine identity, highly valued by traditional Senegalese and Islamic education, suggesting that preparing children for adulthood in the context of daaras has a strong liminal dimension. The article also provides a broader analysis of the governance of childhood in Senegal, particularly the dynamics around the noncommittal response of the state and foreign intervention.