Knowing urban informalities
[Behind paywall] This article reviews three dominant ways of knowing urban informality, noting that, despite the profoundly rich insights they each provide, two critiques of the overall concept endure. These … Continue reading
Daily practices of informality amidst urban poverty
The contribution of this report is the empirical support to an argument that South Africa is struggling to address problems of poverty and inequality because many of the processes that … Continue reading
On the Ways of Knowing and Understanding Informality
In the mainstream international development discourse, one often finds a general dualistic outlook in classifying the concept of (urban) informality, seen to be strikingly different from the formal, regulated economic … Continue reading
The Global Encyclopaedia of Informality
Broadly defined as ‘ways of getting things done’, these invisible yet powerful informal practices tend to escape articulation in official discourse. They include emotion-driven exchanges of gifts or favours and … Continue reading
Informal economies around the world
This paper aims to present a comprehensive survey of the literature on the economics of informality. First, we focus on studies that aim to provide measures of informality using different … Continue reading
The Informal Economy as a Catalyst for Sustainability
Sustainability typically involves the balancing of three major factors: the economy, the environment, and some notion of equity. Though the economy is already a key aspect, the recognition of the … Continue reading
Gendered strategies of Hanoi’s street food vendors
Drawing upon examples of street vendors in Hanoi, this study explores gendered strategies to adapt to rapid urbanization, and how street vendors’ responses, in turn, shape the current informal food … Continue reading
The Production of Space by the Street Vending System
Street vending draws its substance from the space, the street, and the economic exchange lies on the simultaneous presence of two actors: the customer and the vendor. Thus, it seems … Continue reading
Perceptions of ‘good work’ in the urban informal sector
[Behind paywall] There is growing interest in the ability of the informal sector to provide gainful work in much of the developing world. However, the literature on work in the … Continue reading
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