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Informal Economy (informal + economy)
Selected AbstractsInternational tourism as bricolage: an analysis of central Europe on the brink of European Union membershipINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005Vladimír Balá Abstract This paper examines the trajectory of international tourism and its economic role in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia during the post-1989 transition, leading to their European Union (EU) accession in 2004. Although there are relatively simple, and broadly comparable, trends in all four countries in visitor and tourism flows, this is based on chaotic conceptualisation of international mobility. This apparent bricolage is explored further by considering the role of international tourism in the formal and informal economies. In general, there has been as much change as continuity in the transition period, and this provides the dominant frame of reference for understanding the likely impacts of EU membership. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Making Trash into Treasure: Struggles for Autonomy on a Brazilian Garbage DumpANTHROPOLOGY OF WORK REVIEW, Issue 2 2008Kathleen Millar Abstract In recent years, the expansion of types of work that fall outside the category of formal waged employment challenge many of our anthropological conceptions of labor, class politics and contemporary capitalism. This paper addresses the need to rethink the meaning of work in the context of neoliberal capitalism by exploring the formation of new worker subjectivities and practices among catadores: informal workers who collect and sell recyclable materials on a garbage dump in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Based on ethnographic research conducted among catadores from June through August of 2005 and in January 2007, this paper provides an analysis of the labor conditions, social relations, and forms of political organizing that have emerged on the garbage dump and which differ in significant ways from those found in situations of formal wage labor. Ultimately, this paper argues that while neoliberal capitalism has led to increased unemployment and underemployment among vulnerable populations in cities worldwide, the practices of those struggling to earn a living in urban informal economies are creating new spaces for alternative economic practices, social relations, and class politics today. [source] Front and Back Covers, Volume 24, Number 6.ANTHROPOLOGY TODAY, Issue 6 2008December 200 Front cover caption, volume 24 issue 6 Front cover A television newscaster reports from a prayer meeting organized in support of Barack Obama on the eve of the US election in Kogelo, Western Kenya. Foreign and local journalists descended on this small village which is home to Mama Sarah, Obama's paternal step-grandmother. As this picture was taken, religious and cultural leaders, schoolchildren and local politicians were praying for the success of their ,son', although they were also careful to offer up prayers for John McCain. The newscaster stands in front of a painting by local artist Joachim Onyango Ndalo, famous for his colourful portrayals of historical events, African presidents and other world leaders. The painting shows Obama surrounded by political figures, including Colin Powell, Bill Clinton and the British queen. In January of this year Ndalo was forced to flee from his home in Western Kenya to Uganda during the violence that followed Kenya's contested elections between the Party of National Unity (PNU), led by President Kibaki, and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the opposition party led by Raila Odinga. Although pro-Odinga, the artist was branded a traitor by some members of his community for accepting a commission to paint Stanley Livondo, a Kibaki supporter and opponent of Odinga for the Langata parliamentary seat. Ndalo's workshop and paintings were destroyed. He has since returned home and plans to send his painting to America as a gift to Obama for his inauguration. Back cover caption, volume 24 issue 6 FINANCIAL CRISIS: The financial crisis unfolding since September this year has wiped out savings and threatens livelihoods across the world. Future generations will have to pay for the nationalization of gigantic debts that we never thought we had. This crisis, the worst of its kind since the Great Depression, demands an overhaul of the world's financial system. What might anthropologists contribute, beyond our insight into the world's informal economies and peasant markets? In this issue, Keith Hart and Horacio Ortiz argue that the breakdown of the economists' intellectual hegemony demands a new approach to money more sensitive to its social dimensions and to redistributive justice. A fresh reading of Mauss and Polanyi would be one good place to start. Stephen Gudeman, in his diary of witnessing the financial markets in October, argues for the relevance of anthropological concepts such as ,spheres of exchange', a realm of people, relationships and materials that cuts across market processes and lies beyond the economic vision of Wall Street and Washington, but should be represented in policy-making. Anthropologists have produced many detailed examples of how communities make use of markets within economies. Now, as the world searches for a new system of governance, is the time for anthropologists to make their voices heard. Perhaps a President's Council of Anthropological Advisors might complement the existing Council of Economic Advisors. What better time for such a proposal than the election of a new US president with roots in Hawaii, Kansas, Indonesia and Kenya, whose mother was herself an anthropologist? [source] The Informal Economy in Non-Metropolitan Canada*CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 1 2006BILL REIMER L'auteur de cet article examine la relation existant entre les économies formelle et informelle, avec des apergus provenant de la recherche sur le Canada rural. L'économie informelle comprend la production, la distribution et la consommation de biens et services ayant une valeur économique, mais qui ne sont ni protégés par un code de loi formel ni enregistrés par des organismes de réglementation endossés par le gouvernement. Plusieurs allégations concernant l'interdépendance des deux économies sont formulées et testées en utilisant les données des Enquêtes sociales générates de 1992 et de 1998 sur l'emploi du temps. Les résultats confirment l'importance de l'economie informelle en tant que filet protecteur, tampon des changements structurels, constructeur de capacités et soutien de l'inclusion sociale. This paper discusses the relationship between the formal and the informal economies with insights derived from research on rural Canada. The informal economy is considered to be the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that have economic value, but are neither protected by a formal code of law nor recorded for use by government-backed regulatory agencies. Several claims regarding the interdependence of both economies are developed and tested with time budget data from the 1992 and 1998 General Social Surveys. Findings support the importance of the informal economy as a safety net, buffer for structural changes, capacity builder, and support for social inclusion. [source] Globalization and African Ethnoscapes: contrasting Nigerien Hausa and Nigerian Igbo migratory orders in the U.S.CITY & SOCIETY, Issue 1 2004RACHEL R. REYNOLDS This short essay, which is a preface to two full length articles by Reynolds and by Youngstedt, also in this volume, highlights important contrasts between two African migratory orders in cities in the United States, especially by examining economic conditions under which the two communities use global information technologies as tools of community cohesion and formation in diaspora. The central contrast is that Nigerien Hausa experiences rest at the margins of the formal economy or at their engagement within informal economies, while Nigerian Igbo peoples' experiences as brain drain professionals means that they are by nature of their migratory order integrated into the hegemonic core of global capital. Ultimately, our ethnographically-based evidence poses two queries: how does space-time compression operate differentially in the creation of new "global" communities, and secondly, how are significant groups of global actors emerging as the various strands of globalizing economies take new root within and across old ethnic and national and religious imaginaries of community? [source] Economic Policy and Women's Informal Work in South AfricaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2001Imraan Valodia This article examines the gender dimensions of the growth in informal and flexible work in South Africa and the government's policy response to this. It outlines the growth in informal and flexible work practices and, as illustrative examples, analyses how trade and industrial policies and labour market policies are impacting on the growth of informal and flexible work. It is argued that the South African government's trade and industrial policies are shifting the economy onto a path of capital intensification. Allied to this, firms are undergoing a process of extensive restructuring. These developments are further promoting the growth of flexibilization and informalization, and thereby disadvantaging women. The article demonstrates that whilst the government offers a vast package of support measures to big business, its policy is largely irrelevant to the survivalist segment of small business, where most women in the informal economy are to be found. The picture for labour policy is more diverse. Aspects of the labour legislation are promoting the growth of a dual labour market, whilst there seems to be some tightening up of practices aimed at bypassing aspects of the protection provided to workers. [source] The impact of EU accession on Turkish industrial relations and social dialogueINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Engin Yildirim ABSTRACT This article examines whether the European Union membership process is transforming the ,deep structure' of Turkish industrial relations. We make an attempt to illustrate this through the prism of Turkish experience in social dialogue regarded as an indispensable tool of the European social model. Turkish industrial relations is characterised by restrictive labour laws, employer hostility to unionisation, a large informal economy and labour market, and strong state intervention, which have historically constituted the main elements of ,the deep structure' of Turkish industrial relations. In procedural terms, the institutions for social dialogue have been established but the influence of the social partners is limited because of the dominance of the state and the weakness of labour. The existing attempts at developing social dialogue rest on shaky foundations emanating mostly from the state's and employers' disrespect of basic labour rights. [source] Nation-building and informal politicsINTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 192 2008Victor T. Le Vine Among the problems that confront nation-builders in new states is dealing with their country's informal sector and its politics, manifest not only in the informal economy of markets and hidden transactions, but also its traditional authority systems, networks of patronage, bonds of ethnic and other parochial identities, and illicit activities, including corruption and criminal organisations. Some of these aspects of the informal sector have survived from pre-independence or colonial periods. Others, like kleptocracy and the criminalisation of the state, are outgrowths of the new state and its leadership cadre. These problems largely arise in the so-called juridical state, the legal-rational construct of new statehood, and reflect the failure, or unwillingness of the managers of the new state to move beyond the juridical state to the empirical state, that is, to nationhood and a generalised national identity and citizenship. [source] Coping strategies in developed and developing societies: the workings of the informal economyJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 8 2000Madeleine Leonard The purpose of this paper is to examine the persistence and significance of informal economic activity in both the developed and developing world. Drawing on empirical work carried out in Belfast, the paper suggests that many similarities exist between the informal economic activities of people on low incomes in Belfast and the poor in developing countries. The paper illustrates these connections through an examination of three aspects of the informal economy: reciprocity between households, informal self-employment and informal paid employment. By examining the variety of ways in which people at the lower end of the economic scale attempt to secure their economic livelihoods in the absence of formal employment opportunities, the paper demonstrates the global nature of the informal economy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Occupational health and safety experience of day laborers in seattle, WAAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2008Noah S. Seixas PhD Abstract Background Day Labor is a growing part of the informal economy in the US, and in Seattle, and may entail a high risk of injury and illness at work. Methods We surveyed 180-day laborers, at two worker centers and an unregulated "Street" location concerning their job-specific exposures and injury experience. Results Exposures to both health and safety hazards were common at all three sites. After controlling for type of work, immigrant workers were 1.5,2 times more likely than non-immigrant day laborers to report exposure to hazardous conditions. Among the 180 participants 34 reported injuries were classified as "recordable." We estimated an injury rate of 31 recordable injuries per 100 full time employees. The three hiring locations had differing job experiences and exposures. Those hired through worker centers had a lower risk of exposures, while the Street workers were more likely to refuse hazardous work. Conclusions Day laborers are exposed to numerous hazards at work, resulting in high injury rates. Multiple approaches including community based organizations which may provide some employment stability and social support for protection at work are needed to reduce occupational injury and illness risk among these vulnerable populations. Am. J. Ind. Med. 51:399,406, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The everyday politics of labour: working lives in India's informal economy , By Geert De NeveTHE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, Issue 2 2007Barbara Harriss-White [source] Negotiating "Streets for All" in Urban Transport Planning: The Case for Pedestrians, Cyclists and Street Vendors in Nairobi, KenyaANTIPODE, Issue 1 2010Meleckidzedeck Khayesi Abstract:, This paper uses the concept of "streets for all" as the analytical basis to critique the neglect of pedestrians, cyclists and street vendors in transport policy and practice in the city of Nairobi. The paper shows that transport planning in Nairobi has not adequately taken care of informal economy and non-motorized transport such as walking and cycling. This has resulted in competing use of pavements and roads, exposing pedestrians, cyclists and street vendors to insecurity and harassment. The paper calls for inclusive transport planning for multiple street activities, which requires implementing a "streets for all" policy. Such a policy needs to be critically pursued at the level of dealing with the institutional and structural bias in urban transport planning towards motorized traffic and the overall urban development that does not adequately consider the spatio-temporal activity pattern and the life of pedestrians, cyclists and vendors on the streets. [source] The Crisis of Social Reproduction among Migrant Workers: Interrogating the Role of Migrant Civil SocietyANTIPODE, Issue 1 2010Nina Martin Abstract:, Transformations in urban economies are leading to the growth of jobs where labor and employment laws are routinely violated. Workers in these jobs are subject to harsh conditions such as low wages, hazardous work sites, and retaliation for speaking up. Many of these workers are undocumented migrants who are in a weak position to make demands on their employers or to request government assistance. These workers often turn to migrant civil society organizations for help with the multiple conflicts they face at work. Drawing on case studies of nonprofit organizations in Chicago, this paper focuses on the role of such organizations in the social reproduction of the migrant workforce. I posit that such organizations are integral to the functioning of the informal economy because the wide range of programs and services that they provide are essential to the social reproduction of migrant workers. [source] Social Protection in Vietnam and Obstacles to ProgressivityASIAN SOCIAL WORK AND POLICY REVIEW, Issue 1 2008Martin Evans The present paper analyzes the incidence and progressivity of Vietnamese state income transfers using survey data from the Vietnamese Household Living Standards Survey 2004. Data quality and sample selection issues are highlighted, especially in the coverage of rural-urban migrants. Simple income-based profiles of incidence are matched to several influences that confound and complicate the measurement of progressivity. The issue of the informal economy is highlighted through analysis of both the extent of private inter-household transfers and remittances and their relationship with state transfers, and in the informal charges that accompany uptake of state services and other petty corruption. Second, the issue of user-charges for health and education services is considered, as a considerable portion of state transfers are related to the take up of schooling and health care. Third, the issue of behavioral effects is also considered, concentrating on private inter-household transfers. The paper concludes by drawing together the evidence and the obstacles to measurement and progressivity to argue a range of data collection, methodological and policy recommendations. [source] The Informal Economy in Non-Metropolitan Canada*CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 1 2006BILL REIMER L'auteur de cet article examine la relation existant entre les économies formelle et informelle, avec des apergus provenant de la recherche sur le Canada rural. L'économie informelle comprend la production, la distribution et la consommation de biens et services ayant une valeur économique, mais qui ne sont ni protégés par un code de loi formel ni enregistrés par des organismes de réglementation endossés par le gouvernement. Plusieurs allégations concernant l'interdépendance des deux économies sont formulées et testées en utilisant les données des Enquêtes sociales générates de 1992 et de 1998 sur l'emploi du temps. Les résultats confirment l'importance de l'economie informelle en tant que filet protecteur, tampon des changements structurels, constructeur de capacités et soutien de l'inclusion sociale. This paper discusses the relationship between the formal and the informal economies with insights derived from research on rural Canada. The informal economy is considered to be the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that have economic value, but are neither protected by a formal code of law nor recorded for use by government-backed regulatory agencies. Several claims regarding the interdependence of both economies are developed and tested with time budget data from the 1992 and 1998 General Social Surveys. Findings support the importance of the informal economy as a safety net, buffer for structural changes, capacity builder, and support for social inclusion. [source] Youth Cosmopolitanism: Clothing, the City and Globalization in Dakar, SenegalCITY & SOCIETY, Issue 2 2007SUZANNE SCHELD Youth clothing and exchange shape cosmopolitan identities, the city, and global flows in Dakar, Senegal. How Dakarois youth use dress to shape the city and urban identity is puzzling. Despite the declining economy and for many, extreme poverty, youth dress up in stylish and provocative outfits. In Dakar, youth are increasingly entrepreneurial individuals who base the authenticity of their cosmopolitan identity on an ability to buy and sell (trade) in the urban/global informal economy. Because the informal economy is intensely competitive for both buyers and sellers, youth rely on social networks, various forms of reciprocity, and trust in order to perform their work. At times, youth engage in dishonest acts and banditry in order to sell and procure clothing. These strategies highlight the uncertainty of life in Dakar, the relativity of morality, and the creativity that youth employ to make their lives and a life for the city. In these often hidden and subtle ways, youth steer the economic cultural life of the city and keep it hooked in to the global economy. This research is based on fieldwork conducted in Dakar and New York City between 1996 and 2005. Research methods include interviews, participant observation, focus groups and engaging youth in authoring informal fashion magazines which feature their own photography and stories about contemporary clothing trends in Dakar. [source] The New Nigerien Hausa Diaspora in the U.S.: surviving and building community on the margins of the global economyCITY & SOCIETY, Issue 1 2004SCOTT M. YOUNGSTEDT This paper focuses on new Nigerien Hausa diaspora communities in U.S. cities. The economic and political policies of nation-states and international financial institutions exacerbate the abject poverty of Niger and impel Hausa to migrate to the U.S. where they work in the shadows of the formal economy or in the globalized informal economy. They rely on fluid, overlapping face-toface, imagined, and virtual communities to mitigate their marginalized position. Nigerien Hausa are creatively mediating and adapting global technologies of time-space compression,especially the Internet, telephones, and electronic money transfer services,to benefit and link their already established and newly emergent communities in diaspora. Based on multi-sited ethnographic evidence, this paper highlights the culturally specific ways that Nigerien Hausa navigate through global constraints and opportunities in their active efforts to survive and support their transnational families and communities, while maintaining dignity and solidarity. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||