TY - JOUR

T1 - Interrogating informality

T2 - Conceptualisations, practices and policies in the light of the New Urban Agenda

AU - Alfaro d'Alençon, Paola

AU - Smith, Harry

AU - Álvarez de Andrés, Eva

AU - Cabrera, Cecilia

AU - Fokdal, Josefine

AU - Lombard, Melanie

AU - Mazzolini, Anna

AU - Michelutti, Enrico

AU - Moretto, Luisa

AU - Spire, Amandine

PY - 2018/5/1

Y1 - 2018/5/1

N2 - Informality is growing in a context of increasing inequity, and in many places becoming the norm. However, despite decades of studies and interventions, ‘recognising informality’ is still a key issue. This paper provides a review of the literature on informality showing the shifts in its conceptualisations. The paper firstly discusses conceptual approaches related to the term ‘informality’ in the context of urban development; it then examines practices within, and related to, informality; and it concludes with an appraisal of policy approaches and their impact as reported in the literature. The paper finds a wide range of conceptualisations, including the questioning of the usefulness and appropriateness of the term. It finds reported evidence of ‘informality’ (as understood to date) spreading to the middle classes, and increasingly emerging in the Global North. Policies seem to be lagging behind in how they engage with so-called informality, with little acknowledgement of theory and limited understanding of their impacts on ‘informal’ practices. Finally, the paper identifies the need for better understanding of governance frameworks that include the range of actors that would normally be associated with so-called ‘informality’.

AB - Informality is growing in a context of increasing inequity, and in many places becoming the norm. However, despite decades of studies and interventions, ‘recognising informality’ is still a key issue. This paper provides a review of the literature on informality showing the shifts in its conceptualisations. The paper firstly discusses conceptual approaches related to the term ‘informality’ in the context of urban development; it then examines practices within, and related to, informality; and it concludes with an appraisal of policy approaches and their impact as reported in the literature. The paper finds a wide range of conceptualisations, including the questioning of the usefulness and appropriateness of the term. It finds reported evidence of ‘informality’ (as understood to date) spreading to the middle classes, and increasingly emerging in the Global North. Policies seem to be lagging behind in how they engage with so-called informality, with little acknowledgement of theory and limited understanding of their impacts on ‘informal’ practices. Finally, the paper identifies the need for better understanding of governance frameworks that include the range of actors that would normally be associated with so-called ‘informality’.

KW - Global south

KW - Informality

KW - New urban agenda

KW - Urban development

KW - Urban governance

KW - Urban policy

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046652898&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.habitatint.2018.04.007

DO - 10.1016/j.habitatint.2018.04.007

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85046652898

VL - 75

SP - 59

EP - 66

JO - Habitat International

JF - Habitat International

SN - 0197-3975

ER -