INSEAI Blog

https://www.inseai.eu/en/post/blog/12235/some-considerations-on-the-concept-of-informality-in-the-iloStay up to date with our Blog, which offers analysis and commentary on the latest developments in understanding this phenomenon. Posts feature contributions from members of our network and other colleagues, analysts, and technicians interested in exploring the diverse aspects of informal activities and their key subjects.

Our Blog will feature analyses and commentaries on the main developments regarding informality in its various contexts, prepared by members of our INSEAI Network and other analysts of the phenomenon. They provide numerous insights, offering valuable multidisciplinary perspectives on informality, both theoretically and applied, particularly in relation to Europe and Latin America.

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Blog posts:

Inside Rocinha: the invisible architecture of informality and resilience

21.01.2026

Rocinha greets you long before you reach its narrow alleys. The soundscape changes first, the steady hum of Rio’s formal city gives way to a vibrant mix of moto-taxis weaving through impossible curves, music spilling from windows stacked tightly on top of one another, and the chatter of street vendors negotiating their morning sales. » Read more

 

Economic Informality and Inequality: a Decomposition Approach and an Application to Campania Region

18.12.2025

Economic informality and tax evasion are pervasive, intertwined features of contemporary economies. Informality encompasses income-earning activities outside the reach of labour regulation, social insurance, and tax administration (from unregistered self-employment and off-the-books jobs to small businesses that do not keep standard accounts) while tax evasion refers to intentional non-compliance » Read more

 

Saudade (touristized Porto)

18.11.2025

Porto, with its cobbled hills, the broad flow of the Douro, and the shimmer of azulejo tiles, has in the past decade established itself as one of the most appealing destinations in European tourism. Yet behind the postcard image that millions of visitors consume and photograph each year lies a seldom-explored dimension ... » Read more

 

Some considerations on the concept of informality in the ILO

07.10.2025

The 21st ICLS definition of the informal economy excludes activities whose goods or services are prohibited, such as human trafficking or drug trafficking. It includes production that becomes illegal when it is carried out, for example, without authorization, such as the execution of construction works without the required building permits (Frosch, 2024b). » Read more