Informality: The State of the Art

Review of Papers on Informality with the help of Artificial Intelligence

Presentation

For more than half a decade, academic circles have been examining the socioeconomic phenomenon of informality. Since anthropologist Keith Hart introduced the term "informality" (in a pioneering study conducted in Ghana) to describe all kinds of street-based activities, thousands of studies have been undertaken to interpret and understand the phenomenon constituted by these and similar activities.

The literature has attempted to interpret the phenomenon in light of various academic approaches, resulting in a wide range of interpretive discourses and discussions on the interaction between informality and formality, in short, on the forms of action at the border between the two phenomena. Numerous studies estimate what is, by definition, invaluable, employing a wide range of methodologies. Even more abundant are the empirical studies from various disciplines, which reveal the diverse characteristics of the phenomenon across different geographic, functional, demographic, and other environments, affecting both informal activities themselves and the agents who practice and develop them. Finally, a wealth of literature exists on the measures and actions taken by both public and private entities (NGOs, service companies, foundations, etc.) aimed at harnessing the potential positive effects of the phenomenon and mitigating its multiple negative impacts on citizens and socioeconomic and political institutions.

A substantial portion of this literature is referenced in the repository we are building (ARKI), which is now accessible to all interested parties on this website. To further disseminate knowledge about these activities and in line with the explicit objectives of this network of experts and academics, we propose synthesizing a substantial portion of the existing literature, making it accessible to our target audience. We have prepared specific reviews of papers, journals, collective works, reports, and other publications. The aim is to synthesize a dozen or more documents in each, in relatively short articles, ranging from more general to specific topics, dedicated to the analysis of informality in its various forms.

To this end, we have enlisted the help of commercially available Artificial Intelligence applications, guided by network members who provide the framework and unique characteristics of each article.

These are not scientific articles; the research behind them corresponds to the authors of the papers we synthesize. And of course, they do not replace them. If you want to gain a deeper understanding of a specific topic, you will need to consult them and read them in depth. However, we understand that these articles constitute a first contribution to the initiation, and perhaps a further foray into research and the creation of ad hoc tools, to broaden the horizon of knowledge about informality.

We hope they will be helpful to readers unfamiliar with the subject matter of this INSEAI network and that they will serve to open new perspectives on understanding the socioeconomic phenomenon of informality.

Index

Nr 1. Understanding Informality: Concepts, Determinants, and Evidence from the Literature, by Anabella Mezquita (PIP)