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The Paradoxes Of Informalizing Street Trade In The Latin American City, Lissette Aliaga-Linares

Latino/Latin American Studies Faculty Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to challenge the default portrayal of street trade as an informal occupation and spatial practice, by examining comparatively the changes in the regulatory frameworks of two politically distinct city administrations in Latin America since the introduction of the informal economy debate.

Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws from a comparative case study design to synthesize evidence from historical administrative records, secondary research and materials from a two-year fieldwork carried out in Lima and Bogotá in 2008 and 2009.

Findings – The author argues that the incorporation of the informal economy framework into local …