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Converging Divergences In Formal And Informal Work: Longitudinal Evidence From Mexico, Diana Denham, Chris Tilly

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Analyses of neoliberal labor market restructuring debate whether neoliberalism is homogenizing jobs or polarizing them. Analyses of informal employment debate whether such employment is inferior, and if so, if it is typically a transition or a trap. This paper speaks to both debates, using a three time-point (2006, 2007, 2008) longitudinal survey of retail workers in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico, to contrast workers’ experiences across the spectrum of formal and informal work. Using the longitudinal data, the paper compares workers’ trajectories, exploring how they make choices and navigate transitions between more formal and more informal work. A qualitative portion …