In/formal Marketplaces Experiments with Urban Reconfiguration

Informality is on the rise like never before: Its transformative power can be seen in the new ways we produce, consume and live. From nomadic labour to online services and from street food kitchens to pop-up shops, commerce plays a crucial role in these changes. But nowhere is the tension between the formal and the informal more evident than in the struggles of contested marketplaces. This book provides a deeper understanding of the formal-informal linkages that have given shape to some of the world’s largest and unique open-air marketplaces. Its rich and engaging visual analyses of markets in cities such as Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Dubai and New York reveal the hidden connections between informal trade, neoliberal governance and urban development.