ABSTRACT
Understanding theories that address the relationship between street vendors and the state within the Latin American context is not an easy task. Generalizing on the relationship between street traders and the state within the entire region implies that the state operates in the same fashion, regardless of the context. This chapter points to some of the ways in which street vending has been discussed within academic literature interested in thinking through state-society relations. Despite the valuable insight provided by many contemporary approaches, there is still much scope for enhancing and delving deeper into many of the concerns posed by these approximations. The chapter suggests four exploratory avenues that may contribute to existing debates regarding the complex relationship between informality and the state.
