ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on empirical evidence from Italy and Turkey, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Venezuela reflecting the considerable differences in the manifestations of urban informality between the major world regions. The formation of institutions of social regulation and regularisation as a response to fragile public authority will receive special attention. From a behavioural perspective, it appears as an attitude and routine, in social life it acts as a norm. The systemic view of urban informality as a mode corresponds with its understanding as 'an organizing logic, as a system of norms that governs the process of urban transformation on itself'. In a state without a functioning social security system the public sector might be strongly interested in regulating employment to increase its tax base without undergoing further financial obligations, while in urban land management statutory regulation of the building sector would raise unrealistic expectations for public utilities and services.