ABSTRACT
Urban informalities are a reality of all cities, despite their association with cities in the Global South. The concept commonly describes spatial, economic and political practices viewed as ‘not-formal’, such as slum housing and street trading. These processes and practices appear to occur outside of, or arise in contrast to, the formal mechanisms often entailed by state legislation and regulations. ‘Informality’, then, is a power-laden concept, used to criticize and condemn ways of living which are viewed by urban elites or urban authorities as something other than formal, or less than legal, and therefore inferior. In contrast, others have viewed informalities within cities as cause for celebration, an example of the agency and resilience of poor urban residents. Yet, as this chapter reveals, understanding informalities means more than simply describing practices in poor cities: it suggests revealing processes which are evident in most cities. Furthermore, the very debates over what is and what is not ‘informal’, and associated responses, may tell us more about wider city politics, city visions and the normativity of legal mechanisms used by city managers, than simply describing particular parts of cities which appear different to more formal, legal and wealthy areas.
