Paper short abstract:

Drawing on a recent strand in the literature on the informal economy and on ethnographic data from Kinshasa, this paper contends that looking at both the visible and invisible structures of the urban informal economy is fundamental in understanding the processes and inequalities that structure it.

Paper long abstract:

Access to the urban space remains central to the development of economic activities and the success of most economic actors. For most urban traders, occupying an appropriate urban space is an economic decision that requires strategic planning and can have a significant impact on business outcomes. The development of small businesses in many cities in developing countries shows urban traders do not have the same access to the city space. In Kinshasa, the occupation of the urban space for economic reasons is both a contested and negotiated process. Indeed, the occupation of a strategic economic space in Kinshasa requires more than mere access to economic resources or compliance to any rule of law, as it often involves continuous negotiation with various state and non-state actors. Even the relative success of street vending depends on the traders' ability to engage with state actors. This paper draws on a recent strand in the literature on the informal economy, questioning both the dualist approach to economic activities in developing countries and a monolithic view of state participation in urban governance. Drawing from ethnographic data collected on Kinshasa traders in several months between 2019 and 2021, this research contends that to move beyond the dualistic conceptualization of developing countries' economies, it is imperative to bring front and center the different processes of contestation and negotiation involved in urban governance.