Paper short abstract:

Through the examination of the terms of disputes and conflicts settlement in Kinshasa's Great Market, this paper will analyse how social actors manipulate the plurality of norms governing their daily interactions.

Paper long abstract:

Abstract: Through the examination of the terms of disputes and conflicts settlement in Kinshasa's Great Market, this paper will analyse how social actors manipulate the plurality of norms governing their daily interactions. Indeed, commercial transactions are done on short term credit and the agreements are not written. Therefore, the effective rules of their enactment are ceaselessly readjusted according to the micro-variations of the overall trading context. This situation, that renders interpersonal agreements precarious and commercial transactions uncertain, is particularly favourable to cheatings and defaults that end in disputes and conflicts. These conflicts highlight the fragility of the informal regulation process implemented by traders to make their business possible.