Informal markets have emerged as a vital part of cities around the world, from the new mega-cities of the Global South to the old centers of political and economic power. Spurred by deregulation and accelerating global flows, they are commonly tolerated as shock-absorbers of widening social divisions. Yet, whenever these markets show signs of establishing realms of their own official rhetoric paints them as threat to social and economic order, often followed by governmental actions of demolition, re-location or privatization.
Debating the spatial culture of informal markets as an arena of negotiation between multiple political demands, social actors and environmental constraints, 'Informal Market Worlds' departs from the question of how we can build more equal participation in the space of economy vis-à-vis the economy of space. In what ways can the spatial practices and cultural mechanisms that sustain informal markets help us in articulating progressive policies more adapt to the transnational realities of today's populations?
Informal Market Worlds
an international research forum on the trading places of urban informalities at UCSD - University of California San Diego, 16-17 February 2012 A two-day event of presentations and discussions, 'Informal Market Worlds' will bring together research on the architecture and visual culture of informal markets with a range of case studies from across the Americas and beyond. In addition to input from theorists in the fields of urbanism and political economy, the meeting will include presentations by architects, artists and activists on a range of markets such as the La Salada market in Buenos Aires, the Tri Border Area of Ciudad del Este, the Dominican border markets, street markets in the US or the informal economies of El Tepito in Mexico City.
Speakers include:
Raul Cardenas, Teddy Cruz, Julian D’Angiolillo, Laurent Gutierrez, Alfonso Hernandez, Hou Hanru, Rick Lowe, Peter Mörtenböck, Helge Mooshammer, Alfonso Morales, Gerald Murray, Valerie Portefaix, Fernando Rabossi, Ananya Roy, Ignacio Valero, Matias Viegener, Cog-nate Collective and others.
Parque Rivadavia, feriantes de historietas pioneros en los ´50. (Extraído de La desplaza)
Desarme de la Feria de la Ribera en La Salada. Enero de 2012
