Five College Consortium

The informal economy is an alternative economic model with its own logic of organizing production and exchange, accumulating wealth and realizing well-being. What happens to our understanding of development when we center the informal economy? The course will define the informal economy, analyze its strengths and weaknesses and attempt to differentiate the informal economy from the formal economy. It will focus on the origin, nature, role, perspectives, governance and organization of economic informality, and explore how the informal economy can be enhanced and mainstreamed by building on its strengths. Students will select and develop a practical project for formalizing the informal economy.