Suchergebnisse

January 2019 marked the eighth anniversary of the end of the Ben Ali dictatorship - the celebrations however were marred by massive social protests. Opinions both in Tunisia and abroad differ about the state of Tunisia's political development as it gears up for its second parliamentary and presidential elections since the adoption of the new constitution in 2014. While some consider its democratisation to be virtually complete, others fear a relapse into autocracy. Despite its considerable democratic achievements, Tunisia is in danger of developing into a hybrid system: part democratic, part authoritarian. This is not only due to the difficult economic and regional con­text. Critically, the political, economic and administrative networks of the old system, as well as persistent authoritarian practices and "old" rhetoric in politics and society, complicate the deepening of its fragile democracy. Tunisia's international partners should make it their explicit objective to weaken these counter-currents.

Mitte Januar 2019 jährte sich das Ende der Ben-Ali-Diktatur zum achten Mal - die Feierlichkeiten wurden jedoch durch massive soziale Proteste getrübt. Im Jahr der zweiten Parlaments- und Präsidentschaftswahlen seit Verabschiedung der neuen Ver­fassung 2014 gehen die Meinungen zu Tunesiens politischer Entwicklung auseinander - und zwar sowohl in Tunesien selbst als auch im Ausland: Während die einen die Demokratisierung für quasi abgeschlossen halten, befürchten andere einen Rückfall in die Autokratie. Nüchtern betrachtet zeigt sich, dass Tunesien trotz erheblicher demokratischer Errungenschaften in Gefahr ist, sich zu einem hybriden - teils demokratischen, teils autoritären - System zu entwickeln. Dies liegt nicht nur am schwierigen wirtschaftlichen und regionalen Kontext. Vielmehr erschweren politische, wirtschaftliche und administrative Seilschaften des alten Systems sowie nach wie vor existierende autoritäre Praktiken und eine 'alte' Rhetorik in Politik und Gesellschaft die Vertiefung der fragilen Demokratie. Klares Ziel für Tunesiens internationale Partner sollte es sein, diese Gegenbewegungen zu schwächen.

ABSTRACTThe concept of formalization has long underpinned policy interventions and measures intended to connect informal entities with state institutions or formal economic structures. However, despite the policy enthusiasm, the outcomes of formalization policies have frequently been disappointing. This article argues that this disconnect lies in the concept of formalization itself and that common approaches to formalization are often rooted in three conceptual fallacies: a binary distinction between formal and informal economic actors, a lack of appreciation for the diversity of informal economic actors and the idea that 'becoming' formal necessarily spurs positive externalities. These conceptual confusions pay insufficient attention to contextual complexity and the political and social dynamics that shape informality in a given context and they are frequently rooted in the practicalities and power structures that shape knowledge creation in this area. This article demonstrates this through case studies of tax registration and property titling. Thus, it argues for a new research agenda on formalization that challenges both its conventional conceptual foundations and the practices of research that engage with it.

ABSTRACTWhat is the relationship between trust in the state and vaccine hesitancy among a marginalized sub‐population? This article explores attitudes towards COVID‐19 vaccination programmes of informal workers in the context of Lahore, Pakistan, and draws on in‐depth conversations with informal workers across four sectors in 2021. It finds a surprising disconnect between vaccine scepticism and actual decisions to have the vaccination. Those that were vaccinated did not necessarily believe in its effectiveness, while trust in the state did not critically shape health‐seeking behaviour. The article observes striking sectoral variation in perceptions of the pandemic and willingness to get vaccinated, with greater scepticism and hesitancy among male‐dominated street vendors and transport workers relative to females working as home‐based sub‐contractors and domestic workers. It argues that this is driven by workers' heterogeneous access to and interaction with work and public space, which shaped how they experienced lockdowns, interacted with the state and other actors during the pandemic and perceived the risks of the pandemic. The article's findings highlight heterogeneous dynamics within the informal economy, which it refers to as the gendered geographies of work and movement, and how these can play a critical role in shaping responses to public health measures beyond the context of the informal economy.

Mitte Januar 2019 jährte sich das Ende der Ben-Ali-Diktatur zum achten Mal - die Feier­lichkeiten wurden jedoch durch massive soziale Proteste getrübt. Im Jahr der zweiten Parlaments- und Präsidentschaftswahlen seit Verabschiedung der neuen Ver­fassung 2014 gehen die Meinungen zu Tunesiens politischer Entwicklung ausein­an­der - und zwar sowohl in Tunesien selbst als auch im Ausland: Während die einen die Demokratisierung für quasi abgeschlossen halten, befürchten andere einen Rück­fall in die Autokratie. Nüchtern betrachtet zeigt sich, dass Tunesien trotz erheblicher demokratischer Errungenschaften in Gefahr ist, sich zu einem hybriden - teils demo­kratischen, teils autoritären - System zu entwickeln. Dies liegt nicht nur am schwierigen wirtschaftlichen und regionalen Kontext. Vielmehr erschweren politische, wirt­schaftliche und administrative Seilschaften des alten Systems sowie nach wie vor existierende autoritäre Praktiken und eine "alte" Rhetorik in Politik und Gesellschaft die Vertiefung der fragilen Demokratie. Klares Ziel für Tunesiens internationale Partner sollte es sein, diese Gegenbewegungen zu schwächen. (Autorenreferat)

January 2019 marked the eighth anniversary of the end of the Ben Ali dictatorship - the celebrations however were marred by massive social protests. Opinions both in Tunisia and abroad differ about the state of Tunisia's political development as it gears up for its second parliamentary and presidential elections since the adoption of the new constitution in 2014. While some consider its democratisation to be virtually complete, others fear a relapse into autocracy. Despite its considerable democratic achievements, Tunisia is in danger of developing into a hybrid system: part democratic, part authoritarian. This is not only due to the difficult economic and regional con­text. Critically, the political, economic and administrative networks of the old system, as well as persistent authoritarian practices and "old" rhetoric in politics and society, complicate the deepening of its fragile democracy. Tunisia's international partners should make it their explicit objective to weaken these counter-currents. (author's abstract)

The pandemic is in many ways a crisis of governance. It has created a set of unique challenges that underscore the need for governments to collect revenue more efficiently and equitably; and to spend it more inclusively, transparently, and accountably, especially on the most vulnerable and marginalised populations. In this article, we suggest a set of governance interventions to help create conditions for building effective and inclusive institutions that can support efforts to build back better. We propose that the impact of the pandemic can be dealt with through a mix of some interventions that deal with the immediate impacts of the crisis, and other interventions that can transform development in the longer term.

The pandemic is in many ways a crisis of governance. It has created a set of unique challenges that underscore the need for governments to collect revenue more efficiently and equitably; and to spend it more inclusively, transparently, and accountably, especially on the most vulnerable and marginalised populations. In this article, we suggest a set of governance interventions to help create conditions for building effective and inclusive institutions that can support efforts to build back better. We propose that the impact of the pandemic can be dealt with through a mix of some interventions that deal with the immediate impacts of the crisis, and other interventions that can transform development in the longer term. ; Irish Aid

What does research on informal sector workers and the state entail in the time of Covid-19? The pandemic has limited possibilities for in-person interactions and required adaptations in research approaches. These challenges are exacerbated when the subjects of the research are informal sector workers with limited access to technology and undefined spaces of work. In this article, we argue that the Covid-19 pandemic has magnified distances: between researchers located globally; between researchers and respondents; and between the state and people within informal employment. However, these distances also create new ways of working and opportunities for doing research. We discuss the challenges faced in the field, document the adaptations introduced to ensure robust research in difficult settings, and set out the limitations that remain. We also examine the ethical dimension of confronting dangerous misinformation related to the pandemic while conducting interviews, and the questions it raises about the distance between research and prescriptive advocacy in academia.