Towards marketplace resilience: learning from trader, customer and household studies in African, Asian and Latin American cities

Abstract

This paper identifies aspects of resilience taking effect in the marketplace and their influences on the roles of low-income traders and customers towards their households. Building on the concept of marketplace resilience and drawing from the findings from 42 publications on urban marketplaces in Africa, Asia and Latin America, this paper identifies the main functions and attributes of marketplaces that contribute or hinder the activities of traders and customers, the main disturbances they can experience in the marketplace and their strategies in building resilience. While this paper demonstrates the significance of marketplaces for the households of traders and customers, it also illustrates how disturbances in the marketplace and trade-offs to maintain trade during crises can negatively impact household needs and conditions, as well as the limited capacities of traders for improving their conditions. The paper finally argues for including marketplaces in resilience assessments and infrastructure studies in low-income urban contexts.