Les zabbâlîn du Caire. (Dés)emmêler la géographie urbaine et sociale des moyens de subsistances informels dans une mégapole mondialisée

Abstract

This article looks into the changes having impacted on the livelihoods of Cairo’s zabbaleen since the beginning of the Millennium and discusses future avenues for research. Based on our fieldwork (2006, 2011, 2017) which followed an actor and household centered methodology we expose the different interwoven factors which have been influencing the functionality of this livelihood sector. These factors range from local competition to national policies and international economies. Our research revealed that in order to understand dynamics around the livelihood of waste and recycling workers in Egypt it is crucial to connect individual actions and strategies to a multi-level analysis of different social fields. Bourdieu’s theories provide a rich research background in this respect which we have used adapted to broaden and substantiate the sustainable livelihood approach used in development studies. In line with other empirical research projects (see eg. Debout, Furniss, Du Roy, Desvaux) our analysis provides convincing evidence that recent research on the zabbaleen has contributed significantly to understand a variety of interrelated and interweaving topics such as waste management, sustainability, national and international policies, globalization and vulnerability. We therefore end our article with some concrete recommendations for future research questions that should be explored.