This study examines the socio-economic impacts of slum resettlement through the case of Lebrahma’s relocation to Al Marouwa in Casablanca, Morocco. While formalization efforts under the Villes Sans Bidonvilles program aimed to improve housing and urban order, they overlooked the informal economic systems and social networks that sustained residents’ livelihoods. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, the research reveals how the transition from flexible, community-based informal economies to rigid formal planning structures disrupted home-based businesses, severed support networks, and eliminated informal job opportunities. Informed by the work of Weber, Roy, Ben Haman, and de Soto, the paper critiques top-down planning models that ignore local knowledge and survival strategies. It does not romanticize informality, but recognizes its critical role as a strategic mechanism for navigating precarity. The study argues that when resettlement policies fail to engage with informal realities, they risk producing not only greater vulnerability and social marginalization, but also deepening impoverishment. The findings call for urban planning models that integrate, rather than erase, the adaptive strategies of informal communities. • Resettlement disrupts informal economies, undermining household livelihoods. • Formal land-use regulation and spatial design reshape economic opportunities and social networks. • Informal activities function as adaptive survival strategies, not merely planning failures. • Flexible housing and designated spaces for small businesses can support displaced communities. • Integrating local practices into planning mitigates vulnerability and strengthens resilience.

Background: Air pollution poses major health and environmental risks globally, with disproportionate impacts in low- and middle-income countries lacking robust monitoring systems. In Nigeria, rapid urbanization, fossil fuel dependence, and informal industrial activities have intensified urban air quality challenges. In Aba, limited continuous, pollutant-specific monitoring has constrained comprehensive understanding of long-term temporal and spatial pollution dynamics. Objectives: This study quantified tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) and aerosol concentrations in Aba (2019–2024), identified seasonal trends and spatial hotspots, and assessed inter-annual variability using Sentinel-5 Precursor (Sentinel-5P) satellite data integrated with GIS-based spatial analysis. Methods: Satellite-derived CO and aerosol data for Aba were obtained from Sentinel-5P (2019–2024). Datasets were accessed and processed within Google Earth Engine (GEE), where CO and aerosol bands were filtered by date and spatially constrained to the metropolitan boundary. Monthly and annual means were computed using custom JavaScript. Processed rasters were exported as GeoTIFF files and analysed in ArcGIS 10.7.1 to generate spatial distribution maps and classify concentration levels. Descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests were performed to evaluate inter-annual variability. Time-series analyses were used to assess seasonal trends and temporal fluctuations across the study period. Results: CO and aerosol levels exhibited pronounced seasonal peaks, consistently highest in February, and inter-annual fluctuations linked to post-pandemic recovery and energy use patterns. Central commercial and industrial areas consistently emerged as pollution hotspots, while peripheral zones recorded lower concentrations. Both pollutants responded to anthropogenic activity and policy changes, such as fuel subsidy removal, and their accumulation was modulated by seasonal climatic factors. Aerosols showed more persistent atmospheric presence than CO. This multi-year, high-resolution assessment provides a pollutant-specific baseline, filling gaps left by short-term ground-based studies and enabling evidence-based urban air quality management in mid-sized cities. Conclusion: This study quantified temporal and spatial dynamics of CO and aerosol concentrations in Aba (2019–2024) using Sentinel-5P and GIS analysis, revealing seasonal peaks, urban pollution hotspots, policy-sensitive variations, and providing a high-resolution baseline addressing gaps in continuous, pollutant-specific monitoring.

ABSTRACT Tribal women in India encounter deep-rooted structural barriers to economic, social, and educational empowerment. Despite their significant contributions to household sustenance through unpaid labour and informal economic activities, these efforts remain largely unrecognised, perpetuating cycles of poverty and dependency. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a structured survey with a literature review, to examine the impact of microfinance on capability development among tribal women in Dahod district, Gujarat, from 2023 to 2024. This study makes three contributions to existing literature. First, it is among the first to apply propensity score matching within a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to assess microfinance impacts specifically on Bhil and Rathwa tribal women – a population systematically excluded from mainstream microfinance scholarship that tends to subsume tribal experiences under general rural categories. Second, the study operationalises an intersectional feminist framework alongside Capability Approach to disentangle how indigeneity, gender, and geographic marginality compound capability deprivations. Third, the integration of qualitative case studies with quasi-experimental estimates provides analytical depth rarely achieved in single-method impact evaluations in tribal contexts. The findings reveal that microfinance interventions significantly increase income-generating activities, leading to improved economic agency and enhanced social empowerment. However, overall impact remains constrained by persistent structural barriers. These findings are grounded in the specific socio-cultural and geographic context; while they offer analytical insights transferable to similar tribal settings, they are not statistically generalisable to the broader tribal population across India. The study concludes that achieving sustained and scalable outcomes requires coordinated efforts between government and non-governmental organisations.

Informal economic activities account for a large share of employment in the Philippines, yet their contribution to the production system is not fully captured in standard economic measures. This study uses an economy-wide input–output model, disaggregated into formal and informal activities. It estimates how changes in demand affect total output, household income, and production linkages across formal and informal activities. Results show that informality is concentrated in agriculture and key service sectors, while industry sector remains predominantly formal. Despite smaller transaction volumes, informal activities are more strongly connected to domestic supply chains than their formal counterparts, both upstream as input buyers and downstream as suppliers. Informal activities also generate larger household income gains when local demand expands. These findings suggest that policies addressing informality should promote improvements in productivity and fairer market integration of informal producers into domestic production networks, as regulatory constraints may dampen multipliers and income gains.

Doctor of philosophy (PhD)-prepared nurses are positioned to lead policy change, reform nursing education and integrate research into clinical practice. To prepare future nurse leaders for this role, doctoral programmes must include opportunities to build knowledge translation (KT) capacity. This article presents a student-led initiative that explored the context of KT capacity development in Canadian PhD nursing programmes. The project involved an environmental scan of doctoral nursing curricula and a roundtable discussion with 15 doctoral students at a nursing school in Quebec, Canada. The scan revealed that formal KT training primarily focused on research skills, while informal activities centred on social networking. The roundtable discussion highlighted students' limited exposure to KT as well as their interest in greater access to informal training and collaborative opportunities with researchers and knowledge users. These findings underscore the need to integrate KT capacity development into doctoral training to support future nurse leaders in bridging the gap between research and practice.

How formal shapes informal: The case of informal businesses in mixed-use streets

Rethinking urban inequality through a behavioural lens: Informal public space activities (IPSAs) as diagnostic tools for behavioural equity and public space resilience in urban planning

Living off waste: A qualitative study of scrap scavengers in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT In plural societies, everyday encounters, cultural norms, and unofficial social boundaries all influence accommodation and social inclusion in addition to legislative safeguards. Although Hindu minority live in close proximity to the Muslim majority in Pakistan, empirical study has not sufficiently examined the degree to which this coexistence results in significant social inclusion. With an emphasis on regular social interactions, involvement in common cultural activities, and access to institutional spaces, this study investigates the patterns of cultural engagement, social inclusion, and exclusion faced by Hindu minorities. It investigates the practical aspects of coexistence and the persistence of social and symbolic borders. The study uses a mixed-methods approach and is based on a structured survey of 370 Hindu respondents from southern Punjab and Sindh that was created using the sampling criteria proposed by Sekaran and Bougie (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016). In addition to qualitative field observations, data were gathered through in-person interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and correlation analysis (SPSS v.26). The results show conditional and selective inclusion. Deeper forms of integration were still scarce, despite the high levels of daily connection that were observed, including neighborhood contact, attendance at weddings and funerals, and interfaith friendships. A significant majority disapproved of interfaith marriage (χ² = 64.12, p < 0.001), and there was little cross-community religious ceremonial participation. Significant relationships were discovered between interpersonal interaction and perceptions of inclusion (p < 0.001), although recreational and informal social activities revealed no significant linkage (p = 0.054). A significant cause of perceived prejudice was found to be socioeconomic status (χ² = 50.74, p < 0.001). The study comes to the conclusion that coexistence without complete integration characterizes Hindu-Muslim relations in Pakistan. While persistent cultural taboos and institutional limitations continue to restrict substantive equality, inclusion functions through common politeness and localized cooperation. Moving past symbolic tolerance in favor of ongoing social engagement and fair access to public life is necessary to strengthen inclusion. These results demonstrate the existence of symbolic barriers that prevent meaningful participation even in the face of frequent social interaction by highlighting how Hindu minority negotiate conditional and relational citizenship.

HighlightsWhat are the main findings?Flexed and asymmetrical sitting postures during academic and informal activities were significantly associated with back pain in children and adolescents.Gender differences emerged, with girls reporting a higher prevalence of back pain, while lifestyle factors (physical activity, screen time, sleep) showed no significant associations.What is the implication of the main finding?The results identify daily postural habits as modifiable behavioral determinants of adolescent musculoskeletal pain, expanding current theoretical models that emphasize multifactorial interactions.Findings support the development of targeted school-based interventions, including posture education, ergonomic adjustments, and structured movement breaks, to reduce cumulative spinal loading during adolescence.Background/Objectives: Musculoskeletal pain represents a frequent and increasingly recognized health issue during adolescence. During this developmental phase, daily habits such as prolonged sitting, sedentary behaviors and the adoption of non-neutral postures may contribute to spinal overload and pain symptoms. This study contributes to the existing literature by focusing on concrete postural behaviors in real-life daily situations, an aspect that is still underexplored despite its relevance for musculoskeletal health. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between daily habits, postural behaviors and the presence of back and neck pain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 70 adolescents aged 10–20 years. Data were collected using the Back Pain and Body Posture Evaluation Instrument for Children and Adolescents (BackPEI-CA), administered online. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests with effect sizes (Cramer’s V) were used to examine associations between postural behaviors, lifestyle factors, and pain outcomes, providing an inferential assessment beyond simple descriptive analysis. Results: Significant associations were found between gender and back pain, sitting posture during daily activities (writing at the desk and talking with friends) and back pain, with flexed or asymmetrical postures more frequently reported among participants with pain, and between back and neck pain (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings highlight the relevance of gender and daily postural behaviors as factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in adolescents. By identifying posture-specific behaviors linked to pain, this study provides preliminary evidence that can inform targeted preventive strategies and guide future research on modifiable daily habits in youth.

In developing economies, the informal sector remains a fundamental pillar of livelihood generation, particularly in rural regions where access to formal employment is often limited. In India, a significant share of the workforce is engaged in informal economic activities, including small-scale vending in rural markets. This study examines the socio-economic conditions of informal sector vendors and their role in environmental sustainability in Suti-II Block, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India. The main objectives are to assess the socio-economic status of vendors, analyse their environmental practices, and explore the relationship between livelihood conditions and sustainability. The study is based on a micro-level field survey of 54 informal sector vendors, selected through simple random sampling across rural markets. A descriptive and analytical research design has been adopted, using primary data collected through structured questionnaires, supported by secondary sources. Data have been analysed using basic statistical techniques such as percentage and frequency distribution. The findings reveal that the informal sector is predominantly male-dominated, characterized by low income, limited education, and economic vulnerability. Vendors face major challenges such as lack of credit access, seasonal income fluctuations, and inadequate infrastructure. In terms of environmental practices, issues like improper waste disposal, excessive plastic use, and poor sanitation are widespread. The study concludes that socio-economic constraints significantly influence environmental behaviour, highlighting the need for integrated policy measures to promote sustainable livelihoods and environmentally responsible practices in rural market systems.

The informal sector is a vibrant component of urban economies in emerging countries, providing income for city residents. In Nigeria, it plays a major role in poverty reduction, job creation, and revenue generation. This study focuses on Aba Urban, in Abia State, southeastern Nigeria, and examines the role and contributions of the informal sector to local economic development. Key areas of interest include employment creation, income distribution, poverty reduction, and urban growth. Aba Urban is a commercial hub in Abia State with a thriving informal sector. This sector involves activities such as trading, fabrication, and service provision. These activities offer jobs for many households, helping to alleviate poverty and advance the economy. The study surveyed 180 informal sector operators and conducted stakeholder interviews using a mixed-methods approach. Purposive sampling was used to include a diverse range of informal sector operators in Aba Urban. Descriptive statistics were analyzed from survey data, while thematic analysis was used for stakeholder interviews. The study reveals that women predominantly participate in the informal sector, with limited access to education and finance identified as major barriers. Financial access, in particular, is a significant obstacle, especially for women (83.3%). Infrastructure and regulatory challenges, however, are not strongly gender-specific. It also found that the informal sector accounts for about 65% of employment through trading and small-scale industries. Therefore, the government and financial institutions should provide financial support and incentives to help informal sector operators access credit and expand their businesses. Additionally, investment in infrastructure, such as markets and transportation, is necessary to support informal sector activities. Keywords: Informal sector, urban economy, job creation, poverty reduction, revenue generation

This study aimed to provide insight into university teachers' self-efficacy beliefs and to deepen our understanding of their relationship with teacher characteristics (e.g. years of experience, discipline and time spent on professional development activities). We investigated self-efficacy beliefs in six teaching domains. In a cross-sectional study, 472 university teachers filled in a survey after completing a professional development programme. The UNIversity Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (UNITSS) instrument was established using exploratory factor analysis, with reliability scores for the different domains ranging between .76 and .83. The six adapted domains included in the instrument were creating a positive learning climate, instruction/design, differentiation, student engagement, assessment and professional development. Results revealed that university teachers felt most efficacious in creating a positive learning climate and in instruction/design. Their scores in the other domains were slightly lower. Years of experience and time investment in informal professional development activities were related to higher self-efficacy beliefs in all domains. We recommend that future research investigates the potential to develop university teachers' self-efficacy beliefs and whether this leads to better teaching quality.

ABSTRACT Reflection is vital for learning, helping students connect content to their careers, education, and lives. Yet, engagement with reflection across curricula varies, and research on students’ confidence and experiences with formal and informal reflective activities – especially when explicitly taught – is limited. This study investigates undergraduate students’ perceptions, knowledge, and preparedness before and after a reflection intervention, where reflective skills were explicitly taught. Using established survey instruments, 411 students across 10 disciplines completed pre- and post-intervention surveys. Findings indicate that although students reported prior exposure to reflection within the curriculum, explicit instruction in reflective purpose and techniques significantly enhanced their confidence and experience (p < .001, α = 0.05) with reflective practice. The study concludes with recommendations for educators on the importance of explicitly integrating reflection into curriculum design to support deeper and more intentional learning.

Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examined the effectiveness of Mississippi State University’s Dunn-Seiler Museum’s (DSM) virtual collection platform by comparing student learning outcomes between Control (hands-on) and Experimental (virtual specimens) groups during informal outreach activities in middle-level classrooms in Mississippi, USA. We used the Omeka Virtual Platform because the university adopted and supported this platform with technical assistance. The informal outreach activities engaged students in the investigations of fossil specimens representing the state’s geologic history and its past climates. We analyzed students’ (N = 97) content understanding and learning attitudes through percentage change in pre- and post-test survey data, in addition to pre- and post-outreach student drawings coded for accuracy and robust content. Our data revealed no statistically significant differences in content gain or affective response when the data were aggregated for both schools into Control versus Experimental groups. Qualitative analysis of teacher interviews revealed five emerging themes, including teachers’ perceived importance of novelty in virtual platforms for learning. These findings suggest that museum-based virtual fossils and exhibits can offer a comparable learning experience within informal geoscience outreach, offering a viable alternative to engage students with geoscience concepts outside of the formal classroom setting. More research is needed to determine whether e-resources offer the same learning gains and positive attitudes within K-12 classrooms at other grade levels, beyond the southern US, and with other geoscience content.

This study examines cross cultural interaction and social cohesion in a multicultural school environment at SMA Negeri 2 Minas, Riau. Cultural diversity in Indonesian schools continues to grow, bringing students from different ethnic backgrounds into shared social spaces. Differences in language, communication styles, and cultural values influence interaction patterns and shape the quality of social relationships among students. The study aims to analyze the dynamics of cross cultural interaction, to explore students’ lived experiences, and to examine the formation of social cohesion in a multietnic school setting. A qualitative approach with a phenomenological design was employed. Data were collected through in depth interviews, observations, and documentation involving students and teachers. Data analysis included data reduction, categorization, and interpretation to identify patterns and meanings. The findings indicate that cross cultural interaction occurs in both formal and informal activities. Students experience acceptance and comfort, as well as challenges such as miscommunication, stereotypes, and group based interaction. Social cohesion develops through shared activities, common interests, and the role of teachers in facilitating interaction, although it is not evenly distributed across all groups. In conclusion, cross cultural interaction shapes students’ social experiences and contributes to the gradual formation of social cohesion through ongoing interaction and adaptation in a multicultural school environment.

The relationship between informal economies and taxation presents critical challenges for tax compliance, perceptions of fairness, and the legitimacy of the state. This study examines how the prevalence of informal economic activity shapes individuals’ willingness to comply with tax obligations and influences broader governance outcomes. Drawing on compliance theories, the paper highlights the interplay between economic incentives, enforcement mechanisms, and tax morale in determining compliance behavior. It further explores how procedural and distributive fairness perceptions particularly regarding transparency, equity in tax burdens, and accountability affect citizens’ trust in government and their intrinsic motivation to pay taxes. The analysis demonstrates that in contexts with large informal economies, weak administrative capacity and limited provision of public goods often undermine tax compliance and reinforce perceptions of illegitimacy. Informal taxation systems and alternative governance structures may emerge, sometimes substituting for state functions but often exacerbating inequality and coercion. Evidence suggests that voluntary compliance is more sustainable when tax systems are perceived as fair, inclusive, and responsive to citizens’ needs. The study concludes that strengthening state legitimacy in such contexts requires a combination of tailored enforcement strategies, improved public service delivery, and inclusive policy frameworks that integrate informal actors into the tax system. Enhancing transparency, accountability, and participatory governance is essential for fostering tax morale and building a sustainable fiscal social contract between citizens and the state. Keywords: Informal Economy, Tax Compliance, State Legitimacy, Tax Morale, and Fiscal Fairness.

The conversion of sidewalks into parking areas and informal activity spaces remains a persistent issue that reduces the quality of pedestrian facilities and disrupts their primary function as safe, comfortable, and barrier-free public spaces. This study examines the impact of such conversions on sidewalk operational performance through field observations using a quantitative approach, including measurements of pedestrian flow, walking speed, density levels, and movement space across three different time periods. The results indicate a significant decline in service levels, characterized by increased movement barriers, reduced effective lane width, and decreased accessibility. The variables of travel time and density also show reduced performance in segments with higher economic activity. These findings highlight the need for spatial reorganization through infrastructure improvements, regulation of informal activities, and consistent enforcement of policies. Inclusive design approaches and strategies such as street diets, as recommended in international studies, can serve as references for improving sidewalk quality to ensure they remain safer, more functional, and more equitable.

ABSTRACT This case study presents qualitative observations and interview data to explore the operation of an informal urban garden in Shenzhen. In contrast with formal urban horticulture practices in neighboring areas, observation reveals that grower-squatters claim usufructuary rights to engage in informal horticulture activities which are commonly transferred through informal transactions. Non-confrontational land claims, social networks governed by tacit understandings, and self-motivated recycling of resources, all rooted in informal arrangements, have collectively sustained flourishing urban horticultural practices for the past decade. Strikingly, these informal arrangements have not only endured but consistently outperformed adjacent formal community gardens, which, despite official sanction and investment, fell into neglect. Such informal practices can contribute to the development of sustainable, self-organizing urban gardens in megacities.

Tax revenue mobilization is crucial for economic development and the sustainability of public finances, especially in developing countries such as Mozambique. This study investigates the role of the Simplified Tax for Small Taxpayers (ISPC) in expanding the tax base at the Belenenses Market in Nampula. A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, was employed with a sample of 248 traders from a population of approximately 650. Findings reveal extremely low compliance with the ISPC, with only 0.8% of traders registered and actively contributing, while the vast majority (99.2%) pay only municipal fees. Key factors affecting compliance include limited institutional presence, behavioral resistance, distrust in fiscal authorities, and economic constraints. Despite national-level data indicating growth in ISPC registration, empirical evidence demonstrates a substantial gap between administrative registration and actual contribution, confirming the persistence of informal economic activity. The study underscores that expanding the tax base requires not only simplified tax regimes but also effective enforcement, taxpayer education, and trust-building measures. Policy implications suggest strengthening the visibility of tax authorities, enhancing taxpayer support, providing incentives for compliance, and improving coordination with municipal authorities. Overall, the ISPC represents a positive step toward formalization, but its local-level impact remains limited.