Street markets, urban development and immigrant entrepreneurship: Unpacking precarity in Moore Street, Dublin

Abstract

Traditional markets represent vital spaces of opportunity for livelihood-building, intercultural contact and for developing familiarity with the city. Yet, worldwide, markets are under pressure due to redevelopment agendas driven by neoliberalised forms of urban governance. Although precarious sites of occupation and employment, markets still maintain an attractiveness for immigrant micro-entrepreneurs as a foothold into the labour market and urban economy. Through a case study of the historic Moore Street market in central Dublin (Ireland), we explore the experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs. While these may be different in terms of their familiarity with the urban, institutional and regulatory landscapes, they are not entirely dissimilar from the experiences of longer-term traders in Moore Street. However what is evident is how precarity is tactically exploited by newcomer entrepreneurs for particular reasons. These traders prize the autonomy brought by market trading and use it as a meso-scale between low-paid waged employment and higher-level employment that may be out of reach for a variety of reasons. We argue that in examining urban precarity, increased attention should be paid to exploring the context-specific nature of the processes that give rise to it as well as the agentic capacity exercised to exploit it even within structural constraints.

The Mechanism of Street Markets Fostering Supportive Communities in Old Urban Districts: A Case Study of Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

“…Based on a review of the literature on supportive communities and a field study in Sham Shui Po, supportive communities are described as meeting the diverse needs and enhancing the life quality of residents in sub-divided units through the provision of public facilities, activity venues, commerce, and employment [1,6,39]. Our analysis of the recent scholarly literature indicates that at the community level, street markets emerge as pivotal in fostering supportive communities, accommodating the four principal evaluative factors: public facilities, activity venues, commerce, and employment [20,21,23,34].…”

“…The present study aims to contribute to the understanding of the value of street markets in high-density communities, specifically in Hong Kong's old urban districts. The street market plays an important role in creating supportive community as it contributes to the quality of life and sociability [20,23]. But in the old urban districts of Hong Kong, this understanding of the street market's value is not emphasized.…”

“…Previous research has explored the significance of street markets in cities and communities, and most of these studies have focused on street markets in the Americas and Europe [23][24][25][26][27]. Research on street markets conducted in these areas, with case studies such as the Moore Street market and the Maxwell Street market, has demonstrated the potential of street markets in livelihood-building, intercultural contact, providing goods and services, influencing city planning and policy making, incorporating new immigrants, supporting minority populations, increasing socio-economic dynamism, and improving access to healthy food, employment, and entrepreneurship [23,25,[27][28][29]. In Asia, limited studies, including research on Macao's public markets, highlight their role beyond commerce, emphasizing their significance in community life and culture [27].…”

‘ALL EYES ON ME’: The (In)Formal Barriers to Market Trade in Europe

“…Blennerhassett et al . 's (2021: 2) study of a street market in central Dublin echoes this narrative, showing that outdoor markets constitute ‘key livelihood‐builiding opportunities for immigrant newcomers’ owing to ‘relatively affordable rents compared to prime city centre locations, and flexible, short‐term leases in a context where commercial leases range from annual to ten years in duration and require a significant financial outlay’ ( ibid . : 3).…”

Anteseden Niat Kewirausahaan Berkelanjutan Gen Z Kawasan Smart City Semarang: Apakah Teknologi dan Pemerintah Daerah Berperan?

“…Ekonomi lokal berhasil beradaptasi dan mentransformasi basis pengetahuan serta teknologi untuk menjaga daya saingnya (Williams & Williams, 2014). Dalam ideologi tata kelola perkotaan, prioritas menarik industri teknologi maju dan memetakan masalah perkotaan sebagai masalah teknologi adalah solusi (Blennerhassett, Moore-Cherry, & Bonnin, 2022). Perubahan ini memperdalam transformasi kota menjadi ruang digital.…”