Hybridity and safety: The lived experiences of market vendors in urban settlement communities in Lae, Papua New Guinea
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Verena Thomas: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9851-1364
Abstract
In most developing countries, informal economies–such as those that operate through urban markets–commonly support city dwellers’ livelihoods. However, public perceptions of safety and informality in urban markets have often focused on apparent deficiencies, resulting in a limited understanding of the dynamics and resilience of such spaces. There has been limited consideration of the perspectives of those who work within these spaces every day and the support structures they create for themselves. Drawing on focus group discussions and interviews with vendors and other actors at one market, Awagasi market in Lae City in Papua New Guinea, we argue that the history of these spaces and insider perspectives provide a nuanced understanding of such markets’ key features and internal support mechanisms. Instead of defining these market spaces by their informalities, we view them through the lens of hybridity. Hybridity is related to how relationships are established and maintained, how the market hosts economic engagements and how the market is governed. This research uses the Melanesian Indigenous worldview to demonstrate how local values contribute to providing safety for residents and vendors in an urban hybrid market setting.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2025
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Arts and Humanities
RAS ID
83600
Funders
Queensland University of Technology / PNG University of Technology
Copyright
subscription content
Comments
Langa, W., Thomas, V., Kauli, J., & Buys, L. (2025). Hybridity and safety: The lived experiences of market vendors in urban settlement communities in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Journal of Cultural Geography. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08873631.2025.2513185