International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy: Volume 26 Issue 9/10

Shades of grey in the informal economy

Trevor Jones, Monder Ram, Paul Edwards

This paper seeks to examine the influence of the national minimum wage (NMW) in the UK to small business owners operating in the informal economy.

Rumour, migrants, and the informal economies of Naples, Italy

Nicholas Harney

This paper aims to consider the use of rumour by Bangladeshi migrant entrepreneurs in Naples, Italy to comment on informal economic practices and migrant moral hierarchies present…

The contribution of networks to immigrant insertion into the informal economy: Some findings from Tuscany

Simone Trinci

This article seeks to explain the role of networks in facilitating immigrant insertion into the labour market.

A safety net or ties that bind? Women, welfare and self‐employment

Susan Marlow

This paper sets out to examine the challenges facing benefit‐dependent lone mothers who seek to engage with self‐employment.

The socioeconomic power of social capital: A double test of Putnam's civic society argument

Gunnar Svendsen, Jens F.L. Sørensen

According to Putnam, civic engagement fosters a cooperative structure and generalized trust. This leads to accumulation of social capital, in the form of inclusive, cooperative…

Harnessing the potential of the social economy? Time banks and UK public policy

Gill Seyfang

The paper aims to improve understanding of the UK policy context for the social economy and thereby increase policy effectiveness in promoting the sector.