New Books Network Jacinto Cuvi, "The Edge of the Law: Street Vendors and the Erosion of Citizenship in São Paulo" (U Chicago Press, 2025)
Sep 24, 2025
Jacinto Cuvi, an Associate Professor of Sociology and Development Studies, dives deep into the world of street vendors in São Paulo. He discusses their struggles with legality and citizenship, revealing how city policies can uproot livelihoods with little warning. Cuvi illustrates the precarious balance vendors strike between survival and the threat of law enforcement. He also analyzes the dynamics of solidarity among vendors and explores possibilities for political reform. This insightful conversation sheds light on the harsh realities of informal labor in urban Brazil.
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Limits Of Property-Right Solutions
- Jacinto Cuvi critiques De Soto's claim that merely granting property rights fixes informal economies.
- He argues street vending dynamics are complex, shaped by politics, power, and lived practices beyond simple property solutions.
Field Entry Through An NGO Forum
- Cuvi gained street access via an NGO forum that introduced him to vendors and built initial trust.
- He then used cold approaches and referrals to expand interviews across the city.
Precarious Rights As Liminality
- "Edge of the law" describes vendors whose rights are precarious and constantly contestable.
- Cuvi frames this liminality as produced by hostile city policies that actively push vendors toward illegality.
