GLOBAL INFORMALITY PROJECT UPDATE
5 October 2015
Dear Author,
You are receiving this email because you have submitted or have agreed to submit an entry
towards the Global Encyclopaedia of Informality.
The editorial team has been working really hard this summer and we are happy to report a
few developments. First of all, we now have around 70 entries almost ready to go to the
publisher. If everyone is on schedule with their deadlines we should be able to assemble a
near 100 entries strong volume.
As Editor-in-Chief, I would like to update you on the progress of my negotiations with the
publishers. As some of you know, the Encyclopaedia is part of the list of publications of the
FP7 ANTICORRP project, and Cambridge University Press is considering our book proposal
and sample entries (12) as part of the Memorandum of Understanding between CUP and
ANTICORRP. We expected an answer from the Press by September, but have not received it
yet. It is normal for CUP to be slow and I will keep you updated on the progress.
According to the FP7 ANTICORRP schedule, we are to submit the complete manuscript in
January 2016.
In the meantime, I am exploring other publication options and have sent another proposal
to the UCL Press (University College London). The UCL Press is a new one and will be leading
on ‘open access’ publications. The latter makes it really attractive to the Global Informality
Project as we aim to reach out to the general public and eventually to collect data through
crowdsourcing. I have received an enthusiastic response from the Commissioning editor, but
as elsewhere the process is going to be a lengthy one.
In parallel with the paper copy of the Global Encyclopaedia of Informality, we have been
working on the online version of the encyclopaedia. We are using WIKI software for
uploading entries, but this is very much work in progress that will need more funding and
help. Especially when it comes to the use of images to brighten up the entries and future
plans to develop some measurement tools for assessing the visibility, familiarity, frequency,
impact of informal practices.
Perhaps, the most exciting event of this summer was the creation of the first World Map of
Informality, depicting informal practices that prevail in various parts of the world. We have
‘mapped’ all entries we have received and ‘colloquial terms’ that we have we have
commissioned or would like to commission. Although still very basic at this moment, the
map has been an important visual tool to explain the project to those unaware of the
importance of informal practices and their role all over the globe. We are working on the
possibility to give access to the under-construction site to all authors, so that you could use
the map and the online version for teaching and research, but technical issues around this
possibility remain unresolved. Please be patient with us, as our editorial team works really
hard on a very modest budget.
I would like to thank all members of the team who worked really hard from different
locations this summer: Project Manager Dr Anna Bailey and editors Costanza Curro,
Maximillian Lambertson, and Elizabeth Teague. Our special thanks go to our Digital
Humanities intern Sharon Lin, who has handled the setting up of the website. But without
our esteemed contributors of ideas and disciplined authors of entries, we would have been
nowhere. So thank you very much again and we look forward to working with you further!
We include for your attention the entries that have been finalised or very near completion:
Salam credit (Afghanistan)
Stroman (Hungary)
Magharich (Armenia)
No entry (India)
Tapsh (Azerbaijan)
Okurimono no shukan (Japan)
Stela (Bos&Herz)
Agashka (Kazakhstan)
Jeitinho (Brazil)
Uruuchuluk (Kyrgyzstan)
Vruzki (Bulgaria)
Alga aploksne (Latvia)
Pituto (Chile)
Vrski (Macedonia)
Guanxi (China)
Mordida (Mexico)
Repetitorstvo (CIS)
Hawala (Middle East & India)
Fimi Media (Croatia)
Kumstvo (Montenegro)
Socialismo (Cuba)
Egunje (Nigeria)
Schwarzwohnen (GDR)
Padrino system (Phillipines)
Zersetzung (GDR)
Korapsen (PNG)
Small-scale smuggling (general)
Kombinacja (Poland)
Squatting (general)
Zalatwianie (Poland)
Kanonieri qurdebi (Georgia)
Blat (Romania)
Birzha (Georgia)
Chernukha (Russia)
Natsnoboba (Georgia)
Shpargalka (Russia)
azganvan popokhutyun
Padonki language (Russia)
(Georgia/Armenians)
Vzyatkoemkost’ (Russia)
Externe Personen (Germany)
Obshchak (Russia)
Shebeens (South Africa)
Spaza shops (South Africa)
Rad na crno (Serbia)
Pabirciti (Serbia)
Vsimne/pozornost (Slovakia)
Blat (South Caucasus)
Carburant (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Pulling strings (UK)
Zarobitchanstvo (Ukraine)
Blat (USSR)
Magnitizdat (USSR)
Roentgenizdat (USSR)
Tanish-bilish (Uzbekistan)
Esusu (Nigeria)
Allegados (Chile)
Wasta (Middle East)
Mita (Romania)
S Vrutka (Bulgaria)
Compadrazgo (Mexico)
Veza (Serbia)
Graffiti (general)
Stoyanshiki (Russia)
Trafika (Czech Republic)
Ch’ir/blood revenge
Uhljeb (Croatia)
Jangmadang (North Korea)
Chelnok (Kyrgyzstan)
Insider trading (general)
Dizelasi (Serbia)
Gap (Uzbekistan)
Dzhinsa/zakazukha (Russia)
Zakaznoe bankrotstvo (Russia)
Keiretsu (Japan)
Reiderstvo (general)
Mahallah (Uzbekistan)
Tirikchilik (Uzbekistan)
Kind regards,
Alena Ledeneva
Professor of Politics and Society
University College London
Reviews of the book on sistema at:
https://ssees.academia.edu/AlenaLedeneva/Book-Reviews
My latest research papers at http://ssrn.com/author=2179142
http://rfiea.fr/articles/ambivalence-blurred-boundaries-where-informality-stops-andcorruption-begins
The FP7 ANTICORRP Global Informality Project:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/research/funded-research-projects/informal-practices
Publications at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/people/politics-sociology-folder/alena-ledeneva