Economics of Informality

Previous Economics of Informality Conferences

This page summarizes previous publicly documented editions of the conference, highlighting keynote speakers, program formats, and the main issues discussed by researchers and policy practitioners.

Previous editions

Speakers and program highlights

2024 4th edition December 11-12, 2024 Universidad del Rosario and Universidad de los Andes

The Economics of Informality 2024

The fourth edition brought together national and international experts to examine informality in developing countries, with two conference days hosted in Bogota by Universidad del Rosario and Universidad de los Andes.

  • Rafael Dix-CarneiroDuke University
  • Marcela EslavaUniversidad de los Andes
  • William MaloneyWorld Bank
  • Gilles Saint-PaulParis School of Economics
  • Keynote sessions addressed informality and productivity in Latin America, rigid societies, firms and employment, and trade distortions related to informality.
  • The program included four parallel sessions with around 40 research papers on macroeconomics, labor markets, productivity, and poverty.
  • Discussions emphasized formalization strategies, pension systems, self-employment, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, technological change, and the green transition.
2022 3rd edition October 19-21, 2022 Universidad del Rosario, Auditorio Jockey Club

The Economics of Informality Conference 2022

The third edition was held in person in Bogota and convened scholars, young researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange research and debate issues related to the informal economy.

  • Norman LoayzaWorld Bank
  • Nora LustigTulane University
  • Friedrich SchneiderUniversity of Linz
  • Rodrigo SoaresColumbia University
  • Gabriel UlysseaUniversity College London
  • The call welcomed empirical and theoretical papers across labor economics, industrial organization, urban economics, agricultural economics, finance, regulation, public economics, political economy, development economics, and migration.
  • The program included keynote lectures, contributed sessions, a local formalization policies discussion, an IMF book launch, and a panel on formalization, development, and poverty reduction.
  • The edition also encouraged research on how Covid-19 affected the informal economy.
2020 2nd edition October 20-23, 2020 Remote access

The Economics of Informality Conference 2020

The second edition was held online and linked the III Annual Network of Economic Research with the Economics of Informality Conference at Universidad del Rosario.

  • Mariano BoschInter-American Development Bank
  • Pascaline DupasStanford University
  • Costas MeghirYale University
  • The conference focused on the links between informality, economics, and institutions in developing-country research.
  • The program included three main conferences with international speakers and two roundtables involving public policymakers and academics.
  • Thirteen contributed sessions brought together 39 authors presenting scientific papers on informality.

Organizers

Universidad del Rosario, Universidad de los Andes, Banco de la Republica, RED Investigadores de Economia, and IRD logos