Informal Formality of Peripheral Society in Albania
Informal Formality of Peripheral Society in Albania

Author(s): Alfred Halilaj
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Udruženje ekonomista i menadžera Balkana
Summary/Abstract: After the 1990s, Albanian society gained a fundamental right: The right to movement. Researchers, public speakers, politicians, and the state itself have at times characterized this newfound freedom as urban degeneration, portraying those who exploit this opportunity as anti-establishment. While the right to free speech has not been questioned in the new democratic framework of Albania, it is scientifically naive to interpret this discourse without considering the social, economic, political, and urban realities. The movement of people has always been a fundamental aspect of human life, and in contemporary terms, society operates largely in a state of continuous “informality.” This paper aims to explore the informal reality of settlement in three dimensions: a) public articulation, b) economic implications, and c) urban conditions. A key focus of this paper is to examine the often-overlooked benefits of this ‘informal’ formality in urban development. The peripheries of Albanian cities should not be viewed as urban ghettos; rather, they represent a dynamic force of human action that has catalyzed significant changes in the economic, political, and social fabric (structure) of urban areas.

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