“It's easier to make money.” The homeless youth of Châtelet-les-Halles, an extreme case of disadvantaged entrepreneurs within the informal economy

Abstract

This article examines homeless youth as a specific category of disadvantaged entrepreneurs in the Châtelet-les-Halles district in central Paris. It proceeds by showing how the investigation into the informal economic activities of homeless youth, examined through the lens of disadvantaged entrepreneurship and geography, represents a novel research area, particularly within the Parisian context. It is distinguished by its original four-year ethnographic and geographic methodology, encompassing street observations, recorded and unrecorded interviews, and the use of Facebook and geographic information systems to observe and understand 10 homeless youths and their environment. After presenting and exploring the sociological, economic, and geographic context of Châtelet-les-Halles, specifically focusing on the activities of homeless youth, the article provides an analysis of the informal entrepreneurial endeavors pursued by these individuals. Finally, the discussion articulates the notion of geographical context with entrepreneurial creativity and resilience, to better understand how informal entrepreneurial activities are developed in urban environments.