Patrones de conducta social de trabajadores informales durante eventos extremos: lecciones de la vida social durante la pandemia de covid-19 en Lima, Perú

What is it about?

This study analyzes changes in social life during the pandemic and the early stages of the post-pan demic period within a population characterized by high levels of informality in Lima, particularly the textile district of Gamarra, encompassing 89,123 people. A qualitative approach was adopted, based on 62 semi-structured interviews with garment manufacturers, in-store traders, and street vendors. Two distinct moments could be identified: a) experiences confronting the shock induced by the Covid-19 pandemic; and b) experiences of reconfiguring work and daily life, alongside strategies adopted by the population. In conclusion, the study suggests that some elements of daily life acquired during the Covid-19 pandemic may carry over into the future, inducing society to place greater emphasis on preventive measures against emerging risks, including behaviors related to hygiene and health, fostering closer family ties, increased utilization of digitalization and hybrid work models, and the cultivation of enhanced social capital.

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Why is it important?

It is important because it would let us to know if in the post-pandemic era, which trends might be here to stay and which are reversible, which are beneficial and which are detrimental, and which were exceptions that did not become the norm and which did. The question now is, therefore: Will the transformation in daily habits or in the social interactions of people with informal jobs be sustainable in the post-pandemic era? What is more fleeting, and what might be more enduring? Optimistic literature on the possibility of a shift in future social interactions coined the concept of the “new normal” to highlight the healthy changes brought about by the pandemic that should remain. Pessimistic literature has argued that this new normal will closely resemble the old normal. The truth is that there was more optimism at the start of the pandemic than there is now, in the post-pandemic period.

Perspectives