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Off The Books The Underground Economy Of The Urban Poor Summary

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In his Book, Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor, Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh, explains that in the early-nineties while doing field work in the Southside of Chicago he gravitated to a predominantly working-poor black community near his field site (ix). Venkatesh describes the ten-squared block community as being in disrepair very much like the high-rises that were being torn down in the surrounding area (iv). In the presence of some “greystones” and “brownstones” Venkatesh noticed vacant lots, beat-up homes, and what he perceived to be inadequate city involvement in the community -streets need fixing, and trash pick-up was lacking (x). There were also closed storefronts and burned-out buildings in the area (Venkatesh, 92). …show more content…

This became apparent upon Big Cat’s death (Venkatesh, 3). Some of the residents depended on Big Cat to keep gang members away from parks when children got out of school or called him up when gang members where disturbing the peace late at night (Venkatesh, 2). Moreover, Big Cat donated monies to a local block club that threw parties for kids in the neighborhood. Further, in what appear to be a complete absence of a police presence in the neighborhood Big Cat put his people to patrol the streets (Venkatesh, 4). In one way or another residents’ of Maquis Park were benefiting from Big Cats presence. And in some shape, way, or form were allowing Big Cat to operate within Maquis Park (Venkatesh, 4). As Venkatesh puts forth “everyone has a hand in keeping the streets tolerable and keeping the goods and services flowing (4-5). And Big Cat was just one of them (Venkatesh, 5). So, I ask again was Venkatesh association with the gang prior to walking the streets in Maquis Park and meeting other residents a factor in why he gained access to this community? Where residents more “willing” to talk to him because they did not want to anger the gang? As Venkatesh point out “in the ghetto, one must negotiate public space before one can hustle” (171). Had Venkatesh negotiated his presence with the gang before getting to know the community? Had the gang provided Venkatesh with insight about the underground network that most residents were a part

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