Journal Article

Volume 36(1)

Norms, Networks, Power and Control: Understanding Informal Payments and Brokerage in Cross-Border Trade in Sierra Leone

This publication is also available in French

Norms, Networks, Power and Control: Understanding Informal Payments and Brokerage in Cross-Border Trade in Sierra Leone

Recent research has cast light on the variety of informal payments and practices that govern the day-to-day interactions between traders and customs agents at border posts in low-income countries. Building on this literature, this paper draws on survey and qualitative evidence in an effort to explore which groups are most advantaged and disadvantaged by the largely informal processes and norms governing cross-border trade. We find that variation in strategies and outcomes across traders can only be effectively understood with reference to the importance of norms, networks, power, and the logic of control.

Publication Details

Date

Publisher

Research theme

Share

Authors

Related Publications

Book

The Routledge Handbook of Smuggling

December 2021
Max Gallien, Florian Weigand

Journal Article

Informal Taxation in Sierra Leone: Magnitudes, Perceptions and Implications

October 2018
Vanessa van den Boogaard, Wilson Prichard, Samuel Jibao

Research in Brief

Informal Taxation in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone: Taxpayers’ Experiences and Perceptions

October 2017
Samuel Jibao, Wilson Prichard, Vanessa van den Boogaard

Policy Brief

What Have We Learned About Informal Taxation in sub-Saharan Africa?

May 2016
Vanessa van den Boogaard, Wilson Prichard