Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

Chen, Martha, Erofili Grapsa, Ghida Ismail, Michael Rogan, Marcela Valdivia, Laura Alfers, Jenna Harvey, Ana Carolina Ogando, Sarah Orleans Reed, and Sally Roever. "COVID-19 and informal work: Evidence from 11 cities." International Labour Review 161.1 (March 2022): 29-58.
Chen, Martha, and Françoise Carré. Review of Informal Women Workers in the Global South: Policies and Practices for the Formalisation of Women's Employment in Developing Economies, ed. Jayati Ghosh. Gender & Development, 29.2-3, 09/02/2021: 684-687.
Chen, Martha, Erofili Grapsa, Ghida Ismail, Mike Rogan, and Marcela Valdivia. "COVID-19 and Informal Work: Distinct Pathways of Impact and Recovery in 11 Cities Around the World." Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), July 2021.
Chen, Martha. "COVID-19, Cities and Urban Informal Workers: India in Comparative Perspective." The Indian Journal of Labour Economics 63 (September 2020): 41–46.
Chen, Martha. "Introduction and Conclusion." The Informal Economy Revisited: Examining the Past, Envisioning the Future. Ed. Chen, Martha and Francoise Carre. Routledge, 2020.
Chen, Martha. "WIEGO Research on Informal Employment: Key Methods, Variables and Findings." The Informal Economy Revisited: Examining the Past, Envisioning the Future. Ed. Chen, Martha and Francoise Carre. Routledge, 2020.
Chen, Martha, and Françoise Carré, eds. The Informal Economy Revisited: Examining the Past, Envisioning the Future. Taylor & Francis, 2020.
Chen, Martha. "Economic Rights of the Informal Self-Employed: Three Urban Cases." Economic Liberties and Human Rights. Ed. Jahel Queralt and Bas van Vossen. Routledge Press, 2019.
Chen, Martha. "Informality and Inequality: In a Globalized and Urbanized World." United Nations Development Programme, May 2019.
Von Broembsen, Marlese, Jenna Harvey, and Martha Chen. "Realizing Rights for Homeworkers: An Analysis of Governance Mechanisms." Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, March 2019.
Bonnet, Florence, Joann Vanek, and Martha Chen. "Women and Men in the Informal Economy: A Statistical Brief." WIEGO and ILO, January 2019.
Chen, Martha. "The Future of Informal Work: Insights from India." Future of Work: Lessons from India. Ed. Amit Basole and Radhicka Kapoor. Self-Employed Women's Association, 2019.
Chen, Martha, Chris Bonner, Françoise Carré, and Rhonda Douglas. "Informal Worker Organising and Mobilisation: Linking Global with Local Advocacy." The Routledge Companion to Planning in the Global South. Ed. Gautam Bhan, Smita Srinivas, and Vanessa Watson. Routledge, 2018.
Chen, Martha and Victoria Beard. "Including the Excluded: Supporting Informal Workers for More Equal and Productive Cities in the Global South." World Resources Institute, May 2018.
Chen, Martha. "The South African Informal Sector in International Comparative Perspective: Theories, Data and Policies." The South African Informal Sector: Creating Jobs, Reducing Poverty. Ed. Frederick Fourie. HSRC Press, 2018.
Chen, Martha, Jenna Harvey, Caroline Wanjiku Kihato, and Caroline Skinner. "Inclusive Public Spaces for Informal Livelihoods: A Discussion Paper for Urban Planners and Policy Makers." Cities Alliance and WIEGO, 2018.
Rogan, Michael, Sally Roever, Martha Alter Chen, and Françoise Carre. "Informal Employment in the Global South: Globalisation, Production Relations and ‘Precarity’." Research on the Sociology of Work 31 (Precarious Work) (2017).
Chen, Martha. "The Informal Economy in Arab Nations: A Comparative Perspective." Arab Watch Report on Informal Employment. Arab Nations NGOs for Development, 2017.
Eaton, Adrienne E., Susan J. Schurman, and Martha Chen, eds. Informal Workers and Collective Action: A Global Perspective. Cornell University Press, 2017.
Chen, Martha, and Rachel Moussie. "Turning a Blind Eye to Women in the Informal Economy." The IMF and Gender Equality: A Compendium of Feminist Macroeconomic Critiques. Bretton Woods Project, 2017.
Chen, Martha. "Expanding the Economic Potential of Women Informal Workers." Secretariat, UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, December 2016.
Chen, Martha, and Frances Lund. "Overcoming Barriers and Addressing Gender Dimensions in Universal Health Care for Informal Workers: Lessons from India and Thailand." Social Protection for Informal Workers in Asia. Ed. Sri Wening Handayani. Asian Development Bank, 2016.
Chen, Martha, Sally Roever, and Caroline Skinner. "Urban Livelihoods: Reviewing the Evidence in Support of the New Urban Agenda." Environment and Urbanization Brief No. 34 (November 2016).
Chen, Martha, Sally Roever, and Caroline Skinner. "Editorial: Urban Livelihoods: Reframing Theory and Policy." Environment and Urbanization 28.2 (September 2016): 1-12.
Chen, Martha and Shalini Sinha. "Home-Based Workers and Cities." Environment and Urbanization 28.2 (September 2016): 343-358.
Chen, Martha. "Technology, Informal Workers and Cities: Insights from Ahmedabad (India), Durban (South Africa) and Lima (Peru)." Environment and Urbanization 28.2 (September 2016): 405-422.
von Broembsen, Marlese, and Martha Chen. "Eliminating Legal Barriers from the Perspective of the Informal Economy." Secretariat, UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, September 2016.
Klugman, Jeni, Laura Tyson, and Panel and Deputy Panel Members of UN High Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment (including Martha Chen). "Leave No One Behind: A Call to Action for Gender Equality and Women's Economic Empowerment." Secretariat, UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, September 2016.
Chen, Martha. "The Informal Economy: Recent Trends, Future Directions." New Solutions 26 (August 2016): 2.
Chen, Martha. "The Urban Informal Economy: Towards More Inclusive Cities." Urbanet, August 2016.
Chen, Martha. "Women and the Informal Economy in Urban Africa: From the Margins to the Centre." Review of Women and the Informal Economy in Urban Africa: From the Margins to the Centre, by Mary Njeri Kinyanjui. Gender & Development, 23.2, July 2015: 394-397.
Vanek, Joann, Martha Chen, and Govindan Raveendran. "A Guide to Obtaining Data on Types of Informal Workers in Official Statistics." WIEGO Statistical Brief No. 8, May 2015.
Chen, Martha. "First Take: Waste -- Global Challenge, Latin American Lessons." ReVista: The Harvard Review of Latin America. Winter 2015.
Fernández, Lucía, and Martha Chen. "Recycling Livelihoods: A Global Network Supports Waste Pickers in Latin America." ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America. Winter 2015.
Chen, Martha. "Informal Employment and Development: Patterns of Inclusion and Exclusion." The European Journal of Development Research 26.4 (September 2014): 397-418.
Chen, Martha, Roopa Madhav, and Kaplana Sharma. "Legal Reforms for the Self-Employed: Three Urban Cases." The Indian Journal of Industrial Relations 50.1 (July 2014): 133-150.
Chen, Martha, and Caroline Skinner. "The Urban Informal Economy: Enhanced Knowledge, Appropriate Policies and Effective Organization." The Routledge Handbook on Cities of the Global South. Ed. Susan Parnell, and Sophie Oldfield. Routledge, 2014.
Chen, Martha. "Statistics on the Informal Economy: Definitions, Regional Estimates & Challenges." WIEGO Working Paper (Statistics) No. 2, April 2014.
Chen, Martha. "Informal Economy Monitoring Study Sector Report: Home-Based Workers." Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing, April 2014.
Chen, Martha. "Women in Informal Employment." Toolkit: Learning and Working in the Informal Economy. Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, 2014.
Chen, Martha, and Govindan Raveendran. "Urban Employment in India: Recent Trends and Patterns." WIEGO Working Paper No. 7, January 2014.
Chen, Martha. "Women and the Informal Economy: Economic Actors and Global Leaders." Women in the Global Economy: Leading Social Change. Ed. Trish Tierney. Institute of International Education Foundation, 2013.
Chen, Martha. "Informal Workers in the Developing World: Organizing in the Global Economy." New Labor Forum 22.1 (January/February 2013): 67-73.
Chen, Martha, and Joann Vanek. "Informal Employment Revisited: Theories, Data, and Policies." Indian Journal of Industrial Relations 48.3 (January 2013).
Chen, Martha. "Self-Employed Women’s Association of India: A National Trade Union and International Role Model." Case Study for World Development Report 2013, World Bank, 2012.
Chen, Martha, Chris Bonner, Mahendra Chetty, Lucia Fernandez, Karin Pape, Federico Parra, Arbind Singh, and Caroline Skinner. "Urban Informal Workers: Representative Voice & Economic Rights." Background Paper for World Development Report 2012, World Bank, 2012.
Bali, Namrata, Martha Alter Chen, and Ravi Kanbur, eds. Bridging Perspectives: Labour, Informality, and Poverty. SEWA Academy, 2012.
Chen, Martha. "The Informal Economy: Definitions, Theories and Policies." WIEGO Working Paper No. 1, August 2012.
Chen, Martha. "The Informal Economy in Comparative Perspective." A Handbook of Economic Anthropology. Ed. James G. Carrier. Edward Elgar Pub, 2012.
Chen, Martha. "Global Recession and the Informal Economy: Evidence from Latin America and Beyond." The Global Economic Crisis in Latin America. Ed. Michael Cohen. Routledge, May 2012.