The complex nexus between informality and the law: Reconsidering unauthorised settlements in light of the concept of nomotropism

•We discuss the nexus between unauthorized settlements and regulation.•The starting point is the concept of nomotropism (“acting in view of the rules”).•We explore the rapport between rules and transgression or non-compliance.•We provide new bases for reframing the problem of unauthorised settlements.•We focus on the redefinition of practices of land-use regulation in the Global South.

This article discusses the relations between unauthorised settlements and regulation in the Global South. It starts from the concept of “nomotropism”, by which is meant “acting in light of rules” (acting in light of rules does not necessarily entail acting “in conformity with rules”). Application of this concept foregrounds the underlying relationship among rules, informality and transgression. The aim of the inquiry is to provide new bases for reframing the problem of low-income unauthorised settlements and redefining practices of land-use regulation in the Global South.