Sudan War Series – Article 08
Navigating Displacement: Sudanese Hustling in Cairo
The Sudan War series is a joint collaboration between the Center for Economic, Legal, and Social Studies and Documentation – Khartoum (CEDEJ-K), Sudan-Norway Academic Cooperation (SNAC)andAfrican Arguments – Debating Ideas. Through a number of themes that explore the intersections of war, displacement, identities and capital, Sudanese researchers, many of whom are themselves displaced, highlight their own experiences, the unique dynamisms within the larger communities affected by war, and readings of their possible futures.
Article 08 by Mohamed Jamal
In the harsh realities of forced displacement, survival often necessitates an active, resourceful engagement with the informal economy—a phenomenon captured by the concept of “the hustle”. This analysis delves into the sophisticated yet precarious economic strategies deployed by Sudanese in Cairo, with brokerage emerging not merely as a survival mechanism, but as the quintessential form of this urban “hustle.” Situated within contemporary understandings of survival economies, this piece argues that despite Sudanese individuals using different economic survival strategies, brokerage in its diverse forms—from navigating the complex real estate market to facilitating bureaucratic processes—represents the core adaptive response to precarity. It also highlights how displaced individuals ingeniously leverage social capital, intricate local knowledge, and an acute understanding of market gaps to create avenues for income generation. While indispensable for meeting basic needs, this “hustle” inherently operates within an ethically ambiguous space, underscoring the delicate balance between resourcefulness and vulnerability in Cairo’s challenging informal landscape. This article offers a nuanced exploration of these often-overlooked economic practices, revealing the ingenuity and systemic challenges embedded within Sudanese communities’ relentless pursuit of survival.
Read the full article here by Mohamed Jamal.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
cedejsudan (28 juillet 2025). Sudan War Series – Article 08. Researching Sudan - A perspective on contemporary Sudan. Consulté le 9 mars 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/14fxh
