This seminar explores the value of mixed qualitative methods in advancing our understanding of changing urban environments and forms of informal work. It draws primarily on in-depth ethnographic research conducted over one year from August 2018 with 22 young informal workers in Dar es Salaam and Arusha, Tanzania. It is also complemented by more recent research undertaken in January 2025 with young vendors conducting business using smartphones and social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.

The talk highlights how integrating mobile GPS tracking, life-mapping interviews, observations and participatory timeline diagrams captures nuanced perspectives on how informal workers navigate and respond to shifts in social, cultural, economic and physical environments. Annotated GPS maps and observations provide detailed insights into vendors’ everyday spatial movements, while life-mapping interviews and participatory timelines illuminate connections between past experiences, present livelihood practices and future aspirations in relation to broader socio-cultural and environmental dynamics.

Drawing on the 2025 research, the seminar also reflects on the transferability of these methods in combination, particularly interviews and life-mapping approaches, for investigating forms of online informal work and engagement with digital platforms. Together, the findings demonstrate how mixed qualitative methods can deepen understanding of changing environments across both physical and digital spaces, highlighting the adaptability and agency of young informal workers. The seminar concludes by reflecting on the implications of these insights for future research and for policies aimed at supporting marginalised communities amidst increasing precarity and environmental and technological change.