Performing a peer-to-peer economy: how Airbnb hosts navigate socio-institutional frameworks

Abstract

Airbnb is commonly seen as emblematic of the disruptive forces of peer-to-peer platforms, and often attracts attention due to its relationship to existing socio-institutional frameworks. This article investigates how existing societal structures are navigated, remade or challenged through Airbnb hosting. In taking a performative approach to the economic forms found in collaborative economies, this article introduces a novel way of thinking about such changes. In examining performances of Airbnb hosts performances this article endeavours to move beyond distinctions of commercial, cultural and private, but rather perceives such categories as performatively constructed through ongoing framings. Through 33 qualitative interviews with hosts in Copenhagen, Denmark and Philadelphia, United States, this article explores how hosting becomes entangled with social and institutional frameworks through host performances. First, the article explores host strategies for navigating and making sense of local legislation. Second, the article moves to the theme of taxation and discusses how hosts balance public obligations with personal profit. Finally, the article addresses how hosting is negotiated in relation to neighbour relations and implications for local communities. The article contributes with insights into how Airbnb hosting is transforming urban landscapes, as well as discussions on the heterogeneity of economies.

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