Albert O. Hirschman, the renowned German economist, is widely considered as one of the great minds of the 20th century. His work spanned various areas, including development economics, political economy, and political ideology. Yet, the common thread that ties his oeuvre together has always been adistinctly political question: the problem of democracy — how it thrives or, at least, how it muddles through without succumbing to authoritarianism.

In his newest book, Michele Alacevich (Professor of History of Economic Thought and Economic History) depicts how Hirschman addressed the question of democracy throughout his life’s work, even when the specific themes he discussed seemed to lack a political dimension. Albert O. Hirschman: An Intellectual Biography (2021) also explores how Hirschman's interest in this question was indissolubly linked to a specific reformist political vision. This book will take center stage in this edition of ie.talks, which will feature a presentation by the author and a discussion with our panelists and audience.