The Second Conference on Albert Hirschman’s Legacy “A Bias for Hope” was held at the World Bank in October 2018. Thanks also to the location (and to the precious collaboration with the Independent Evaluation Group - WB Group), the Conference had a prevailing theme – development – that came up again and again in different facets of the discussion and, in its turn, introduced and justified many other significant pursuits.

This e-book collects papers and essays by the participants, and is a witness to the vitality with which Hirschman’s ideas continue to inspire competent work around the world, be it that of academics or practitioners, to find ways out to current predicaments, and to open up new perspectives for the improvement of our societies. Connected to the First Conference “For a Better World”, the present e-book provides clues useful for well intentioned people.