Possibilism: An Approach to Problem‐Solving Derived from the Life and Work of Albert O. Hirschman |
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| Authors: | Philipp H Lepenies |
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| Institution: | is senior economist in the strategy department of KFW Entwicklungsbank (contact address: Hans Sachs Strasse 3a, 60487 Frankfurt, Germany, philipp.lepenies@kfw.de). His research interests include the history of development. The opinions expressed in this article are solely his own and do not reflect the views of KFW Entwicklungsbank. |
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| Abstract: | Albert O. Hirschman is the author of seminal, but prima facie unconnected contributions to the social sciences (‘exit–voice’, ‘linkages’). Yet, his main originality lies in his general approach to problem‐solving which is hidden behind the complexity of his oeuvre. This article intends to disentangle the intricacies of his work and to reveal his specific mode of investigation by making the multifaceted biographical influences on Hirschman's scholarly writings visible. Exhibiting the influence that decisive moments in his life had on his work not only allows us to identify and define his method of ‘possibilism’: it also shows that this approach remains a valid and useful multidisciplinary tool for unorthodox contemporary social analysis. |
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