More on Hirschman

My last post left a few loose ends, so let me clarify and amplify. First, Albert Hirschman is very much with us, although in failing health. He could not attend yesterday's event in his honor, although his wonderful wife Sarah Hirschman and many members of the Hirschman family were there. It was a treat to hear from Sarah Hirschman the story of Albert crossing the Pyrenees on foot disguised as a shepherd, fleeing the Nazis. Such was his love of literature that he had to have a book by Montaigne in his pocket. So much for the disguise had he been stopped and searched! 

The occasion was the presentation of the Albert O. Hirschman Prize, which the Social Science Research Council, under the leadership of Craig Calhoun, has established to recognize scholarship in the tradition of Hirschman.  The selection committee, consisting of Barry Eichengreen, Arminio Fraga, and Al Fishlow, must have been under the influence of something quite strong, as it was their collective wisdom that the prize should go to me. 

This was a great opportunity to reacquaint myself with Hirschman's work, and to understand how Hirschmanesque some of my own work is (I guess I can now say this without sounding too pompous). It was also an enjoyable evening with not only the Hirschman family and the SSRC community, but also with some old friends. Aside from the members of the selection committee, Ron Findlay, Jose Antonio Ocampo, Roman Frydman, and Peter Dougherty were there, as was Eric Maskin--the most unassuming Nobel laureate you will ever meet. Eric, by the way, now occupies Hirschman's old chair at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Which brings me to the question of the Nobel Prize for Hirschman. I think Hirschman's contributions have been greatly under-appreciated within economics, and that goes a long way to explain why he has not won a Nobel. If the Nobel was given for impact on social sciences more broadly, Hirschman would have clearly won a long time ago. But who know, there is still some time...   

A few people have asked to see my lecture. I have only a powerpoint, but Roman Frydman has promised to have it turned into a Project Syndicate piece, so stay tuned.

UPDATE: Please read the correction from Sarah Hirschman.

UPDATE2: A short version of my presentation is now available here.

Comments

[Barkley Rosser]

Dani,

Congratulations on the honor.

[Sebastian]

Congratulations!

[Joe]

Congratulations!

[JC]

Congratulations! It is indeed impossible to think of anyone more fitting as a first awardee for an Albert Hirschman prize than yourself. Kudos to the selection committee.

Hirschman was too much of an intellectual 'trespasser,' someone who too often challenged received economic wisdoms and was unafraid of taking stands in policy debates (for instance over industrial policy). This leaves him with too long a rap sheet in the halls of Economics 'Science' to ever likely receive a Nobel, even though as an intellectual he hovers giantly above many who have received the prize.
I'm glad Economics has people like yourself who carry on his traditions.

[M]

Congradulation! Is it possible to receive your powerpoint?

[TKM]

Congratulations! Man, you really deserve it.

[Nicholas Gruen]

Congratulations and please please post the powerpoints.

[Sarah Hirschman]

Thanks for the nice post lecture note. Just to let you know Eric Maskin has not been appointed to the same chair as Albert; rather a new chair was created recently in the name of Albert O. Hirschman and when Eric came to the Institute for Advanced Study he was named to that chair so he is called Eric Maskin, Albert O. Hirchman Chair.I look forward to read more of your work. Sarah

[Peter Boettke]

Dani ---

Congratulations for the award. Hirschman was (is) indeed an intriguing intellect. I wish more in economics were like him. Glad to see the Social Science Research Council establish this award.

Pete

[Mary-Lea Cox]

FYI: I am sending out Prof. Rodrik's lecture for transcribing tomorrow (Monday, Nov. 5). Once it is transcribed and Prof. Rodrik okays it, we will post on www.ssrc.org along with his PowerPoint slides. I suspect that the entire process will take around two weeks. --Mary-Lea Cox, SSRC Communications Director

[neil robertson]

Many congratulations, too, from Scotland! By chance I
spent Sunday morning in a university library here in Dundee and chanced upon a waspish piece by AOH about 'A Prototypical Economic Adviser' in Chile called Jean-Gustave Courcelle-Seneuil ....

A cautionary tale, indeed, for all potential "Boys from Chicago" with one recipe for all situations!