A lecture from Bruce Wydick, professor of Economics & International Studies at the  University of San Francisco.

Professor Wydick's recent work examines the impact of development programs including microfinance, child sponsorship, and animal donation programs. Other recent work studies the role of hope and aspirations in escaping poverty traps. His academic publications have appeared in the Journal of Political Economy, Economic Journal, Economica, Oxford Economic Papers, Journal of Development Economics, World Development, Economic Development and Cultural Change and other journals. His recent study on the impact of child sponsorship has been the subject of stories by the BBC World Service, USA Today, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other media outlets.