Hope as Infrastructure: Evidence, Agency, and the Future of Change

​Event Description

Hope is often treated as a soft or abstract concept, yet it plays a critical role in shaping how individuals and societies navigate uncertainty, pursue change, and sustain action over time. At its core, hope is not just optimism, it is the combination of agency (the belief that change is possible) and pathways (the ability to see how to get there).

This session explores hope as a foundational but underexamined driver of social change. What does current research tell us about how hope develops across the life course, and how early experiences, such as relationships, health, and opportunity, shape long-term outcomes?

At the same time, significant gaps remain. Much of the existing evidence comes from high-income settings and short-term data, leaving us with limited understanding of how hope evolves in low- and middle-income contexts and among historically underrepresented young people.

The discussion will also explore the relationship between evidence and collective belief. In a time of growing uncertainty and fragmentation, how can evidence not only inform decisions but also sustain the sense that progress is possible?

Bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, this session will focus on how to better understand, measure, and invest in hope as a core ingredient of resilient, future-oriented systems.

​Speakers

• ​Irene Guijt is Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics, advancing evidence, learning, and systemic change through research and facilitation.

• ​Becky Schutt, Partner (Giving Connect), Senior Advisor (The Phillips Foundation, British Council Venice Biennale), Captain (Business Class)

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Discussion Questions
What is hope, and how does it shape individual and societal outcomes over time?
What gaps exist in our understanding of hope across different contexts and populations?
How can evidence strengthen, rather than undermine, a sense that change is possible?
What would it look like to invest in hope as part of long-term social and developmental strategies?