In Pursuit of Development
In Pursuit of Development is a podcast that explores global development issues such as democracy, poverty, inequality, and sustainability. Host Dan Banik engages with scholars, leaders, and innovators to discuss how societies navigate complex challenges and what it takes to build a more just and resilient world. The podcast offers sharp insights and a global perspective connecting local struggles to universal aspirations.
Episodes
How civil society adapts when aid shrinks | Tikhala Itaye
As traditional aid budgets shrink and donor priorities shift, civil society organizations across Malawi are being forced to rethink how they work, survive, and serve communities. In this conversation, Dan Banik speaks with Tikhala Itaye, a human rights lawyer and public health specialist, and the Founder and Executive Director of HeR Liberty, a young women-led organization in Malawi working to adv
Is Rwanda a development success? | Pritish Behuria
Rwanda is often described as one of Africa’s most remarkable development success stories: a country that rebuilt itself after the 1994 genocide, delivered impressive improvements in health and education, reduced its dependence on coffee, attracted global attention, and turned Kigali into a symbol of order, ambition, and state effectiveness.
But is Rwanda’s rise as durable as it appears?
Dan Banik
African agency at the crossroads | Dan Banik
In this solo episode, Dan Banik reflects on a series of recent conversations across Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Blantyre, and Mauritius, where African scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, NGO directors, administrators, and practitioners debated the future of development in a rapidly changing world.
Against a backdrop of dramatic aid cuts, geopolitical fragmentation, climate pressures, and gro
How public institutions become captured | Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett
Corruption is often imagined as a bribe paid to speed up a permit, avoid a fine, or gain access to a public service. But some of the most damaging forms of corruption operate at a much higher level, where powerful political and business actors reshape the rules of the game itself. This is the world of state capture: a process through which public institutions are bent away from the public interest
Why the UN looks different from the Global South | Alanna O’Malley
In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Alanna O’Malley, Professor and Chair of Global Governance & Wealth and Head of Department of History at Erasmus University, about the hidden history of the United Nations and the decisive role of the Global South in shaping global governance. Drawing on her forthcoming book, Decolonising Global Order, The Invisible History of the
The poverty trap that kills a million people a year | Madhukar Pai
Why does tuberculosis remain one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases even though it is preventable and curable? In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Madhukar Pai of the Department of Global and Public Health at the McGill School of Population and Global Health about why TB continues to thrive in conditions of poverty, undernutrition, overcrowding, and weak p
Can aid still fight poverty? | Elina Scheja
What happens to development cooperation when aid budgets are cut, geopolitical tensions rise, and poverty reduction competes with a growing range of strategic priorities? In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Elina Scheja, Chief Economist at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), about the changing politics of foreign aid and the future of de
Can Asia still deliver the development dream? | Philip Schellekens
Asia is often described as the great success story of modern development, a region of rapid growth, falling poverty, rising middle classes, and extraordinary transformation. But how accurate is that narrative today? And what does Asia’s experience really tell us about the future of development in a world marked by inequality, insecurity, demographic change, and technological disruption?
In this ep
Urbanization, inequality and the future of development | Benjamin Bradlow
Dan Banik speaks with Benjamin H. Bradlow, Assistant Professor of Sociology and International Affairs at Princeton University, about how cities can grow without leaving millions behind. At a moment when more than a billion people live in informal settlements or slum-like conditions, the conversation explores why access to housing, sanitation, transport, and other basic urban services remains so un
Why the middle class will shape global development | Homi Kharas
Dan Banik speaks with Homi Kharas about one of the most important yet surprisingly underexplored forces in modern development: the rise of the global middle class. Drawing on Kharas’s book The Rise of the Global Middle Class: How the Search for the Good Life Can Change the World, the conversation traces how the middle class emerged as a powerful social and economic force, why its center of gravity
Artificial intelligence and the future of human decision-making | Francesco Marcelloni
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how societies function — from healthcare and education to governance, public debate, and the future of work. But as AI systems become more powerful and more deeply embedded in everyday life, they also raise important questions about misinformation, democratic accountability, and the role of human judgment.
In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Franc
Why India–China relations could reshape the global order | Manoj Kewalramani
India-China relations are entering a new phase of cautious re-engagement after five years of deep tension following the 2020 Galwan clash. Leaders have resumed meetings, direct flights have restarted, and diplomatic channels are active again. However, beneath these gestures lie enduring structural fault lines: a widening power asymmetry, unresolved border disputes, shifting public opinion in India
Can philosophy save a world obsessed with power? | Thomas Pogge
In an era of intensifying great-power rivalry, shrinking foreign aid budgets, and declining faith in multilateralism, what role is left for global justice? In this wide-ranging conversation, the Yale philosopher Thomas Pogge joins Dan Banik in Oslo to examine whether morality still has a place in international politics or whether power has fully displaced principle.
The episode explores the growin
Debt, development finance, and global agency | David McNair
In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik is joined by Dr. David McNair, Executive Director of ONE.org, for a conversation on the future of activism and global development in an age of overlapping crises. At a time when debt distress is rising, humanitarian funding is falling, and trust in multilateral institutions is under strain, what does effective advocacy look like? Drawing on t
Six economists and the making of modern development | David Engerman
In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Yale historian David Engerman about how “development” became one of the most powerful and contested ideas of the modern era. Drawing on Engerman’s 2025 book Apostles of Development: Six Economists and the World They Made, the conversation follows six influential South Asian economists and policymakers, Amartya Sen, Jagdish Bhagwat
Making evidence actually usable | Lindsey Moore
This episode of In Pursuit of Development explores how AI is reshaping the way development organizations learn from evidence, unlocking lessons buried in evaluations and reports, and helping practitioners make better decisions in complex, fast-moving settings. Dan Banik speaks with Lindsey Moore, CEO and Founder of DevelopMetrics, about how ethical AI and predictive analytics can make development
Vietnam’s remarkable development turnaround | Arve Hansen
Vietnam is often held up as one of the world’s standout development success stories—rapid growth, dramatic poverty reduction, and a transformation from low-income to middle-income status within a single generation. But what happens when success starts to produce new tensions: rising inequality, changing public services, mounting pollution, and a consumption boom that reshapes everyday life?Dan Ban
Energy for growth on the African continent | Todd Moss
Electricity is often treated as a basic development milestone. But in large parts of the African continent, the deeper challenge is not only connecting people to the grid, but ensuring power is affordable and reliable enough to support jobs, industrialization, and economic transformation. This episode explores what energy poverty really means, why progress is uneven across regions, and what it wou
Looking back, thinking forward | Dan Banik
As the year comes to a close, this special year-end episode of In Pursuit of Development offers a reflective look back at the conversations that have shaped Season 6 so far. Host Dan Banik brings together the main ideas, debates, and tensions explored across the season, drawing connections between discussions on the rise of the Global South, shifting power in a multipolar world, democratic resilie
Climate, conflict and the development squeeze | Florian Krampe
Dan Banik and Florian Krampe explore how climate change is reshaping development and security debates -- not as a single cause of conflict, but as a force that intensifies existing vulnerabilities in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Moving beyond environmental impacts alone, the discussion examines how climate stress interacts with poverty, inequality, weak governance, and insecurity, with
Aid at the breaking point | Nilima Gulrajani
Foreign aid is under pressure. Budgets are shrinking, politics are hardening, and trust between donors and recipients is wearing thin. In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Nilima Gulrajani, Principal Research Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, about what aid has achieved, where it’s faltering, and how it must evolve in a fractured world.Drawing on more tha
How Latin America sees the new Global South | Benedicte Bull
Dan Banik sits down with Benedicte Bull, professor of political science at the University of Oslo’s Centre for Global Sustainability, to unpack how Latin America understands (and helps redefine) the idea of the Global South.Once used loosely to describe developing nations, the term has gained new political weight as global power becomes more diffuse and as countries in the South push back against
Borders, bargains, and the business of smuggling | Max Gallien
Smuggling is often portrayed as a shadowy threat to state authority — a world of criminals, traffickers, and dangerous border crossings. But in many parts of North Africa, smuggling is a fundamental part of the political economy. It sustains livelihoods, shapes state–society relations, and reveals how power actually works at the margins.In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with political scientist Ma
Solidarity in a divided world | Cecilia Bailliet
In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Cecilia Marcela Bailliet, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity and Professor at the University of Oslo’s Faculty of Law about what solidarity truly means in an era of geopolitical tension, shrinking aid budgets, and growing inward-looking politics. Cecilia argues that solidarity is far more than a political catchphrase. It is
When evidence meets Washington politics | Dean Karlan
In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with economist Dean Karlan, the Frederic Esser Nemmers Distinguished Professor at Northwestern University and former Chief Economist of USAID, about his effort to build a new evidence-driven office inside the world’s largest bilateral aid agency. Drawing on his experience from 2022 to 2025, Dean reflects on the ambition behind creating the Office of the Chief Econ
China’s evolving role in global development finance | Hong Bo
As globalization gives way to fragmentation, the politics of finance and development are shifting fast. Tariffs, trade wars, and geopolitical rivalries are redrawing economic maps, while traditional sources of aid are shrinking. In this environment, low- and middle-income countries are searching for new partners and new pathways to growth—and China’s role looms large.Over the past two decades, Chi
Power, policy, and the future of global development | Rachel Glennerster
In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik sits down with Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development (CGD), to discuss how the global development landscape is being reshaped by shifting politics, tighter budgets, and new sources of innovation and influence. From Washington to New Delhi, the narrative of development is evolving—no longer centered solely on aid,
Democracy against the odds | Happy Kayuni
Malawi has once again gone to the polls, reaffirming its reputation as one of Africa’s most enduring democracies. In September 2025, former president Peter Mutharika returned to power after defeating Lazarus Chakwera in a peaceful transfer of power that defied global trends of democratic decline. Despite widespread poverty, inflation, and economic stagnation, Malawians continue to place their trus
The protest that changed Serbia | Nemanja Džuverović
One year after a deadly train-station collapse in Novi Sad that killed sixteen people, Serbia’s student-led protests have become a powerful challenge to corruption, impunity, and democratic decay.In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Nemanja Džuverović, Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Belgrade, about how grief turned into the country’s largest civic movement in decades. Together t
Why choosing sides is out of style | Jorge Heine
In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Jorge Heine, a seasoned diplomat, former Minister of State, and Chile’s ambassador to China, India, and South Africa — three pivotal countries at the center of today’s shifting world order. Drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience, Heine discusses the growing influence of the Global South and the resurgence of active non-alignment as nations navigate an
Who gains from AI? Human development in a divided world | Pedro Conceição
In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Pedro Conceição, Director of the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report Office, about the enduring power and renewed urgency of the human development idea.The conversation begins with the origins of the Human Development Reports, tracing how Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen transformed a moral vision into a m
Africa’s pulse: Listening to citizens in an age of uncertainty | Joseph Asunka
As global politics shifts and economic pressures mount, understanding what citizens actually think — not what outsiders assume they think — has never been more important. In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Joseph Asunka, CEO of Afrobarometer, the pan-African, non-partisan research network that has become the world’s leading source of high-quality data on what Africans are thinking about democr
Bangladesh: How a ‘basket case’ became a development pioneer | Naomi Hossain
Bangladesh is often described as one of the great development success stories of recent decades. Poverty has fallen sharply, life expectancy has risen, and millions of women have entered the workforce. Today, however, that narrative sits uneasily beside new questions about data reliability, the cost-of-living crisis, and deepening inequality. What explains this paradox and what does Bangladesh’s e
How to Save the United Nations from Financial Meltdown | Ronny Patz
The United Nations is facing its worst financial crisis in decades. Compared to its 2023 peak, total UN spending has fallen by almost one-third.While some countries have withheld much of their funding, others are paying late. And still others have reduced or postponed contributions. Against this backdrop, Secretary-General António Guterres has launched the UN80 reform initiative, an effort to stre
From crisis to possibility | Dan Banik
In the first episode of In Pursuit of Development Season 6, host Dan Banik returns after an unexpected year-and-a-half hiatus following a serious health emergency. Dan examines how the world has entered a period of profound flux. The once-stable liberal international order is giving way to a more fragmented and contested multipolar reality. He explores how trade wars, weakening multilateral instit
Empowering Bureaucrats for Better Government Performance — Dan Honig
Season finale! It is my great pleasure to welcome back a person I have very much enjoyed speaking with earlier— Dan Honig, an Associate Professor of Public Policy at University College London and Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy (@rambletastic). His latest book is Mission Driven Bureaucrats: Empowering People To Help Government Do Better. Mission-driven bureaucrats, according to Dan, ar
Rising Powers and the New Global Order — Rohan Mukherjee
The liberal international order, characterized by rules-based multilateralism and values such as openness and representation, is often portrayed in terms of multiple crises. These crises, often analyzed from a Western perspective, include the reduced support of some Western powers towards certain multilateral institutions and the establishment of new ones by rising powers. However, these narrative
Great Power Competition and the Global South — Ilaria Carrozza
The ever-evolving world of global power dynamics is characterized by the complex relationships between large economies such as the United States and China and how these interactions are perceived and navigated by countries in the Global South. Understanding these dynamics requires a comprehensive view of how some countries, such as China, position themselves as a challenger to the existing world o
Politics, power, and resistance — Ian Shapiro
A central theme in Ian Shapiro's extensive body of research is the concept of domination, which captures the reactive nature of human beings towards power structures. Unlike traditional political theories that imagine societies designing just orders from scratch, Ian argues that political institutions evolve in response to the rejection of unacceptable power dynamics. This reactive nature is evide
Administrative Capacity and Its Impact on Development in Pakistan — Sameen A. Mohsin Ali
Effective bureaucracies are pivotal in mobilizing resources, implementing development projects, and ensuring equitable distribution of growth benefits across all societal segments. Conversely, weak administrative systems often result in inefficiency, corruption, and the derailment of vital development efforts aimed at improving health, education, and economic opportunities. The significance of adm
Infrastructure, Governance, and Society in Modern Africa — Karuti Kanyinga
A common concern voiced by leaders in many developing nations is the deterioration of their road systems and the apparent hesitance of the international community to fund infrastructure improvements. In response, China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013. This sweeping project has facilitated investments in sectors such as transportation, infrastructure, telecommunications, logisti
Politics of the Planet — Lan Marie Nguyen Berg
The continued reliance on a "business as usual" model is insufficient for countering the detrimental consequences of global warming. Numerous studies, including the influential reports from the IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, have sparked a keen interest in understanding the prerequisites for the societal transformations necessary to address climate change effectively. However
Tackling the Energy Access and Development Challenge — Jörg Ankel-Peters
Many nations around the world are grappling with the challenge of providing reliable and sustainable energy access to their populations. Half a billion people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, still rely on biomass for their basic needs, underscoring the urgent necessity for innovative energy solutions. The quest for electrification, especially in rural and underserved
The US-China Partnership That Transformed International Trade — Elizabeth Ingleson
In the fabric of today's interconnected globe, "Made in China" has emerged as a richly layered emblem, intertwined with economic, political, and cultural narratives. Every day, consumers worldwide engage with this tag, embedded in an array of products, prompting us to ponder: What deeper meanings unfold from the assertion that a product is "Made in China"? Pursuing this question guides us through
Empowering Change: Leadership's Role in Global Development — Willem Fourie
Effective leadership is characterized by its ability to inspire collective action, foster inclusivity, and navigate the intricate dynamics of political, economic, and cultural landscapes to drive meaningful change. The challenge of leadership in the context of development is further complicated by the need for adaptability and resilience. Leaders must be capable of steering their communities throu
Cityscapes and Sanctuaries: Exploring the Socio-Spatial and Religious Dynamics of Johannesburg and Lagos — Obvious Katsaura
The African continent is projected to have the fastest urban growth rate in the world: by 2050, Africa’s cities will be home to an additional 950 million people. While this surge presents urban centers with a wealth of opportunities such as a larger workforce, increased consumer markets, and greater potential for cultural exchange, it also brings forth substantial challenges. The rapid population
Voices and Votes: Shaping the Democratic Landscape in Africa — Boniface Dulani
The landscape of democracy in Africa is characterized by a dynamic interplay between achievements and obstacles, particularly as the continent approaches a pivotal year with numerous elections scheduled in 2024. Countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and Senegal are preparing for electoral contests, underscoring a persistent belief in the electoral system as a legitimate means to sel
Democracy in the Balance: Navigating Latin America's Political Landscape — Gerardo Munck
The political landscape of Latin America has undergone major transformation since the democratization wave of the 1980s and 1990s. During this time, most democracies in the region have managed to persist, albeit with a few notable exceptions. However, the quality of these democracies has often been questioned. Guillermo O’Donnell's characterization of Latin American democracies as "strange and fla
The Globalization of Finance and Its Impact on State Building — Didac Queralt
An increasing number of countries are struggling with rising debt and facing defaults. A recent World Bank report revealed that developing countries paid a record $443.5 billion in 2022 to service their public debts, a situation exacerbated by surging global interest rates and a strong U.S. dollar. This debt servicing cost represents a 5% increase from the previous year, with warnings of more chal
The Genesis of the Human Development Report and Index — Meghnad Desai
The landscape of development theory, measurement, and policy was transformed in 1990 with the publication of the first Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). This report also introduced the Human Development Index, which is a summary measure of average achievement in 3 key dimensions of human development: life expectancy at birth, literacy and income. In 1981, A
Global Structural Reform: Poverty, Freedom, Justice, and Innovation — Thomas Pogge
We explore the idea that the gravest deficits in freedom are intrinsically linked to poverty, impacting individuals and nations worldwide. We also examine the global innovation regime's crucial role in shaping progress and human development. International impact funds encourage and reward innovations based on their social benefits, potentially revolutionizing the current innovation regime. Towards
The Future of Industrialization – Jostein Hauge
Few events have transformed society as profoundly as the Industrial Revolution. The introduction of the factory system not only revolutionized the production landscape but also reshaped the social and economic contours of nations. This transformation was marked by the birth of industries such as textiles, iron, and glass-making, which catapulted productivity and altered every facet of daily life,
Development as a Right: Unpacking Principles and Practices — Surya Deva
The right to development enables individuals and communities to actively participate in and benefit from various forms of development — economic, social, cultural, and political — while ensuring their human rights and freedoms. It involves a range of responsibilities, including the roles of states, multinational companies, NGOs, businesses, and educational institutions. Central to this right are p
Shifting Paradigms: The Global South and Feminist Political Economy Unveiled — Sara Stevano
The term "Global South" has seen an exponential rise in both academic discourse and international policy dialogues, having evolved from a mere synonym for the “Third World” to a complex geo-historical concept. In the first part of this episode, we critically analyze the utility and limitations of the term, acknowledging the diverse economic, political, and cultural realities it attempts to encapsu
Beyond Trade: China's Cultural and Political Relations in Africa – Joshua Eisenman
China's burgeoning relationship with the African continent has been characterized by significant economic investment, trade, and infrastructure development, with China emerging as Africa's largest trading partner and a major player in the continent's evolving economic landscape. In recent years, we have seen an influx of Chinese involvement in African industries ranging from mining and constructio
Accountability in Action: The World Bank's Inspection Panel on the Frontlines – Ramanie Kunanayagam
Established as an independent complaints mechanism in 1993, the Inspection Panel is tasked with bringing transparency and redress to those adversely affected by World Bank-funded initiatives. The Panel is widely recognized as an international pioneer in respect to holding a major multilateral organization to account on social and environmental issues. Over the past three decades, it has registered
From Miracle to Menace: The Fight Against Plastic Pollution — Gloria Majiga
Once heralded as a miraculous material, plastic now poses a slow and insidious threat to our waterways, landscapes, and ecosystems. Plastic pollution impacts different regions of the world to varying degrees, and Malawi stands out as a notable example. An estimated 75,000 tons of plastic are manufactured annually in the country, with a minimum of 80% of these plastics being discarded as single-use
Decoding Development: The Crucial Role of Institutions – Shiping Tang
Development implies not just growth over a significant period of time but also progressive changes in the structure of an economy. Many influential scholars have identified the crucial role of property rights and the importance of constraining the power of the state while others highlight the importance of political settlements, development clusters, and inclusive economic and political institutio
Making Sense of Cancer: Why Better Therapy Leads to More Disease – Jarle Breivik
The overarching objective of cancer research, championed by organizations like the US National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, is to "end cancer as we know it". While this statement may suggest a future with less cancer, the stark reality unfolds quite differently. My guest argues that modern medicine is not in the process of ending cancer; rather, we are accelerating the problem
Beyond Red Tape: Unraveling Bureaucratic Paradoxes in Public Service Delivery – Akshay Mangla
Scholars have highlighted the extent to which institutions in certain developing countries often lack the power to effectively project authority and implement policies. There may also be a substantial gap between public policy objectives and their actual execution, which in turn reduces the credibility and legitimacy of the state. Bureaucracies exhibit significant variation in their ability to imp
Unpacking the Backlash Against Globalization and its Impact on Inequality – Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg
Globalization is a force that has transformed our world in ways both remarkable and challenging. From the historic wave of trade liberalizations in the late 20th century to the monumental rise of China, an intricate interplay of a range of forces has molded the interconnected nature of our planet. Along the way, we have witnessed the decline of manufacturing in advanced economies and the far-reach
A New Horizon: Advancing Public Sector Reform in Africa – Happy Kayuni
Many African countries have undergone various phases of public sector reform aimed at enhancing efficiency and service delivery. But how effective have such reforms been? How and to what extent can some of these reforms be characterised as "institutional mimicry", where institutions adopt the language and behavior of reform without necessarily achieving substantial changes on the ground? How merit
Political Constraints in Growth and Development: Moving beyond talking about them to actually tackling them – Peter Evans
Although political constraints have significant negative impacts on development, mainstream approaches to addressing these issues are often primarily technical and lack a willingness to understand and address political economy factors. Despite decades of technical efforts in sectors like health, education, and climate, some critical problems persist, such as drug supply losses, tree planting failu
India's Aspirations on the Global Stage — Suhasini Haidar
India's journey from a post-colonial nation to a global powerhouse has been nothing short of remarkable. The journey to this point has been marked by twists and turns, economic reforms, and strategic partnerships that have propelled India onto the world stage in ways that were once unimaginable. In the process, it has become an economic powerhouse, fostering innovation, trade, and partnerships tha
Humanity's Enduring Quest for Power and Prosperity – Daron Acemoglu
We engage in a discussion centered around Daron Acemoglu's latest book, co-authored with Simon Johnson, titled Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity. The choices we make regarding technology can either advance the interests of a select elite or serve as the foundation for widespread prosperity. But technology's trajectory can be, and should be, controlled an
Unveiling the Global Tapestry: Liberalism, Democracy, and the Path to Development – Francis Fukuyama
Grounded in fundamental principles of equality and the rule of law, liberalism is a system for governing diverse societies and emphasizes the rights of individuals to pursue their own forms of happiness free from government encroachment. But classical liberalism is in a state of crisis and is now being challenged from both the political right and the left. In his latest book – Liberalism and its d
Unraveling Brazil's political and legal landscape – Conrado Hübner Mendes
In the wake of President Lula's re-election, Brazil finds itself at a critical juncture, with numerous questions arising about the relationship between the political, legislative, and judicial systems. As Brazil grapples with its political dynamics, it is crucial to understand the extent to which the judiciary maintains its autonomy and upholds the rule of law. In this episode, we dive deep into t
Planet & Progress: Navigating Climate, Poverty, and Aid — Anne Beathe Tvinnereim
Our world is currently facing numerous crises. While progress on global poverty reduction has stalled, the incidence of violent conflicts is on the rise. Along with rising poverty and inequality in some parts of the world, geopolitical tensions are also fast escalating, and we are in the midst of a climate crisis that requires urgent political action. The resources available to address these numer
Forging New Paths in Challenging Geopolitical Landscapes — Stephen D. Krasner
Steve Krasner has for decades been one of the most influential international relations scholars in the world. He is the Graham H. Stuart Professor of International Relations and a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute and the Hoover Institution.In 2002, he served as Director for Governance and Development at the National Security Council. And from 2005 to 2007, he was Dir
Unleashing the Power of Business to Change the World — Raj Kumar
Although traditional approaches to aid may often have been well-intentioned, they relied heavily on large-scale endeavors initiated by a handful of aid agencies and international organizations. The situation today is very different. There are disruptive forces in the form of large corporations, Silicon Valley startups, and billionaire philanthropists, who are spearheading a paradigm shift towards
Using Evidence to Drive Policy and Achieve Lasting Development Impact — Rachel Glennerster
There is considerable and growing attention and interest on understanding what works, where, how, and why in development. This also means there are numerous debates on how best we ought to generate evidence and measure development success and impact. One way of measuring development impact is through randomized control trials (RCTs), which have been very useful for establishing causal relationship
Unpacking the complexities of corruption — Daniel Agbiboa
The conventional wisdom is that corruption is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has a significant impact on societies and individuals around the world. And most people would agree that corruption is bad. It can undermine the rule of law, erode public trust, and distort economic development. But there are those who argue that to truly address corruption, we must rethink our understanding o
How industrialization reshapes modern ethnic identities — Elliott Green
One of the most important factors explaining ethnic change in the modern world is industrialization, which has resulted in significant changes in the way we live and work, including changes in migration patterns and social structures. As people move from rural areas to urban centers, they may find themselves interacting with others from very different cultural backgrounds and must therefore adapt
How China's digital entrepreneurs are redefining innovation and reshaping the global economy — Lin Zhang
Internet-based entrepreneurship has flourished in China for the past decade and a half. This includes start-ups in big cities, rural areas experiencing an e-commerce boom, and middle-class women reselling luxury goods. My guest argues that for many of these individuals involved in digital entrepreneurship, reinventing oneself as an entrepreneur has been an appealing way to adapt to a changing econ
Making every dollar count — Ryan Briggs
Effective altruism has been in the news of late. Sam Bankman-Fried, the CEO of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, which collapsed in 2022, was for many years a leading voice for and financial sponsor of the effective altruist movement. He and others have argued for ‘longtermism’: the idea that positively influencing the distant future is a key moral priority of our time. As effective altruism and lo
Patching development – Rajesh Veeraraghavan
Many well-designed development programs do not deliver social benefits effectively, especially to marginalized citizens. While political will and good policy design are vital for a program’s success, they often run into resistance from local power systems. How states react to the local exercise of power that often comes into play at the “last mile” of project implementation appears to be particula
Is economic growth the magic wand for ending poverty? — Charles Kenny
Charles Kenny is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington DC. He was previously at the World Bank, where his assignments included coordinating work on governance and anticorruption in infrastructure and natural resources, and managing investment and technical assistance projects covering telecommunications and the Internet. Charles has written several books, two of which
A more fragmented world — Helen Clark
Our guest on this very special (100th) episode is someone I greatly admire and needs very little introduction. Helen Clark has engaged widely in policy development and advocacy across the international, economic, social and cultural spheres. She was Prime Minister of New Zealand for nine years and has also served as the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. Since 2019, she has
The European Union and global development — Johanne Døhlie Saltnes
The European Union is collectively the biggest provider of international aid in the world, contributing over € 50 billion a year to the fight against poverty and the advancement of global development. However, while the EU’s capacities and impact in foreign and security policy have been extensively discussed among scholars and policymakers, its role in promoting global development has attracted le
Banking on Beijing — Axel Dreher
China plays a crucial role in the development policies of many countries around the world. It offers grants and loans, and builds major infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, power plants, parliament buildings, hotels, and football stadiums. A new book claims that that much of the conventional wisdom about Chinese development finance rests on untested assumptions, individual case studies,
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