https://simplecast.com In Pursuit of Development Step into conversations that travel across continents and challenge the way you think about progress. From democracy and inequality to climate resilience and healthcare, Dan Banik explores how societies navigate the complex terrain of democracy, poverty, inequality, and sustainability. Through dialogues with scholars, leaders, and innovators, In Pursuit of Development uncovers how ideas travel, why policies succeed or fail, and what it takes to build a more just and resilient world. Expect sharp insights, candid reflections, and a global perspective that connects local struggles to universal aspirations. Listen, reflect, and be inspired to see global development in a new light. 🎧 2026 Dan Banik, In Pursuit of Development en Wed, 8 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Wed, 8 Apr 2026 05:00:11 +0000 https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com In Pursuit of Development https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/ef70bd2f-345f-4092-be33-5c4ca29e976c/b9995a53-78d1-4b11-b2be-7bfdbb1c56dd/3000x3000/ipod-season6-final-final-sandy.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com episodic Step into conversations that travel across continents and challenge the way you think about progress. From democracy and inequality to climate resilience and healthcare, Dan Banik explores how societies navigate the complex terrain of democracy, poverty, inequality, and sustainability. Through dialogues with scholars, leaders, and innovators, In Pursuit of Development uncovers how ideas travel, why policies succeed or fail, and what it takes to build a more just and resilient world. Expect sharp insights, candid reflections, and a global perspective that connects local struggles to universal aspirations. Listen, reflect, and be inspired to see global development in a new light. 🎧 Dan Banik false https://feeds.simplecast.com/bbeB1xU1 dan banik, african politics, china, democracy, development, india, policymaking, poverty, sdgs, corruption, governance, climate change, infrastructure, renewable energy, global justice, health, malawi, norway, best practices, food security, economic growth, sustainable cities, pollution, chinese aid, human rights, gender equality, empowerment, hunger, state building, foreign aid, sustainability DAN BANIK danbanik@uio.no 5a027685-057b-465b-8cf1-58fcceb77029 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 development in a far more fragmented world.

The conversation explores why today’s turbulence cannot be explained by a single leader or decision alone, but must instead be understood in light of deeper structural shifts in global economic and political power. Dan and Elina discuss the implications of aid cuts in the United States and Europe, the growing emphasis on national interest and “enlightened self-interest,” and the difficult choices donor countries now face as support for Ukraine, climate priorities, regional security concerns, and poverty reduction compete for limited resources.

They also examine a central question in global development today: Do we still need aid, and for whom? Elina argues that the answer is clearly yes, pointing to the hundreds of millions of people who remain trapped in extreme poverty and multidimensional deprivation. The discussion highlights why poverty cannot be understood through income measures alone, and why access to healthcare, education, decent work, voice, and security must remain central to any serious development agenda.

Another major focus of the episode is evidence and learning in aid policy. Dan and Elina reflect on how development agencies such as Sida can make better use of research, impact evaluation, institutional memory, and artificial intelligence to improve decision-making. Rather than treating evaluation as something that happens only at the end of a project, they argue for a more iterative and adaptive approach — one that uses evidence throughout the entire chain of development cooperation, from country selection and sectoral priorities to implementation and course correction.

The episode also turns to jobs, productive employment, and structural transformation. If citizens across the Global South are asking for opportunity rather than handouts, what should aid agencies do differently? Should they focus more on employment, infrastructure, and economic transformation? How can democracy, human rights, and job creation be understood not as competing priorities, but as deeply interconnected parts of inclusive development?

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 8 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Elina Scheja, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/scheja-40_eR9Ne 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 development in a far more fragmented world.

The conversation explores why today’s turbulence cannot be explained by a single leader or decision alone, but must instead be understood in light of deeper structural shifts in global economic and political power. Dan and Elina discuss the implications of aid cuts in the United States and Europe, the growing emphasis on national interest and “enlightened self-interest,” and the difficult choices donor countries now face as support for Ukraine, climate priorities, regional security concerns, and poverty reduction compete for limited resources.

They also examine a central question in global development today: Do we still need aid, and for whom? Elina argues that the answer is clearly yes, pointing to the hundreds of millions of people who remain trapped in extreme poverty and multidimensional deprivation. The discussion highlights why poverty cannot be understood through income measures alone, and why access to healthcare, education, decent work, voice, and security must remain central to any serious development agenda.

Another major focus of the episode is evidence and learning in aid policy. Dan and Elina reflect on how development agencies such as Sida can make better use of research, impact evaluation, institutional memory, and artificial intelligence to improve decision-making. Rather than treating evaluation as something that happens only at the end of a project, they argue for a more iterative and adaptive approach — one that uses evidence throughout the entire chain of development cooperation, from country selection and sectoral priorities to implementation and course correction.

The episode also turns to jobs, productive employment, and structural transformation. If citizens across the Global South are asking for opportunity rather than handouts, what should aid agencies do differently? Should they focus more on employment, infrastructure, and economic transformation? How can democracy, human rights, and job creation be understood not as competing priorities, but as deeply interconnected parts of inclusive development?

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Can aid still fight poverty? | Elina Scheja Elina Scheja, Dan Banik 00:39:21 How is global development cooperation changing in an age of aid cuts, geopolitical fragmentation, and shifting national priorities? In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Elina Scheja, Chief Economist at Sida, about the future of foreign aid, poverty reduction, jobs, evidence, and what effective development policy looks like in a more uncertain world. How is global development cooperation changing in an age of aid cuts, geopolitical fragmentation, and shifting national priorities? In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Elina Scheja, Chief Economist at Sida, about the future of foreign aid, poverty reduction, jobs, evidence, and what effective development policy looks like in a more uncertain world. foreign aid, multidimensional poverty, aid cuts, poverty reduction, evidence-based policy, sida, geopolitics, development cooperation, global development false full 29 6 6ca1d65b-da3e-4ec8-b943-c67893ab09fc 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 episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Philip Schellekens, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at UNDP. Prior to joining UNDP, Philip worked for more than two decades at the World Bank and the IMF, focusing on macroeconomics, governance, demography, and long-term structural change.

Together, they explore both the promise and the contradictions of Asia’s development story. The conversation examines why economic growth remains essential, but also why growth alone is never enough. They discuss persistent inequality, informality, and job insecurity across the region, as well as the challenges created by aging populations, democratic backsliding, slowing globalization, and the uneven effects of AI and new technologies.

The episode also asks a broader question that runs through this season of the show: how should we rethink development at a time when the global landscape feels more fragmented and more anxious, but still full of possibility? Drawing on examples from China, India, Bhutan, and the wider Asia-Pacific, Philip argues for a more holistic and future-oriented understanding of development, one that places governance, agency, decent work, and human well-being at the center.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 1 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Philip Schellekens, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/schellekens-n0ZTPLL8 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 episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Philip Schellekens, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at UNDP. Prior to joining UNDP, Philip worked for more than two decades at the World Bank and the IMF, focusing on macroeconomics, governance, demography, and long-term structural change.

Together, they explore both the promise and the contradictions of Asia’s development story. The conversation examines why economic growth remains essential, but also why growth alone is never enough. They discuss persistent inequality, informality, and job insecurity across the region, as well as the challenges created by aging populations, democratic backsliding, slowing globalization, and the uneven effects of AI and new technologies.

The episode also asks a broader question that runs through this season of the show: how should we rethink development at a time when the global landscape feels more fragmented and more anxious, but still full of possibility? Drawing on examples from China, India, Bhutan, and the wider Asia-Pacific, Philip argues for a more holistic and future-oriented understanding of development, one that places governance, agency, decent work, and human well-being at the center.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Can Asia still deliver the development dream? | Philip Schellekens Philip Schellekens, Dan Banik 00:43:19 Dan Banik speaks with Philip Schellekens, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at UNDP, about what Asia’s extraordinary rise can (and cannot) teach us about development today. They explore growth, inequality, jobs, aging, AI, and why the future of development depends on moving beyond crisis language toward a more inclusive and opportunity-focused vision. Dan Banik speaks with Philip Schellekens, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at UNDP, about what Asia’s extraordinary rise can (and cannot) teach us about development today. They explore growth, inequality, jobs, aging, AI, and why the future of development depends on moving beyond crisis language toward a more inclusive and opportunity-focused vision. aging populations, jobs, asia development, economic growth, undp asia pacific, inequality, future of development, philip schellekens, ai and inequality, global development false full 28 6 47449918-5f27-469e-9ad4-9a9aa2c06a5d 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 unequal across the world’s rapidly expanding cities.

The discussion centers on Bradlow’s award-winning book, Urban Power: Democracy and Inequality in São Paulo and Johannesburg, which asks why some democratic cities are more effective than others at reducing urban inequality. Drawing on a comparison of São Paulo and Johannesburg, Bradlow explains how local state capacity, bureaucratic coordination, and the relationship between governments and civil society shape whether excluded communities gain access to the material foundations of urban life.

Dan and Ben discuss informal settlements, affordability, infrastructure, and the role of housing movements in shaping urban governance. The episode offers a rich and accessible conversation on urban development, inequality, and the politics of inclusion, with lessons that extend far beyond the Global South.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:24:33 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Benjamin Bradlow, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bradlow-bTdkFE9E 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 unequal across the world’s rapidly expanding cities.

The discussion centers on Bradlow’s award-winning book, Urban Power: Democracy and Inequality in São Paulo and Johannesburg, which asks why some democratic cities are more effective than others at reducing urban inequality. Drawing on a comparison of São Paulo and Johannesburg, Bradlow explains how local state capacity, bureaucratic coordination, and the relationship between governments and civil society shape whether excluded communities gain access to the material foundations of urban life.

Dan and Ben discuss informal settlements, affordability, infrastructure, and the role of housing movements in shaping urban governance. The episode offers a rich and accessible conversation on urban development, inequality, and the politics of inclusion, with lessons that extend far beyond the Global South.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Urbanization, inequality and the future of development | Benjamin Bradlow Benjamin Bradlow, Dan Banik 00:46:21 Dan Banik speaks with Benjamin Bradlow about urban inequality, informal settlements, and why access to housing, sanitation, and transport remains so unequal in many of the world’s fastest-growing cities. The conversation explores how local politics, state capacity, and civil society shape whether cities become spaces of exclusion or inclusion. Dan Banik speaks with Benjamin Bradlow about urban inequality, informal settlements, and why access to housing, sanitation, and transport remains so unequal in many of the world’s fastest-growing cities. The conversation explores how local politics, state capacity, and civil society shape whether cities become spaces of exclusion or inclusion. city politics, são paulo, johannesburg, urban governance, urban inequality, housing crisis, urbanization, informal settlements, service delivery, global development false full 27 6 98529d17-f99d-40ee-b4f7-90a2549800b0 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 is shifting toward Asia, and what that means for the future of development. Along the way, they reflect on how the middle class shapes demand, drives growth, influences politics, and changes what citizens expect from markets and the state.

Homi Kharas is a senior fellow at Brookings and previously spent 26 years at the World Bank, including seven years as Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific and as Director for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, where he led the Bank’s work on economic policy, debt, trade, governance, and financial markets.

The episode also examines the tensions at the heart of this transformation. As more people move into middle-class life, new questions emerge about inequality, insecurity, democracy, consumerism, and whether middle-class expansion can be sustained in a world under growing environmental pressure. From the anxieties facing Western middle-class societies to the optimism and aspiration associated with middle-class growth in Asia, this is a wide-ranging conversation about prosperity, possibility, and the changing social foundations of the global economy.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Homi Kharas, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kharas-nBdRS__u 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 is shifting toward Asia, and what that means for the future of development. Along the way, they reflect on how the middle class shapes demand, drives growth, influences politics, and changes what citizens expect from markets and the state.

Homi Kharas is a senior fellow at Brookings and previously spent 26 years at the World Bank, including seven years as Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific and as Director for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, where he led the Bank’s work on economic policy, debt, trade, governance, and financial markets.

The episode also examines the tensions at the heart of this transformation. As more people move into middle-class life, new questions emerge about inequality, insecurity, democracy, consumerism, and whether middle-class expansion can be sustained in a world under growing environmental pressure. From the anxieties facing Western middle-class societies to the optimism and aspiration associated with middle-class growth in Asia, this is a wide-ranging conversation about prosperity, possibility, and the changing social foundations of the global economy.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Why the middle class will shape global development | Homi Kharas Homi Kharas, Dan Banik 00:45:24 Dan Banik speaks with Homi Kharas about the rise of the global middle class and why it has become central to the story of modern development. The conversation explores how middle-class growth is reshaping economies, politics, and aspirations around the world, and why its future will matter for inequality, sustainability, and global change. Dan Banik speaks with Homi Kharas about the rise of the global middle class and why it has become central to the story of modern development. The conversation explores how middle-class growth is reshaping economies, politics, and aspirations around the world, and why its future will matter for inequality, sustainability, and global change. economic development, global middle class, asia, homi kharas, sustainability, social mobility, inequality, global development false full 26 6 c5b79e2f-4f2c-4b0e-ad66-aa8fcb7120ff 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 Francesco Marcelloni, Professor of Data Mining and Machine Learning at the University of Pisa and Academic Director of the Knowledge Hub on AI at the Circle U. European University Alliance. They explore how AI actually works, why the debate around the technology has become so polarized, and what it means for decision-making in governments, hospitals, universities, and businesses.

The conversation examines both the risks and the opportunities of artificial intelligence, including its potential to improve medical diagnosis, support education, and help policymakers analyze vast amounts of data. Dan and Francesco also highlight why preserving human oversight, critical thinking, and democratic accountability will be crucial in the AI era.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Francesco Marcelloni, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/marcelloni-mKrYzihP 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 Francesco Marcelloni, Professor of Data Mining and Machine Learning at the University of Pisa and Academic Director of the Knowledge Hub on AI at the Circle U. European University Alliance. They explore how AI actually works, why the debate around the technology has become so polarized, and what it means for decision-making in governments, hospitals, universities, and businesses.

The conversation examines both the risks and the opportunities of artificial intelligence, including its potential to improve medical diagnosis, support education, and help policymakers analyze vast amounts of data. Dan and Francesco also highlight why preserving human oversight, critical thinking, and democratic accountability will be crucial in the AI era.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Artificial intelligence and the future of human decision-making | Francesco Marcelloni Francesco Marcelloni, Dan Banik 00:46:37 Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare, education, and governance. Dan Banik and Francesco Marcelloni explore the risks and benefits, and why human judgment must remain central in the AI era. Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare, education, and governance. Dan Banik and Francesco Marcelloni explore the risks and benefits, and why human judgment must remain central in the AI era. ai and democracy, ai and society, machine learning, artificial intelligence, ai governance false full 25 6 93105f18-072a-42c2-a9c5-f9fcc2b5b62f 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, and Beijing’s tendency to view New Delhi through the prism of US–China rivalry.

Dan Banik speaks with Manoj Kewalramani, Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme and a China Studies Fellow at the Takshashila Institution and author of Smokeless War: China’s Quest for Geopolitical Dominance. Together, they examine whether the current thaw represents meaningful stabilization or merely a fragile “cold peace.” The conversation explores how economic interdependence coexists with strategic mistrust, why India is pursuing de-risking rather than decoupling from China, and how domestic politics and public narratives shape policy choices in both countries.

From a development perspective, the episode also asks whether policy lessons can travel across fundamentally different political systems. Can India draw operational insights from China’s infrastructure and governance successes without compromising democratic institutions? And is Beijing willing to accommodate India’s aspirations as an independent global power?

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 4 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Manoj Kewalramani, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/manojk-fvIY4e9v 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, and Beijing’s tendency to view New Delhi through the prism of US–China rivalry.

Dan Banik speaks with Manoj Kewalramani, Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme and a China Studies Fellow at the Takshashila Institution and author of Smokeless War: China’s Quest for Geopolitical Dominance. Together, they examine whether the current thaw represents meaningful stabilization or merely a fragile “cold peace.” The conversation explores how economic interdependence coexists with strategic mistrust, why India is pursuing de-risking rather than decoupling from China, and how domestic politics and public narratives shape policy choices in both countries.

From a development perspective, the episode also asks whether policy lessons can travel across fundamentally different political systems. Can India draw operational insights from China’s infrastructure and governance successes without compromising democratic institutions? And is Beijing willing to accommodate India’s aspirations as an independent global power?

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Why India–China relations could reshape the global order | Manoj Kewalramani Manoj Kewalramani, Dan Banik 00:37:48 India-China relations have entered a phase of cautious re-engagement, but beneath the diplomatic optics lie deep structural fault lines shaped by power asymmetry, border tensions, economic interdependence, and great power rivalry. Dan Banik speaks with Manoj Kewalramani about whether the relationship is stabilizing into a cold peace or simply entering another cycle of strategic competition with global consequences. India-China relations have entered a phase of cautious re-engagement, but beneath the diplomatic optics lie deep structural fault lines shaped by power asymmetry, border tensions, economic interdependence, and great power rivalry. Dan Banik speaks with Manoj Kewalramani about whether the relationship is stabilizing into a cold peace or simply entering another cycle of strategic competition with global consequences. us china rivalry, indo pacific geopolitics, india vs china, india china relations, power asymmetry false full 24 6 c3382e9c-bb4b-4dca-981b-82d034513585 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 growing shift from soft power to hard power, the erosion of solidarity in global development, and the strategic competition between the United States, China, and Europe. Pogge reflects on why philosophers have become increasingly marginal in public life and argues that today’s global crises (from climate change to persistent poverty) cannot be solved by technocratic fixes alone. They require moral clarity, institutional imagination, and renewed commitment to shared values.

The discussion also turns to the rise of the Global South and the need for stronger collective bargaining institutions, particularly within the African continent. Pogge outlines the Ecological Impact Fund — a bold new mechanism designed to reward green innovation based on real ecological impact in the Global South — and explains how rethinking intellectual property rules could accelerate climate and pollution solutions where they are needed most.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 25 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Thomas Pogge, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pogge2-p6YdF2Yw 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 growing shift from soft power to hard power, the erosion of solidarity in global development, and the strategic competition between the United States, China, and Europe. Pogge reflects on why philosophers have become increasingly marginal in public life and argues that today’s global crises (from climate change to persistent poverty) cannot be solved by technocratic fixes alone. They require moral clarity, institutional imagination, and renewed commitment to shared values.

The discussion also turns to the rise of the Global South and the need for stronger collective bargaining institutions, particularly within the African continent. Pogge outlines the Ecological Impact Fund — a bold new mechanism designed to reward green innovation based on real ecological impact in the Global South — and explains how rethinking intellectual property rules could accelerate climate and pollution solutions where they are needed most.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Can philosophy save a world obsessed with power? | Thomas Pogge Thomas Pogge, Dan Banik 00:37:10 In a world defined by rising great-power rivalry, declining solidarity, and shrinking aid budgets, the Yale philosopher Thomas Pogge joins Dan Banik to discuss whether global justice and human rights still matter or whether power politics has won. From the erosion of soft power to bold proposals like the Ecological Impact Fund, this conversation explores how values, innovation, and institutional reform could reshape a fractured international order. In a world defined by rising great-power rivalry, declining solidarity, and shrinking aid budgets, the Yale philosopher Thomas Pogge joins Dan Banik to discuss whether global justice and human rights still matter or whether power politics has won. From the erosion of soft power to bold proposals like the Ecological Impact Fund, this conversation explores how values, innovation, and institutional reform could reshape a fractured international order. global justice human rights international politics podcast, political philosophy power morality world affairs, international institutions reform, soft power hard power geopolitics global order, international development aid cuts foreign aid crisis, china us rivalry global south world politics, philosophy global development ethics multilateralism, climate innovation green technology global policy, climate justice global inequality sustainability policy, south south cooperation brics global south strategy, future of multilateralism false full 23 6 9f468328-bd66-49a5-9d6b-d858264d1ce0 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 two decades of campaigning to reduce child mortality, unlock billions for climate and sustainable development, and reform elements of the global financial architecture, McNair reflects on what has worked in the past and why some of those strategies may no longer be sufficient. The discussion explores the politics of solidarity, the rise of agency in the Global South, the cost of capital facing African economies, and the growing calls to modernize global financial governance. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, David McNair) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mcnair-PVdsU0rW 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 two decades of campaigning to reduce child mortality, unlock billions for climate and sustainable development, and reform elements of the global financial architecture, McNair reflects on what has worked in the past and why some of those strategies may no longer be sufficient. The discussion explores the politics of solidarity, the rise of agency in the Global South, the cost of capital facing African economies, and the growing calls to modernize global financial governance. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Debt, development finance, and global agency | David McNair Dan Banik, David McNair 00:48:05 Dan Banik speaks with David McNair about the shifting politics of global development in an era of debt distress and declining humanitarian funding. They explore how activism must adapt to a changing global financial landscape, the rise of agency in the Global South, and what it will take to reform development finance for the years ahead. Dan Banik speaks with David McNair about the shifting politics of global development in an era of debt distress and declining humanitarian funding. They explore how activism must adapt to a changing global financial landscape, the rise of agency in the Global South, and what it will take to reform development finance for the years ahead. the rise of the global south in the g20, future of development finance, reforming the global financial system, global development and debt crisis, sovereign debt and african economies, activism in international development, multilateralism and global governance reform, politics of global solidarity and aid, humanitarian funding crisis explained, climate finance and global cooperation false full 22 6 7df5fc17-f0bc-4e48-85d8-9e35cb8e4aad 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 Bhagwati, Manmohan Singh, Mahbub ul Haq, Rehman Sobhan, and Lal Jayawardene, from Cambridge classrooms to planning commissions and global institutions. Along the way, they unpack the enduring arguments that still shape policy today: poverty versus inequality, markets versus states, trade versus protection, and expertise versus politics. The episode also explores how ideas associated with human development emerged, why “the Global South” became a category with political force, and what these intellectual friendships and rivalries reveal about the promises and tensions inside the development project.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (David Engerman, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/engerman-qkhhFizY 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 Bhagwati, Manmohan Singh, Mahbub ul Haq, Rehman Sobhan, and Lal Jayawardene, from Cambridge classrooms to planning commissions and global institutions. Along the way, they unpack the enduring arguments that still shape policy today: poverty versus inequality, markets versus states, trade versus protection, and expertise versus politics. The episode also explores how ideas associated with human development emerged, why “the Global South” became a category with political force, and what these intellectual friendships and rivalries reveal about the promises and tensions inside the development project.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Six economists and the making of modern development | David Engerman David Engerman, Dan Banik 00:53:51 David Engerman takes Dan Banik inside the lives and rivalries of six South Asian economists who helped define what “development” would mean in the postcolonial world. From Cambridge seminars to global institutions, the conversation reveals how their debates on trade, planning, inequality, and human welfare still shape the choices governments face today. David Engerman takes Dan Banik inside the lives and rivalries of six South Asian economists who helped define what “development” would mean in the postcolonial world. From Cambridge seminars to global institutions, the conversation reveals how their debates on trade, planning, inequality, and human welfare still shape the choices governments face today. false full 21 6 73db9441-3b16-49c7-b813-a92ef0043d4e 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 evidence genuinely usable — turning decades of evaluations into structured, searchable insight for better decisions.

Lindsey draws on her experience in USAID and her work building domain-trained models to explain why the sector’s challenge is not an evidence shortage, but rather an evidence usability gap. Together Lindsey and Dan discuss what it takes to build context-aware systems: transparent taxonomies, careful human labeling, and models grounded in local perspectives rather than default assumptions embedded in general-purpose AI.

The conversation also explores how large-scale evaluation archives can be transformed into institutional memory, strengthening professional judgment and helping organizations learn faster, reduce waste, and target interventions more precisely.

In this episode:

  • AI for global development beyond hype: What actually works in practice.
  • Why definitions and taxonomies shape results (and power).
  • How to reduce bias and improve context in development AI.
  • Evidence infrastructure, knowledge management, and decision workflows.

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 4 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Lindsey Moore) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/moore-_yp7NF3y 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 evidence genuinely usable — turning decades of evaluations into structured, searchable insight for better decisions.

Lindsey draws on her experience in USAID and her work building domain-trained models to explain why the sector’s challenge is not an evidence shortage, but rather an evidence usability gap. Together Lindsey and Dan discuss what it takes to build context-aware systems: transparent taxonomies, careful human labeling, and models grounded in local perspectives rather than default assumptions embedded in general-purpose AI.

The conversation also explores how large-scale evaluation archives can be transformed into institutional memory, strengthening professional judgment and helping organizations learn faster, reduce waste, and target interventions more precisely.

In this episode:

  • AI for global development beyond hype: What actually works in practice.
  • Why definitions and taxonomies shape results (and power).
  • How to reduce bias and improve context in development AI.
  • Evidence infrastructure, knowledge management, and decision workflows.

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Making evidence actually usable | Lindsey Moore Dan Banik, Lindsey Moore 00:45:29 Dan Banik speaks with Lindsey Moore about how ethical AI and predictive analytics can transform decades of development evaluations into structured and searchable evidence for better decisions. They explore what it takes to build context-aware models grounded in clear taxonomies and local perspectives, enabling AI to strengthen institutional learning and advance equity. Dan Banik speaks with Lindsey Moore about how ethical AI and predictive analytics can transform decades of development evaluations into structured and searchable evidence for better decisions. They explore what it takes to build context-aware models grounded in clear taxonomies and local perspectives, enabling AI to strengthen institutional learning and advance equity. monitoring and evaluation (m&e), evidence-based decision-making, ethical ai, data bias, locally led development, taxonomies, predictive analytics, knowledge graphs, usaid evaluations, development effectiveness false full 20 6 a25230f1-ecb1-4852-a131-40f0c8010be1 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 Banik is joined by Arve Hansen, Research Professor at the University of Oslo’s Centre for Global Sustainability and author of Consumption and Vietnam’s New Middle Classes: Societal Transformations and Everyday Life (2022, Palgrave). Together, they explore Vietnam’s development model after Đổi Mới and the paradox of an officially socialist, one-party state delivering a globally integrated “market economy with a socialist orientation.”

Rather than staying at the level of GDP and policy slogans, the conversation moves into the lived experience of development: mobility and the motorbike society, the rising status of car ownership, urban change, air quality, and how shifting diets and “meatification” reflect new middle-class aspirations. Dan and Arve also discuss Vietnam’s push for greener growth and electrification, the politics of land and infrastructure, and why sustainability transitions can become socially and politically sensitive.

Finally, the episode situates Vietnam in today’s unstable global economy (e.g., trade shifts, geopolitics, and growing pressure to diversify) while asking what the next phase of development could look like as Vietnam tries to avoid the middle-income trap and sustain progress in a warming world.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Arve Hansen, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hansen-2vSp2DQs 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 Banik is joined by Arve Hansen, Research Professor at the University of Oslo’s Centre for Global Sustainability and author of Consumption and Vietnam’s New Middle Classes: Societal Transformations and Everyday Life (2022, Palgrave). Together, they explore Vietnam’s development model after Đổi Mới and the paradox of an officially socialist, one-party state delivering a globally integrated “market economy with a socialist orientation.”

Rather than staying at the level of GDP and policy slogans, the conversation moves into the lived experience of development: mobility and the motorbike society, the rising status of car ownership, urban change, air quality, and how shifting diets and “meatification” reflect new middle-class aspirations. Dan and Arve also discuss Vietnam’s push for greener growth and electrification, the politics of land and infrastructure, and why sustainability transitions can become socially and politically sensitive.

Finally, the episode situates Vietnam in today’s unstable global economy (e.g., trade shifts, geopolitics, and growing pressure to diversify) while asking what the next phase of development could look like as Vietnam tries to avoid the middle-income trap and sustain progress in a warming world.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Vietnam’s remarkable development turnaround | Arve Hansen Arve Hansen, Dan Banik 00:50:09 Vietnam is a celebrated development success story, but rapid growth is also reshaping everyday life through rising inequality, changing consumption, and mounting environmental pressures. Dan Banik speaks with Arve Hansen about what Vietnam’s next phase of development may look like and the trade-offs it will require. Vietnam is a celebrated development success story, but rapid growth is also reshaping everyday life through rising inequality, changing consumption, and mounting environmental pressures. Dan Banik speaks with Arve Hansen about what Vietnam’s next phase of development may look like and the trade-offs it will require. vietnam development, middle class, sustainability, economic growth, poverty reduction, urbanization, consumption, green transition, inequality, đổi mới reforms false full 19 6 6d8848fe-e157-4b11-88d3-3e12419eeb93 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 would take to move from “first access” to true “energy for growth.”

Todd Moss is founder and executive director of the Energy for Growth Hub. He is a widely recognized expert on energy, development finance, and foreign policy and writes the popular Substack Eat More Electrons. Todd previously served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

The conversation begins with a critical distinction: electricity “access” can mask a much larger problem of unreliable supply. Todd argues that billions of people live with power that exists on paper but fails in practice as outages, high tariffs, and weak grids erode the benefits electrification is supposed to deliver. From there, Todd and Dan unpack the persistent tension between household electrification and powering firms. Dan raises the moral and political case for universal household access, while Todd makes the argument that job creation requires a different kind of electricity (dense, dependable, and scaled for industry) alongside the off-grid solutions that can improve welfare quickly.

They then turn to policy and investment. Why do so many countries remain stuck with utilities that are not creditworthy? What makes large generation projects “bankable,” and why do credible offtakers and guarantees matter so much? Todd explains how renewed global interest in critical minerals could become an anchor for bigger energy systems, especially if governments negotiate strategically and use mining and processing to unlock broader infrastructure that supports non-mining sectors too.

The episode also widens out to geopolitics and development finance, including what is changing in Washington and what new tools (particularly U.S. development finance) might mean for energy investment going forward. Finally, Dan and Todd tackle nuclear power: why it remains controversial, why new small modular designs are changing the conversation, and what the long-term geopolitical risks look like when nuclear fuel and technology can tie countries into decades-long dependencies.

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Todd Moss, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/moss-wk49VZPU 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 would take to move from “first access” to true “energy for growth.”

Todd Moss is founder and executive director of the Energy for Growth Hub. He is a widely recognized expert on energy, development finance, and foreign policy and writes the popular Substack Eat More Electrons. Todd previously served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

The conversation begins with a critical distinction: electricity “access” can mask a much larger problem of unreliable supply. Todd argues that billions of people live with power that exists on paper but fails in practice as outages, high tariffs, and weak grids erode the benefits electrification is supposed to deliver. From there, Todd and Dan unpack the persistent tension between household electrification and powering firms. Dan raises the moral and political case for universal household access, while Todd makes the argument that job creation requires a different kind of electricity (dense, dependable, and scaled for industry) alongside the off-grid solutions that can improve welfare quickly.

They then turn to policy and investment. Why do so many countries remain stuck with utilities that are not creditworthy? What makes large generation projects “bankable,” and why do credible offtakers and guarantees matter so much? Todd explains how renewed global interest in critical minerals could become an anchor for bigger energy systems, especially if governments negotiate strategically and use mining and processing to unlock broader infrastructure that supports non-mining sectors too.

The episode also widens out to geopolitics and development finance, including what is changing in Washington and what new tools (particularly U.S. development finance) might mean for energy investment going forward. Finally, Dan and Todd tackle nuclear power: why it remains controversial, why new small modular designs are changing the conversation, and what the long-term geopolitical risks look like when nuclear fuel and technology can tie countries into decades-long dependencies.

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Energy for growth on the African continent | Todd Moss Todd Moss, Dan Banik 00:50:40 Dan Banik speaks with Todd Moss about why electrification has surged in some countries but continues to lag across much of Africa. Together they unpack why “access” is only the starting point when electricity is expensive, unreliable, and unable to power jobs and growth. Dan Banik speaks with Todd Moss about why electrification has surged in some countries but continues to lag across much of Africa. Together they unpack why “access” is only the starting point when electricity is expensive, unreliable, and unable to power jobs and growth. electricity access, nuclear energy, energy poverty, affordability, electrification, reliability, africa, development finance, energy for growth, off-grid solar false full 18 6 6fbcddf0-097b-491e-af61-1470b30900c8 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 resilience, and the growing strain on multilateral institutions.

The episode revisits how development thinking is being challenged by shrinking aid budgets, climate change, energy insecurity, and widening global inequalities, while also exploring the promises and risks of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Throughout the reflection, Dan emphasizes the importance of human development, accountability, and solidarity in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Looking ahead, the episode outlines key themes the podcast will tackle in the new year, including energy promotion and energy security, the intellectual foundations of development thinking, consumption and development linkages, the role of activism, AI and development, and a journalist’s perspective on global development. This episode is both a guide for listeners who want to catch up on Season 6 and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation about where global development is headed next.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/banik3-0O5_Ftha 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 resilience, and the growing strain on multilateral institutions.

The episode revisits how development thinking is being challenged by shrinking aid budgets, climate change, energy insecurity, and widening global inequalities, while also exploring the promises and risks of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Throughout the reflection, Dan emphasizes the importance of human development, accountability, and solidarity in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Looking ahead, the episode outlines key themes the podcast will tackle in the new year, including energy promotion and energy security, the intellectual foundations of development thinking, consumption and development linkages, the role of activism, AI and development, and a journalist’s perspective on global development. This episode is both a guide for listeners who want to catch up on Season 6 and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation about where global development is headed next.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Looking back, thinking forward | Dan Banik Dan Banik 00:10:46 As the year draws to a close, Dan Banik takes stock of the major ideas and debates that have defined Season 6 of In Pursuit of Development. From shifting global power and democracy to climate, energy, and artificial intelligence, this episode looks back at what we have learned and ahead to what is next. As the year draws to a close, Dan Banik takes stock of the major ideas and debates that have defined Season 6 of In Pursuit of Development. From shifting global power and democracy to climate, energy, and artificial intelligence, this episode looks back at what we have learned and ahead to what is next. multipolar world, democracy and development, human development, aid effectiveness, climate change and development, energy security, artificial intelligence and development, multilateralism, global development, global south false full 17 6 59e69f5c-229e-4e00-a335-5daa78a74bd8 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 far-reaching consequences for livelihoods, stability, and peace.

Dr. Florian Krampe is Director of Studies for Peace and Development at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Together, Dan and Florian discuss why climate action and development priorities are too often treated as separate agendas, how shrinking aid budgets and unequal access to climate finance undermine resilience in low-income countries, and why rising defense spending risks crowding out investments in health, energy, education, and climate adaptation.

The episode also turns to Europe’s changing security landscape and the growing disconnect between military preparedness and broader understandings of security. Drawing on research and real-world examples, the conversation explores environmental peacebuilding and asks when climate-related interventions can reduce risks, support cooperation, and contribute to more sustainable peace outcomes.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Florian Krampe, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/krampe-c8ByRk5U 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 far-reaching consequences for livelihoods, stability, and peace.

Dr. Florian Krampe is Director of Studies for Peace and Development at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Together, Dan and Florian discuss why climate action and development priorities are too often treated as separate agendas, how shrinking aid budgets and unequal access to climate finance undermine resilience in low-income countries, and why rising defense spending risks crowding out investments in health, energy, education, and climate adaptation.

The episode also turns to Europe’s changing security landscape and the growing disconnect between military preparedness and broader understandings of security. Drawing on research and real-world examples, the conversation explores environmental peacebuilding and asks when climate-related interventions can reduce risks, support cooperation, and contribute to more sustainable peace outcomes.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Climate, conflict and the development squeeze | Florian Krampe Florian Krampe, Dan Banik 00:43:28 Climate change is increasingly shaping development and security outcomes, not as a single cause of conflict but as a force that intensifies existing vulnerabilities in fragile contexts. Dan Banik and Florian Krampe discuss why separating climate, development, and security is no longer tenable and how climate action might become a pathway to resilience and peace rather than instability. Climate change is increasingly shaping development and security outcomes, not as a single cause of conflict but as a force that intensifies existing vulnerabilities in fragile contexts. Dan Banik and Florian Krampe discuss why separating climate, development, and security is no longer tenable and how climate action might become a pathway to resilience and peace rather than instability. fragile states, climate change and security, climate adaptation, climate and conflict, climate change and development, global security, climate finance, international development, sipri, development and security, peacebuilding, environmental peacebuilding false full 16 6 e0cbf6f0-2ea0-499c-bdcf-134c81c98425 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 than twenty years of research on aid architecture, bilateral reform, and the rise of Southern providers, Nilima unpacks the deep tension between altruism and national interest and what happens when generosity becomes geopolitics. Together, Nilima and Dan explore how development aid can stay credible and effective amid a “broken social contract,” why smarter debt policy may matter more than bigger budgets, and what smart development power might look like for mid-sized donors such as Norway or Sweden.

As multilateralism weakens and the UN system faces acute financial strain, the conversation turns to who will step up (e.g., Gulf funds, Southern providers, or new hybrid coalitions) and how reform, not reinvention, could restore both trust and purpose to global cooperation.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Nilima Gulrajani, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gulrajani-8BIlQ6oO 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 than twenty years of research on aid architecture, bilateral reform, and the rise of Southern providers, Nilima unpacks the deep tension between altruism and national interest and what happens when generosity becomes geopolitics. Together, Nilima and Dan explore how development aid can stay credible and effective amid a “broken social contract,” why smarter debt policy may matter more than bigger budgets, and what smart development power might look like for mid-sized donors such as Norway or Sweden.

As multilateralism weakens and the UN system faces acute financial strain, the conversation turns to who will step up (e.g., Gulf funds, Southern providers, or new hybrid coalitions) and how reform, not reinvention, could restore both trust and purpose to global cooperation.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Aid at the breaking point | Nilima Gulrajani Nilima Gulrajani, Dan Banik 00:39:58 As aid budgets shrink and multilateralism weakens, Dan Banik speaks with Nilima Gulrajani about what’s worth saving, what must change, and how global cooperation can still deliver in an uncertain world. As aid budgets shrink and multilateralism weakens, Dan Banik speaks with Nilima Gulrajani about what’s worth saving, what must change, and how global cooperation can still deliver in an uncertain world. donor politics, foreign aid, south–south cooperation, aid effectiveness, smart development power, multilateralism, development cooperation, international relations, global development, global south false full 15 6 a5f6169f-c416-4673-9563-c189493825ef 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 the dominance of Western-led institutions. Drawing on years of research on Latin American elites, politics, and relations with China and the United States, Benedicte explains how the region navigates this shifting landscape: balancing economic pragmatism with questions of identity, solidarity, and autonomy.

The conversation moves from trade and diplomacy to development and sustainability, exploring how China’s growing influence has changed local economies and what this means for industrial capacity, climate policy, and inequality. Together, they reflect on the region’s long intellectual tradition, from dependency theory to modern debates on environmental justice, and why Latin American experiences continue to shape the global conversation on growth, democracy, and fairness.

** Check out this recent special issue of The Forum for Development Studies co-edited by Benedicte and Dan: The Rebirth of the Global South: Geopolitics, Imageries and Developmental Realities (2025)

🎧 In Pursuit of Development explores the ideas, policies, and people shaping global progress. Subscribe, rate, and share the show to help others join the conversation.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 6 Dec 2025 06:01:01 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Benedicte Bull) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bull2-9IHdeJjs 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 the dominance of Western-led institutions. Drawing on years of research on Latin American elites, politics, and relations with China and the United States, Benedicte explains how the region navigates this shifting landscape: balancing economic pragmatism with questions of identity, solidarity, and autonomy.

The conversation moves from trade and diplomacy to development and sustainability, exploring how China’s growing influence has changed local economies and what this means for industrial capacity, climate policy, and inequality. Together, they reflect on the region’s long intellectual tradition, from dependency theory to modern debates on environmental justice, and why Latin American experiences continue to shape the global conversation on growth, democracy, and fairness.

** Check out this recent special issue of The Forum for Development Studies co-edited by Benedicte and Dan: The Rebirth of the Global South: Geopolitics, Imageries and Developmental Realities (2025)

🎧 In Pursuit of Development explores the ideas, policies, and people shaping global progress. Subscribe, rate, and share the show to help others join the conversation.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How Latin America sees the new Global South | Benedicte Bull Dan Banik, Benedicte Bull 00:49:38 Dan Banik speaks with Benedicte Bull about how Latin America fits into the shifting idea of the “Global South.” Together, they explore what this identity means in practice, how the region balances ties to China and the United States, and what its experience reveals about power, justice, and development in a changing world order. Dan Banik speaks with Benedicte Bull about how Latin America fits into the shifting idea of the “Global South.” Together, they explore what this identity means in practice, how the region balances ties to China and the United States, and what its experience reveals about power, justice, and development in a changing world order. development, multipolar world, sustainability, dependency theory, china–latin america relations, geopolitics, latin america, inequality, global governance, global south false full 14 6 5e37ff06-980c-4798-a14c-d641970aab60 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 Max Gallien about his acclaimed new book, Smugglers and the State: Negotiating the Maghreb at Its Margins. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Tunisia and Morocco, Max shows how states do not simply fight smuggling. They regulate, tolerate, and sometimes rely on it. Together, Dan and Max unpack the “informal authoritarian bargains” that allow illegal and semi-legal economies to operate with the state’s active knowledge, and how these arrangements distribute opportunity, risk, and legitimacy in borderland communities.

The conversation explores why smuggling persists, how border closures and security interventions reshape local economies, and what all of this means for development policy at a time when fences and walls are rapidly multiplying. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 3 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Max Gallien, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gallien-KBdg7123 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 Max Gallien about his acclaimed new book, Smugglers and the State: Negotiating the Maghreb at Its Margins. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Tunisia and Morocco, Max shows how states do not simply fight smuggling. They regulate, tolerate, and sometimes rely on it. Together, Dan and Max unpack the “informal authoritarian bargains” that allow illegal and semi-legal economies to operate with the state’s active knowledge, and how these arrangements distribute opportunity, risk, and legitimacy in borderland communities.

The conversation explores why smuggling persists, how border closures and security interventions reshape local economies, and what all of this means for development policy at a time when fences and walls are rapidly multiplying. 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Borders, bargains, and the business of smuggling | Max Gallien Max Gallien, Dan Banik 00:46:23 Dan Banik and Max Gallien explore how smuggling operates as a deeply embedded part of state–society relations in North Africa, rather than a simple threat to state authority. They discuss what this reveals about governance, livelihoods, and the political bargains that shape life in border regions. Dan Banik and Max Gallien explore how smuggling operates as a deeply embedded part of state–society relations in North Africa, rather than a simple threat to state authority. They discuss what this reveals about governance, livelihoods, and the political bargains that shape life in border regions. authoritarian bargain, illicit trade, north africa, informal economy, smuggling, morocco, political economy, border politics, state–society relations, tunisia false full 13 6 212dd07b-273f-42f7-a311-e0e4b8ed7cbb 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 an enabling right that links human rights, peace, and development, and demands concrete action to include those who are excluded.

Together they explore how solidarity can take shape locally and globally, how civil society continues to push back despite tightening restrictions, and how corporations, technology, and even artificial intelligence can either strengthen or undermine our collective responsibilities. The conversation also touches on double standards in international responses, the rise of exclusionary “nativist solidarities,” and why building a culture of peace remains essential in today’s fractured world.

This wide-ranging discussion invites listeners to rethink what we owe one another and why solidarity, properly understood, might be one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping a more just and humane future.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 29 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Cecilia Bailliet) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bailliet-SG_bYiCX 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 an enabling right that links human rights, peace, and development, and demands concrete action to include those who are excluded.

Together they explore how solidarity can take shape locally and globally, how civil society continues to push back despite tightening restrictions, and how corporations, technology, and even artificial intelligence can either strengthen or undermine our collective responsibilities. The conversation also touches on double standards in international responses, the rise of exclusionary “nativist solidarities,” and why building a culture of peace remains essential in today’s fractured world.

This wide-ranging discussion invites listeners to rethink what we owe one another and why solidarity, properly understood, might be one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping a more just and humane future.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Solidarity in a divided world | Cecilia Bailliet Dan Banik, Cecilia Bailliet 00:46:57 Dan Banik speaks with Cecilia Marcela Bailliet about what solidarity truly means in a world increasingly turning inward. Together, they explore how solidarity, human rights, and peace intersect—and why real solidarity requires action, inclusion, and a renewed commitment to our shared humanity. Dan Banik speaks with Cecilia Marcela Bailliet about what solidarity truly means in a world increasingly turning inward. Together, they explore how solidarity, human rights, and peace intersect—and why real solidarity requires action, inclusion, and a renewed commitment to our shared humanity. solidarity, ai and democracy, international development, civil society, corporate responsibility, aid and geopolitics, inclusion, peacebuilding, global governance, human rights false full 12 6 d53e1ae9-4134-44f8-8136-56894617344d 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 Economist, the challenges of navigating congressional holds and bureaucratic resistance, and the excitement of assembling a team committed to cost-effectiveness and rigorous, science-based decision-making.

Dan and Dean explore what it means to introduce institutional reform in an agency as sprawling and politically exposed as USAID, how internal processes shape billions of dollars in global programming, and why transparent learning (including acknowledging failure) remains essential but difficult in development. They also discuss the dramatic shift that followed recent political changes in Washington, the speed with which parts of USAID’s architecture were dismantled, and what this means for partner countries, soft power, and the future of global development cooperation.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dean Karlan, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/karlan-ugely_KG 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 Economist, the challenges of navigating congressional holds and bureaucratic resistance, and the excitement of assembling a team committed to cost-effectiveness and rigorous, science-based decision-making.

Dan and Dean explore what it means to introduce institutional reform in an agency as sprawling and politically exposed as USAID, how internal processes shape billions of dollars in global programming, and why transparent learning (including acknowledging failure) remains essential but difficult in development. They also discuss the dramatic shift that followed recent political changes in Washington, the speed with which parts of USAID’s architecture were dismantled, and what this means for partner countries, soft power, and the future of global development cooperation.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> When evidence meets Washington politics | Dean Karlan Dean Karlan, Dan Banik 00:49:21 Dan Banik speaks with Dean Karlan about his efforts to strengthen evidence use and cost-effectiveness inside USAID during a period of dramatic institutional change. Together, they explore what the agency’s recent dismantling means for global development, U.S. soft power, and the future of aid in an increasingly uncertain world. Dan Banik speaks with Dean Karlan about his efforts to strengthen evidence use and cost-effectiveness inside USAID during a period of dramatic institutional change. Together, they explore what the agency’s recent dismantling means for global development, U.S. soft power, and the future of aid in an increasingly uncertain world. soft power, evidence-based aid, usaid, development policy, foreign aid reform, dean karlan, institutional change, impact evaluation, global development, cost-effectiveness false full 11 6 06cee2ec-5bcf-4be2-b630-59724286ef38 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, China has financed and built roads, railways, power grids, and digital infrastructure across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. But since the pandemic, its overseas investments have evolved: fewer mega-projects, greater attention to debt risks, and a growing emphasis on clean energy, technology, and localized, value-added production.

In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Hong Bo, Professor of Financial Economics at SOAS, University of London, about the changing nature of Chinese investment and what it reveals about the future of global development finance. They discuss how sovereign risk shapes investment decisions, why small and “green” projects are replacing large ones, and how African and other developing countries can strengthen their bargaining power in negotiations. The conversation also touches on the politics of transparency, the role of private Chinese investors, and the possibilities for industrialization in a world of shrinking aid and shifting alliances.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Hong Bo, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hong-bo-vLrOSqAO 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, China has financed and built roads, railways, power grids, and digital infrastructure across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. But since the pandemic, its overseas investments have evolved: fewer mega-projects, greater attention to debt risks, and a growing emphasis on clean energy, technology, and localized, value-added production.

In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Hong Bo, Professor of Financial Economics at SOAS, University of London, about the changing nature of Chinese investment and what it reveals about the future of global development finance. They discuss how sovereign risk shapes investment decisions, why small and “green” projects are replacing large ones, and how African and other developing countries can strengthen their bargaining power in negotiations. The conversation also touches on the politics of transparency, the role of private Chinese investors, and the possibilities for industrialization in a world of shrinking aid and shifting alliances.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> China’s evolving role in global development finance | Hong Bo Hong Bo, Dan Banik 00:43:46 As globalization fragments and traditional aid declines, low- and middle-income countries are forging new partnerships to finance their development ambitions. In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Hong Bo about how China’s overseas investments are evolving, from mega-projects to smaller, greener, and more strategic initiatives, and what this means for the future of global development finance. As globalization fragments and traditional aid declines, low- and middle-income countries are forging new partnerships to finance their development ambitions. In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Hong Bo about how China’s overseas investments are evolving, from mega-projects to smaller, greener, and more strategic initiatives, and what this means for the future of global development finance. africa–china relations, china overseas investment, sovereign risk and debt traps, shifting global alliances, geopolitics and globalization, belt and road initiative (bri), global development finance, infrastructure and debt, industrialization and localization, sustainable infrastructure false full 10 6 4f022a9c-f977-43cb-a786-61a52ad2319a 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, but on how countries and coalitions define and deliver progress on their own terms.

Rachel shares insights from her time in government, academia, and policy research, reflecting on how development agencies can make tough choices, simplify their missions, and stay focused on impact when resources are scarce. She and Dan delve into the future of the World Bank, IMF, and USAID, the need for smarter prioritization among donors, and the vital importance of protecting evidence-based interventions that save lives and expand opportunity.

The conversation also moves beyond institutions to the tools and partnerships shaping tomorrow’s development practice—from artificial intelligence and climate innovation to South–South Cooperation, where countries like India, China and Kenya are sharing solutions across continents. 

Rachel Glennerster on X and Linkedin

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Rachel Glennerster, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/glennerster2-LRMNYITA 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, but on how countries and coalitions define and deliver progress on their own terms.

Rachel shares insights from her time in government, academia, and policy research, reflecting on how development agencies can make tough choices, simplify their missions, and stay focused on impact when resources are scarce. She and Dan delve into the future of the World Bank, IMF, and USAID, the need for smarter prioritization among donors, and the vital importance of protecting evidence-based interventions that save lives and expand opportunity.

The conversation also moves beyond institutions to the tools and partnerships shaping tomorrow’s development practice—from artificial intelligence and climate innovation to South–South Cooperation, where countries like India, China and Kenya are sharing solutions across continents. 

Rachel Glennerster on X and Linkedin

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Power, policy, and the future of global development | Rachel Glennerster Rachel Glennerster, Dan Banik 00:56:34 As global aid budgets shrink and new coalitions emerge, Rachel Glennerster joins Dan Banik to unpack what these shifts mean for the future of development. Together they explore how evidence, prioritization, and South–South Cooperation can drive genuine progress in an increasingly multipolar world. As global aid budgets shrink and new coalitions emerge, Rachel Glennerster joins Dan Banik to unpack what these shifts mean for the future of development. Together they explore how evidence, prioritization, and South–South Cooperation can drive genuine progress in an increasingly multipolar world. foreign aid, south–south cooperation, aid effectiveness, world bank, development politics, rachel glennerster, evidence-based policy, center for global development, imf, sustainable development, global development, artificial intelligence false full 9 6 5cf27841-fc11-45cd-812c-3d725aceacd5 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 trust in the ballot box. 

In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Happy Kayuni about why democracy endures in Malawi, how civic faith survives amid hardship, and what this resilience reveals about the future of democracy in developing countries.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 8 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Happy Kayuni) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kayuni2-sgVleo_q 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 trust in the ballot box. 

In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Happy Kayuni about why democracy endures in Malawi, how civic faith survives amid hardship, and what this resilience reveals about the future of democracy in developing countries.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Democracy against the odds | Happy Kayuni Dan Banik, Happy Kayuni 00:42:57 Malawi has recently held another peaceful election, reaffirming its status as one of Africa’s most resilient democracies despite deep economic hardship. Dan Banik speaks with Happy Kayuni about why Malawians continue to believe in democracy even when development remains elusive. Malawi has recently held another peaceful election, reaffirming its status as one of Africa’s most resilient democracies despite deep economic hardship. Dan Banik speaks with Happy Kayuni about why Malawians continue to believe in democracy even when development remains elusive. development and democracy, elections, civic participation, democracy, poverty and politics, malawi, democratic resilience, governance, africa, political transitions false full 8 6 c3a570ea-1983-440f-b4d7-3f7cc37a90b9 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 they explore what the protests reveal about Serbia’s political system, the rise of “stabilocracy,” and the fragile state of democracy across the Balkans.

Dan and Nemanja — colleagues in the Circle U European University Alliance’s Democracy Hub — also discuss shifting global alliances, China’s growing presence, and why young Serbians are losing faith in the European project.

A story of resilience and renewal, this conversation offers rare insight into how civic courage can revive democracy from the ground up.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 5 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Nemanja Džuverović, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/nemanja-2vND9Maj 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 they explore what the protests reveal about Serbia’s political system, the rise of “stabilocracy,” and the fragile state of democracy across the Balkans.

Dan and Nemanja — colleagues in the Circle U European University Alliance’s Democracy Hub — also discuss shifting global alliances, China’s growing presence, and why young Serbians are losing faith in the European project.

A story of resilience and renewal, this conversation offers rare insight into how civic courage can revive democracy from the ground up.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The protest that changed Serbia | Nemanja Džuverović Nemanja Džuverović, Dan Banik 00:50:17 Dan Banik speaks with Nemanja Džuverović about the student-led movement that has shaken Serbia’s political order one year after the Novi Sad train station collapse. Together they explore how a tragedy turned into a nationwide call for accountability, revealing both the fragility and resilience of democracy in the Balkans. Dan Banik speaks with Nemanja Džuverović about the student-led movement that has shaken Serbia’s political order one year after the Novi Sad train station collapse. Together they explore how a tragedy turned into a nationwide call for accountability, revealing both the fragility and resilience of democracy in the Balkans. democratic backsliding, student protests, aleksandar vučić, circle u european university alliance, novi sad, western balkans, corruption, european union, serbia, civic movements, accountability false full 7 6 60959fc6-2833-4711-bcbd-2198624e7b21 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 era defined by U.S.–China rivalry. Together they explore how countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are redefining their foreign policies—resisting pressure to choose sides while advancing their own development agendas. Heine, who is also the co-author (with Carlos Fortin and Carlos Ominami) of the timely new book The Non-Aligned World: Striking Out in an Era of Great Power Competition, argues that this movement signals a more confident and connected Global South, reshaping global governance, development finance, and the balance of power in the twenty-first century.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 1 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jorge Heine, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/heine-q6Q6UsQY 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 era defined by U.S.–China rivalry. Together they explore how countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are redefining their foreign policies—resisting pressure to choose sides while advancing their own development agendas. Heine, who is also the co-author (with Carlos Fortin and Carlos Ominami) of the timely new book The Non-Aligned World: Striking Out in an Era of Great Power Competition, argues that this movement signals a more confident and connected Global South, reshaping global governance, development finance, and the balance of power in the twenty-first century.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Why choosing sides is out of style | Jorge Heine Jorge Heine, Dan Banik 00:41:46 Jorge Heine joins Dan Banik to discuss how the Global South is reshaping world politics through a strategy of active non-alignment — refusing to take sides in the U.S.–China rivalry while maximizing national leverage. Drawing on his experiences in South Africa, India, China, and Chile, Heine explains why “playing the field” has become the defining feature of diplomacy in a multipolar world. Jorge Heine joins Dan Banik to discuss how the Global South is reshaping world politics through a strategy of active non-alignment — refusing to take sides in the U.S.–China rivalry while maximizing national leverage. Drawing on his experiences in South Africa, India, China, and Chile, Heine explains why “playing the field” has become the defining feature of diplomacy in a multipolar world. multipolar world, latin america diplomacy, south–south cooperation, jorge heine, development politics, active non-alignment, brics, u.s.–china rivalry, global governance, global south false full 6 6 32461479-7001-49ee-9a34-6e36da3b88e5 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 measurable framework that challenged conventional notions of progress. Pedro reflects on how this approach—anchored in expanding people’s choices and capabilities—remains vital in today’s polarized and uncertain world, where attention is often captured by crises rather than long-term human flourishing. Dan and Pedro discuss the latest Human Development Report, A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI, which examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping economies, societies, and the very notion of human agency. They explore both the promise and the peril of AI — how it can enhance learning, health, and livelihoods, but also deepen inequalities if access, bias, and control are left unchecked. The episode also touches on widening global inequalities, energy poverty in Africa, and the foundational investments (in electricity, connectivity, and education) required to ensure that AI serves as a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Pedro Conceição, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pedro-conceicao-lqJgF_4j 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 measurable framework that challenged conventional notions of progress. Pedro reflects on how this approach—anchored in expanding people’s choices and capabilities—remains vital in today’s polarized and uncertain world, where attention is often captured by crises rather than long-term human flourishing. Dan and Pedro discuss the latest Human Development Report, A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI, which examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping economies, societies, and the very notion of human agency. They explore both the promise and the peril of AI — how it can enhance learning, health, and livelihoods, but also deepen inequalities if access, bias, and control are left unchecked. The episode also touches on widening global inequalities, energy poverty in Africa, and the foundational investments (in electricity, connectivity, and education) required to ensure that AI serves as a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Who gains from AI? Human development in a divided world | Pedro Conceição Pedro Conceição, Dan Banik 00:43:41 Dan Banik speaks with Pedro Conceição, Director of the UNDP’s Human Development Report Office, about how the idea of human development continues to shape global thinking on progress and equality. Together, they explore the latest Human Development Report (A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI) and discuss how artificial intelligence can either widen divides or empower people to live fuller, freer lives. Dan Banik speaks with Pedro Conceição, Director of the UNDP’s Human Development Report Office, about how the idea of human development continues to shape global thinking on progress and equality. Together, they explore the latest Human Development Report (A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI) and discuss how artificial intelligence can either widen divides or empower people to live fuller, freer lives. amartya sen, human development, pedro conceição, sustainable development goals (sdgs), undp, global inequality, mahbub ul haq, human development report, artificial intelligence false full 5 6 4dc646d3-9077-44d4-9a22-afcc1a3b4c3e 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 democracy, governance, the economy, and society. The conversation explores the paradox of political engagement in a digital age — where young people are more likely to mobilize on social media or take to the streets than to join parties or vote. Dan and Joseph discuss the widening generational gap between citizens and leaders, the persistence of “big man” politics, and the crucial role of credible data in strengthening accountability and democratic resilience.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 25 Oct 2025 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Joseph Asunka, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/asunka-m5C7j_U_ 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 democracy, governance, the economy, and society. The conversation explores the paradox of political engagement in a digital age — where young people are more likely to mobilize on social media or take to the streets than to join parties or vote. Dan and Joseph discuss the widening generational gap between citizens and leaders, the persistence of “big man” politics, and the crucial role of credible data in strengthening accountability and democratic resilience.

Resources:

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Africa’s pulse: Listening to citizens in an age of uncertainty | Joseph Asunka Joseph Asunka, Dan Banik 00:52:44 Joseph Asunka joins Dan Banik to discuss what Africans themselves are saying about democracy, governance, and opportunity amid shifting global and local realities. Drawing on data from across the continent, they explore youth frustration and activism, the persistence of “big man” politics, and why reliable citizen data is essential for Africa’s democratic future. Joseph Asunka joins Dan Banik to discuss what Africans themselves are saying about democracy, governance, and opportunity amid shifting global and local realities. Drawing on data from across the continent, they explore youth frustration and activism, the persistence of “big man” politics, and why reliable citizen data is essential for Africa’s democratic future. public opinion in africa, democracy in africa, governance and accountability, development and data, african democracy, joseph asunka, youth and politics, afrobarometer, social media activism, big man politics false full 4 6 f1052eaf-43f4-42ad-95ee-7f4748c76a66 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 experience reveal about how societies learn from crisis?

In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Naomi Hossain, Global Research Professor in the Department of Development Studies at SOAS University of London. A political sociologist, Naomi’s work examines how people living with poverty and precarity secure the public services they need, and how states can be held to account. The conversation revisits the Bangladesh’s turbulent early years: the 1970 Bhola cyclone, the liberation war, and the devastating 1974 famine that killed over one and a half million people. Out of those traumas emerged a political and moral consensus that food security and disaster preparedness had to come first. From there, Bangladesh built a foundation for growth through innovation in health, education, and social protection, and through a society that proved remarkably adaptive and resilient.

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Naomi Hossain, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hossain-Ch_AbUtl 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 experience reveal about how societies learn from crisis?

In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Naomi Hossain, Global Research Professor in the Department of Development Studies at SOAS University of London. A political sociologist, Naomi’s work examines how people living with poverty and precarity secure the public services they need, and how states can be held to account. The conversation revisits the Bangladesh’s turbulent early years: the 1970 Bhola cyclone, the liberation war, and the devastating 1974 famine that killed over one and a half million people. Out of those traumas emerged a political and moral consensus that food security and disaster preparedness had to come first. From there, Bangladesh built a foundation for growth through innovation in health, education, and social protection, and through a society that proved remarkably adaptive and resilient.

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Bangladesh: How a ‘basket case’ became a development pioneer | Naomi Hossain Naomi Hossain, Dan Banik 00:44:17 Dan Banik and Naomi Hossain discuss Bangladesh’s remarkable but contested development journey — from famine and fragility to growth and global recognition. Together they explore how politics, crisis, and collective learning have shaped the country’s progress, and what its experience reveals about resilience, accountability, and the moral economy of development. Dan Banik and Naomi Hossain discuss Bangladesh’s remarkable but contested development journey — from famine and fragility to growth and global recognition. Together they explore how politics, crisis, and collective learning have shaped the country’s progress, and what its experience reveals about resilience, accountability, and the moral economy of development. development, women’s empowerment, bangladesh, dan banik, naomi hossain, aid effectiveness, politics of poverty, state capacity, microfinance, climate resilience, food security, governance, famine, accountability false full 3 6 5a6e4782-c943-45d7-a3e4-58123c5abdb7 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 streamline operations and review mandates at a time when the organization is struggling to keep the lights on.

In this conversation, Dan Banik speaks with Dr. Ronny Patz, an independent UN financing analyst and author of Managing Money and Discord in the UN, about what lies behind the current liquidity crunch and why reforming the UN is so politically fraught. They explore how money, mandates, and majorities rarely align; why a considerable amount of UN funding now comes through earmarked projects; and how donor mistrust, fragmentation, and “cutback management” are reshaping the very foundations of global governance.

The discussion moves beyond budgets to ask a larger question: Can the United Nations still fulfill its universal mission in a post-aid world?

Listeners will come away with a sharper understanding of how bureaucratic politics, donor behaviour, and global power shifts are redefining the future of multilateralism.

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ronny Patz, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ronny-patz-sybz5Onu 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 streamline operations and review mandates at a time when the organization is struggling to keep the lights on.

In this conversation, Dan Banik speaks with Dr. Ronny Patz, an independent UN financing analyst and author of Managing Money and Discord in the UN, about what lies behind the current liquidity crunch and why reforming the UN is so politically fraught. They explore how money, mandates, and majorities rarely align; why a considerable amount of UN funding now comes through earmarked projects; and how donor mistrust, fragmentation, and “cutback management” are reshaping the very foundations of global governance.

The discussion moves beyond budgets to ask a larger question: Can the United Nations still fulfill its universal mission in a post-aid world?

Listeners will come away with a sharper understanding of how bureaucratic politics, donor behaviour, and global power shifts are redefining the future of multilateralism.

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> How to Save the United Nations from Financial Meltdown | Ronny Patz Ronny Patz, Dan Banik 00:51:10 Dan Banik speaks with Ronny Patz about the United Nations’ deepest financial crisis in decades and the ambitious reforms unfolding under the UN80 initiative. Together they unpack how politics, member state behaviour, and fragmented funding are reshaping the UN’s ability to act, and what this means for the future of multilateralism. Dan Banik speaks with Ronny Patz about the United Nations’ deepest financial crisis in decades and the ambitious reforms unfolding under the UN80 initiative. Together they unpack how politics, member state behaviour, and fragmented funding are reshaping the UN’s ability to act, and what this means for the future of multilateralism. donor politics, development aid, un80 reform, international bureaucracy, ronny patz, un funding crisis, united nations, earmarked funding, global governance, multilateralism false full 2 6 2beaab37-1492-48e2-9f22-099027348db2 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 institutions, debt crises, environmental stress, and disruptive technologies are reshaping global politics and development. However, amidst this turbulence, he identifies a powerful countercurrent — the growing visibility and influence of the Global South. Dan unpacks how countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are asserting new forms of leadership and cooperation — through the G20, BRICS, and South–South partnerships — and how this shift is transforming debates on trade, climate justice, technology, and governance. The episode also reflects on the challenges within the Global South itself, including internal inequalities, differing national interests, and the risk of reproducing old hierarchies in new ways.

Despite the uncertainty of this “interregnum” moment, Dan closes with a message of cautious optimism — a politics of hope grounded in evidence. He highlights global progress in health, education, poverty reduction, and renewable energy, emphasizing that crises often generate creativity and collaboration. The episode sets the stage for a new season of conversations with scholars, activists, and policymakers who will explore how the Global South’s choices — and the world’s response — will shape the future of global development.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2025 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/banik-_1JKkpJV 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 institutions, debt crises, environmental stress, and disruptive technologies are reshaping global politics and development. However, amidst this turbulence, he identifies a powerful countercurrent — the growing visibility and influence of the Global South. Dan unpacks how countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are asserting new forms of leadership and cooperation — through the G20, BRICS, and South–South partnerships — and how this shift is transforming debates on trade, climate justice, technology, and governance. The episode also reflects on the challenges within the Global South itself, including internal inequalities, differing national interests, and the risk of reproducing old hierarchies in new ways.

Despite the uncertainty of this “interregnum” moment, Dan closes with a message of cautious optimism — a politics of hope grounded in evidence. He highlights global progress in health, education, poverty reduction, and renewable energy, emphasizing that crises often generate creativity and collaboration. The episode sets the stage for a new season of conversations with scholars, activists, and policymakers who will explore how the Global South’s choices — and the world’s response — will shape the future of global development.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> From crisis to possibility | Dan Banik Dan Banik 00:17:08 In the opening episode of Season 6, Dan Banik reflects on his personal journey of recovery after a medical emergency and uses this experience as a lens to explore a world in transition — one marked by fragmentation, shifting power, and the rise of the Global South. He argues that despite turbulence and uncertainty, actors across the Global South are reshaping global development, offering new possibilities for a more just, inclusive, and hopeful international order. In the opening episode of Season 6, Dan Banik reflects on his personal journey of recovery after a medical emergency and uses this experience as a lens to explore a world in transition — one marked by fragmentation, shifting power, and the rise of the Global South. He argues that despite turbulence and uncertainty, actors across the Global South are reshaping global development, offering new possibilities for a more just, inclusive, and hopeful international order. south-south cooperation, multipolar world, in pursuit of development podcast, economic inequality, resilience, what works, climate justice, international development, geopolitics, hope, global governance, global south false full 1 6 a6ae779a-85bd-4392-9a06-8ac19bb4f49f 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, are individuals who work within the bureaucracy with a genuine desire to serve their organization's mission of helping citizens. They perform their jobs out of a strong belief in their purpose, rather than being driven by a set of rules or incentives that compel them to act in specific ways. But what are the historical roots of the term "mission," and how can mission-driven bureaucrats thrive? The book argues that the key to better government lies in empowerment and trust, rather than stricter controls and more rigorous oversight. 
 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Mission driven bureaucrats – 04:04
  • Managers like Ted Lasso – 18:21
  • Managing for empowerment versus managing for compliance – 25:12
  • Demotivated and unmotivated bureaucrats – 37:46
  • Characteristics of efficient bureaucracies around the world – 35:06
  • New public management and the centrality of citizens – 43:52

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Sat, 13 Jul 2024 04:09:29 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Honig, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/honig2-SVimg6RM 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, are individuals who work within the bureaucracy with a genuine desire to serve their organization's mission of helping citizens. They perform their jobs out of a strong belief in their purpose, rather than being driven by a set of rules or incentives that compel them to act in specific ways. But what are the historical roots of the term "mission," and how can mission-driven bureaucrats thrive? The book argues that the key to better government lies in empowerment and trust, rather than stricter controls and more rigorous oversight. 
 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Mission driven bureaucrats – 04:04
  • Managers like Ted Lasso – 18:21
  • Managing for empowerment versus managing for compliance – 25:12
  • Demotivated and unmotivated bureaucrats – 37:46
  • Characteristics of efficient bureaucracies around the world – 35:06
  • New public management and the centrality of citizens – 43:52

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Empowering Bureaucrats for Better Government Performance — Dan Honig Dan Honig, Dan Banik 00:54:07 Dan Banik and Dan Honig explore the concept of mission-driven bureaucrats, emphasizing the importance of empowerment, trust, and autonomy over strict compliance and control in improving government performance and public service delivery. Dan Banik and Dan Honig explore the concept of mission-driven bureaucrats, emphasizing the importance of empowerment, trust, and autonomy over strict compliance and control in improving government performance and public service delivery. thailand, global survey of public servants, ted lasso, india, pakistan, south africa, china, delegation of authority, motivation, compliance, liberia, trust, demotivation, civil service reform, new public management, hierarchy, mission, empowerment, bureaucracy, autonomy, political interference false full 30 5 d91d1e0a-a95a-4df5-b555-43c701300224 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 narratives often overlook the perspectives of low and middle-income countries, which is why in this episode, we shift our focus to understand how the Global South perceives and engages with this international order.

Rohan Mukherjee is an assistant professor at the Department of International Relations, at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His latest book is  Ascending Order: Rising Powers and the Politics of Status in International Institutions. @rohan_mukh

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Global governance viewed from the Global South – 02:54
  • Crisis of authority and new bargains – 09:57
  • Rising powers and the politics of status – 16:05
  • The quest for status and symbolic equality within the international system – 24:14
  • Institutional openness and procedural fairness – 35:06
  • Admitting rising powers into the great power club – 46:37

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 6 Jul 2024 05:04:43 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Rohan Mukherjee, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/rmukherjee-ll84S52Z 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 narratives often overlook the perspectives of low and middle-income countries, which is why in this episode, we shift our focus to understand how the Global South perceives and engages with this international order.

Rohan Mukherjee is an assistant professor at the Department of International Relations, at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His latest book is  Ascending Order: Rising Powers and the Politics of Status in International Institutions. @rohan_mukh

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Global governance viewed from the Global South – 02:54
  • Crisis of authority and new bargains – 09:57
  • Rising powers and the politics of status – 16:05
  • The quest for status and symbolic equality within the international system – 24:14
  • Institutional openness and procedural fairness – 35:06
  • Admitting rising powers into the great power club – 46:37

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Rising Powers and the New Global Order — Rohan Mukherjee Rohan Mukherjee, Dan Banik 00:50:57 Dan Banik and Rohan Mukherjee explore how the Global South seeks greater representation and status within the liberal international order, challenging Western-centric perspectives and advocating for more inclusive global governance. Dan Banik and Rohan Mukherjee explore how the Global South seeks greater representation and status within the liberal international order, challenging Western-centric perspectives and advocating for more inclusive global governance. crisis of authority, g20, wto, kaushik basu, un reform, g7, institutional status theory, african union, john ikenberry, india, liberal international order, comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty, world bank, china, global order, multilateral institutions, un security council, nuclear non-proliferation treaty, narendra modi, united states, justin yifu lin, global governance, global south false full 29 5 cb7a9c3b-c851-47a0-97fd-e647c1251dea 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 order and US hegemony through their economic, structural, and normative power. While many countries in the Global South are finding it challenging to navigate the complex terrain of great power competition, some are leveraging their unique positions to maximize benefits and assert their sovereignty. They engage strategically with multiple great powers, negotiating deals and leveraging relationships to their advantage, balancing economic needs, security concerns, and political aspirations. 

Ilaria Carrozza is a senior researcher at the The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Her research focuses on understanding how China extends its influence abroad and challenges the existing world order. @ilaria_carrozza

Resources

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Great power competition viewed from the Global South – 03:30
  • The Russia-China alliance and resurgence of the BRICS – 11:40
  • Global development and global security concerns – 18:50
  • Chinese versus Western alternatives – 37:42

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 29 Jun 2024 04:45:53 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Ilaria Carrozza) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/carrozza-xstsDtiV 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 order and US hegemony through their economic, structural, and normative power. While many countries in the Global South are finding it challenging to navigate the complex terrain of great power competition, some are leveraging their unique positions to maximize benefits and assert their sovereignty. They engage strategically with multiple great powers, negotiating deals and leveraging relationships to their advantage, balancing economic needs, security concerns, and political aspirations. 

Ilaria Carrozza is a senior researcher at the The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Her research focuses on understanding how China extends its influence abroad and challenges the existing world order. @ilaria_carrozza

Resources

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Great power competition viewed from the Global South – 03:30
  • The Russia-China alliance and resurgence of the BRICS – 11:40
  • Global development and global security concerns – 18:50
  • Chinese versus Western alternatives – 37:42

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Great Power Competition and the Global South — Ilaria Carrozza Dan Banik, Ilaria Carrozza 00:52:32 Dan Banik and Ilaria Carrozza explore how countries in the Global South navigate the power dynamics between the US, China, and Russia, asserting their agency and strategic interests. Dan Banik and Ilaria Carrozza explore how countries in the Global South navigate the power dynamics between the US, China, and Russia, asserting their agency and strategic interests. digital silk road, peace, india, peacekeeping, global security, china, great power competition, belt and road initiative, philippines, united states, agency, malaysia, multilateralism, global south false full 28 5 1bb9be9f-908a-4dc4-bd3b-9c76225c15e4 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 evident in the historical shifts from feudalism to absolutism, and eventually to democracy, driven by people's resistance to absolute power.

Ian Shapiro is Sterling Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs at Yale University. In his latest book Uncommon Sense, he explores why citizens in many democracies are profoundly alienated and some democracies are in danger of failing. 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The fight against domination – 02:50
  • The role of political parties in resisting domination – 05:41
  • Disillusionment with democracies and the role of deliberation – 11:24
  • Amartya Sen and development as freedom – 23:16
  • Betting on hope – 34:29

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Sat, 22 Jun 2024 04:06:35 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ian Shapiro, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/shapiro-9sqKCEjB 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 evident in the historical shifts from feudalism to absolutism, and eventually to democracy, driven by people's resistance to absolute power.

Ian Shapiro is Sterling Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs at Yale University. In his latest book Uncommon Sense, he explores why citizens in many democracies are profoundly alienated and some democracies are in danger of failing. 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The fight against domination – 02:50
  • The role of political parties in resisting domination – 05:41
  • Disillusionment with democracies and the role of deliberation – 11:24
  • Amartya Sen and development as freedom – 23:16
  • Betting on hope – 34:29

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Politics, power, and resistance — Ian Shapiro Ian Shapiro, Dan Banik 00:40:48 Dan Banik and Ian Shapiro discuss the concept of domination, the essential functions of political parties, and the challenges facing modern democracies. Dan Banik and Ian Shapiro discuss the concept of domination, the essential functions of political parties, and the challenges facing modern democracies. amartya sen, democracy, south africa, poverty reduction, politics of hope, deliberative democracy, domination, united states, climate change false full 27 5 da65ae38-c3a7-4f50-b5b5-53e577aa4004 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 administrative capacity extends beyond immediate program implementation. Strong administrative systems ensure that the achievements of development policies are maintained over time, adapting to new challenges like technological changes, demographic shifts, and environmental sustainability. This adaptability is essential for long-term development outcomes, making the strengthening of bureaucratic institutions a fundamental aspect of enhancing overall state capacity.

Sameen A. Mohsin Ali is an Assistant Professor of International Development at the University of Birmingham. She works in the fields of comparative politics, development studies, and political economy, with a specialisation in the bureaucratic politics of Pakistan. @sameen_mohsin

Resources

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • State capacity and administrative capacity – 03:26
  • The role of patronage politics – 09:03
  • Civil servant strategies to tackle political interference – 16:49
  • Socialization strategies, motivation, and demotivation – 25:09
  • Networks of effectiveness – 32:14
  • Trust between citizens and the state – 45:16

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Wed, 24 Apr 2024 04:19:40 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Sameen A. Mohsin Ali, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mohsin-ali-__GaEYLv 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 administrative capacity extends beyond immediate program implementation. Strong administrative systems ensure that the achievements of development policies are maintained over time, adapting to new challenges like technological changes, demographic shifts, and environmental sustainability. This adaptability is essential for long-term development outcomes, making the strengthening of bureaucratic institutions a fundamental aspect of enhancing overall state capacity.

Sameen A. Mohsin Ali is an Assistant Professor of International Development at the University of Birmingham. She works in the fields of comparative politics, development studies, and political economy, with a specialisation in the bureaucratic politics of Pakistan. @sameen_mohsin

Resources

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • State capacity and administrative capacity – 03:26
  • The role of patronage politics – 09:03
  • Civil servant strategies to tackle political interference – 16:49
  • Socialization strategies, motivation, and demotivation – 25:09
  • Networks of effectiveness – 32:14
  • Trust between citizens and the state – 45:16

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Administrative Capacity and Its Impact on Development in Pakistan — Sameen A. Mohsin Ali Sameen A. Mohsin Ali, Dan Banik 00:52:04 Dan Banik and Sameen A. Mohsin Ali discuss the intricacies of bureaucratic capacity in Pakistan, examining how administrative effectiveness, political dynamics, and patronage impact the implementation of development programs. Dan Banik and Sameen A. Mohsin Ali discuss the intricacies of bureaucratic capacity in Pakistan, examining how administrative effectiveness, political dynamics, and patronage impact the implementation of development programs. democracy, india, pakistan, infrastructure, assymettric federalism, administrative capacity, military, state capacity, corruption, public policy, trust, demotivation, bureaucracy, patronage, political interference, networks of effectiveness, immunization false full 26 5 d68dc75b-9ebb-49af-b9fe-75f9f7dc33b1 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, logistics, energy, and oil and gas. While some African citizens and policymakers view the BRI as an opportunity to expand their policy space for development, opinions are divided. The presence of Chinese investments in Africa's infrastructure has ignited a multifaceted debate about the benefits of such partnerships versus the risks, including debt dependency, sustainability issues, and project prioritization that might not meet the wider needs of the population.

Karuti Kanyinga is a Research Professor of Development Studies at the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi, who has worked extensively on governance and development. @karutikk

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Public perceptions of recent infrastructure projects in Nairobi – 03:18
  • Project modalities and demands for greater transparency – 08:09
  • Negotiating better deals with external actors – 14:36
  • The cost of politics – 22:16
  • Expectations of idealism in politics – 28:37
  • Strategies for combating corruption – 37:42

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2024 04:11:35 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Karuti Kanyinga, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kanyinga-7Ip0mkQI 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, logistics, energy, and oil and gas. While some African citizens and policymakers view the BRI as an opportunity to expand their policy space for development, opinions are divided. The presence of Chinese investments in Africa's infrastructure has ignited a multifaceted debate about the benefits of such partnerships versus the risks, including debt dependency, sustainability issues, and project prioritization that might not meet the wider needs of the population.

Karuti Kanyinga is a Research Professor of Development Studies at the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi, who has worked extensively on governance and development. @karutikk

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Public perceptions of recent infrastructure projects in Nairobi – 03:18
  • Project modalities and demands for greater transparency – 08:09
  • Negotiating better deals with external actors – 14:36
  • The cost of politics – 22:16
  • Expectations of idealism in politics – 28:37
  • Strategies for combating corruption – 37:42

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Infrastructure, Governance, and Society in Modern Africa — Karuti Kanyinga Karuti Kanyinga, Dan Banik 00:43:48 Dan Banik and Karuti Kanyinga discuss the benefits and challenges of China's infrastructure investments in Africa while also considering the impact of campaign finance on political equity and governance. Dan Banik and Karuti Kanyinga discuss the benefits and challenges of China's infrastructure investments in Africa while also considering the impact of campaign finance on political equity and governance. infrastructure projects, commonwealth countries, kenya, standard gauge railway, daniel arap moi, china in africa, william ruto, public service delivery, china, uhuru kenyatta, corruption, mwai kibaki, nairobi, jomo kenyatta false full 25 5 a38c29da-1fae-4eee-b46f-838a48d38498 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, a significant disconnect persists between the scientific consensus on global warming and the actions taken by political leaders at international, national, and local levels. In many of my interactions with policymakers from around the world, I often hear that despite being a global challenge, the discourse around global warming is disproportionately influenced by the perspectives and priorities of rich countries. Politicians in the global South in particular claim that this imbalance often results in global agreements that neglect the complexities of local justice and the intricate local politics involving competition for limited resources. 

Lan Marie Nguyen Berg is the Deputy Leader of the Green Party and a Member of the Norwegian Parliament. She previously served as Oslo City Commissioner for transport and the environment. @Lan_Marie

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The importance of voting as a step for political action– 04:24
  • Balancing short-term voter appeasement with long-term climate goals– 08:48
  • How Oslo became greener – 14:07
  • Radical policies for long-term benefit and trade-offs – 19:28
  • The welfare state and growing citizen expectations – 31:10
  • Why the Global South reacts to preaching from the Global North – 37:58
  • Online abuse and the future of young European leaders – 47:44

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2024 04:34:39 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Lan Marie Nguyen Berg, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/berg-sYr0KfMf 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, a significant disconnect persists between the scientific consensus on global warming and the actions taken by political leaders at international, national, and local levels. In many of my interactions with policymakers from around the world, I often hear that despite being a global challenge, the discourse around global warming is disproportionately influenced by the perspectives and priorities of rich countries. Politicians in the global South in particular claim that this imbalance often results in global agreements that neglect the complexities of local justice and the intricate local politics involving competition for limited resources. 

Lan Marie Nguyen Berg is the Deputy Leader of the Green Party and a Member of the Norwegian Parliament. She previously served as Oslo City Commissioner for transport and the environment. @Lan_Marie

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The importance of voting as a step for political action– 04:24
  • Balancing short-term voter appeasement with long-term climate goals– 08:48
  • How Oslo became greener – 14:07
  • Radical policies for long-term benefit and trade-offs – 19:28
  • The welfare state and growing citizen expectations – 31:10
  • Why the Global South reacts to preaching from the Global North – 37:58
  • Online abuse and the future of young European leaders – 47:44

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Politics of the Planet — Lan Marie Nguyen Berg Lan Marie Nguyen Berg, Dan Banik 00:52:07 Dan Banik and Lan Marie Nguyen Berg discuss the complexities of implementing climate and development strategies, emphasizing the necessity of bold leadership and innovative policies to address the existential threat of climate change amidst societal and political challenges. Dan Banik and Lan Marie Nguyen Berg discuss the complexities of implementing climate and development strategies, emphasizing the necessity of bold leadership and innovative policies to address the existential threat of climate change amidst societal and political challenges. political debates, kenya, renewal energy, european green capital, tolls, paris, india, climate action, environment, green party, south africa, china, trade-offs, electric vehicles, mdg, norway, sustainable transportation solutions, transportation, oslo, climate change, politics, carbon footprint, online abuse, global south, intergovernmental panel on climate change false full 24 5 3b37d44e-6d13-48a3-a410-207ae8625eff 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 regions, is not just about lighting up homes but igniting opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development. Yet, as we dig deeper, it becomes apparent that the link between electricity access and economic prosperity is nuanced and multifaceted.

Jörg Ankel-Peters co-heads the research department “Climate Change and Development” at RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research in Germany and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Passau. @jrgptrs
 

Resources

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The global energy poverty challenge – 03:44
  • The electricity-economic growth relationship – 10:27
  • Expanding the grid versus mini-grids and off-grid solutions– 17:10
  • Health and education impacts of rural electrification– 24:27
  • The charcoal conundrum – 29:07
  • Impact of Rwanda’s Electricity Access Roll-out program (EARP) – 36:32

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 3 Apr 2024 04:28:52 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jörg Ankel-Peters, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ankel-peters-ZzESB8EW 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 regions, is not just about lighting up homes but igniting opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development. Yet, as we dig deeper, it becomes apparent that the link between electricity access and economic prosperity is nuanced and multifaceted.

Jörg Ankel-Peters co-heads the research department “Climate Change and Development” at RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research in Germany and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Passau. @jrgptrs
 

Resources

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The global energy poverty challenge – 03:44
  • The electricity-economic growth relationship – 10:27
  • Expanding the grid versus mini-grids and off-grid solutions– 17:10
  • Health and education impacts of rural electrification– 24:27
  • The charcoal conundrum – 29:07
  • Impact of Rwanda’s Electricity Access Roll-out program (EARP) – 36:32

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Tackling the Energy Access and Development Challenge — Jörg Ankel-Peters Jörg Ankel-Peters, Dan Banik 00:45:34 Dan Banik and Jörg Ankel-Peters discuss the global challenge of energy poverty, emphasizing the need for innovative energy solutions to provide sustainable and reliable access. Dan Banik and Jörg Ankel-Peters discuss the global challenge of energy poverty, emphasizing the need for innovative energy solutions to provide sustainable and reliable access. renewal energy, education, health, led technology, india, mini-grid, south africa, economic growth, loadshedding, off-grid, kerosene, biomass cooking stoves, malawi, rwanda, electricity access roll-out program (earp), south asia, charcoal, electricity, solar power, cooking gas, power cut false full 23 5 b879aeea-0c2f-4593-9ee8-38c8f2286094 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 a complex labyrinth of global manufacturing practices, the ebb and flow of international relations, and the evolving patterns of consumer culture that mark the contemporary landscape.

Elisabeth Ingleson is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She specialises in the histories of US foreign relations, US-China relations, capitalism, and labor, and is the author of Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade. @lizingleson

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Nationbranding and the “Made in China” label – 03:14
  • Geopolitics and supply chain dynamics – 09:05
  • China’s convergence with global capitalism – 16:23
  • The significance of cultural change – 27:03
  • Fashion diplomacy, technology imports and development – 33:40
  • The impact on Chinese politics and society– 41:10

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:29:47 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Elizabeth Ingleson, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ingleson-YKRP5ra_ 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 a complex labyrinth of global manufacturing practices, the ebb and flow of international relations, and the evolving patterns of consumer culture that mark the contemporary landscape.

Elisabeth Ingleson is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She specialises in the histories of US foreign relations, US-China relations, capitalism, and labor, and is the author of Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade. @lizingleson

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Nationbranding and the “Made in China” label – 03:14
  • Geopolitics and supply chain dynamics – 09:05
  • China’s convergence with global capitalism – 16:23
  • The significance of cultural change – 27:03
  • Fashion diplomacy, technology imports and development – 33:40
  • The impact on Chinese politics and society– 41:10

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The US-China Partnership That Transformed International Trade — Elizabeth Ingleson Elizabeth Ingleson, Dan Banik 00:47:55 Dan Banik and Elizabeth Ingleson explore the historical transformation of the "Made in China" label, how the neoliberal shift in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s was pivotal for China's integration into the global capitalist system, and the geopolitical implications of China's rise as a manufacturing powerhouse. Dan Banik and Elizabeth Ingleson explore the historical transformation of the "Made in China" label, how the neoliberal shift in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s was pivotal for China's integration into the global capitalist system, and the geopolitical implications of China's rise as a manufacturing powerhouse. trade fairs, nation branding, made in china, taiwan, mao zedong, globalization, fashion diplomacy, china, furniture imports, technology, us state department, chinese diaspora, global trade, henry kissinger, zhou enlai, convergence, guangzhou, cultural revolution, richard nixon, gang of four, united states, global capitalism, sanctions, cheap labour false full 22 5 00d51383-f126-4587-a653-c86b84428383 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 through uncertainties and crises, demonstrating a commitment to long-term goals while addressing immediate needs. This balance requires a nuanced approach that values empathy, ethical governance, and the empowerment of local voices, ensuring that development initiatives are both participatory and reflective of the communities they aim to serve. In an era where global challenges are increasingly complex, the role of leadership in development extends beyond immediate problem-solving to envisioning a sustainable future. 

Willem Fourie is an Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. He has a joint appointment in the Stellenbosch Business School and in the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking. In Why Leaders Fail and What it Teaches Us About Leadership he delves into the critical factors that lead to leadership failure. These include a lack of awareness of one’s own shortcomings, excessive belief in one’s ability to sway others, harmful favoritism towards one’s own group, a bad fit in an organization, and poor assessment of risks. @_Willem_Fourie

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • What good leadership means – 03:25
  • Meeting high expectations of followers – 10:02
  • Understanding leadership failure – 14:40
  • Leadership for longterm goals – 23:38
  • Strategies for resolving crises – 34:22
  • Corruption, integrity and leadership – 38:26

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:12:26 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Willem Fourie, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/fourie-hidlMTYK 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 through uncertainties and crises, demonstrating a commitment to long-term goals while addressing immediate needs. This balance requires a nuanced approach that values empathy, ethical governance, and the empowerment of local voices, ensuring that development initiatives are both participatory and reflective of the communities they aim to serve. In an era where global challenges are increasingly complex, the role of leadership in development extends beyond immediate problem-solving to envisioning a sustainable future. 

Willem Fourie is an Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. He has a joint appointment in the Stellenbosch Business School and in the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking. In Why Leaders Fail and What it Teaches Us About Leadership he delves into the critical factors that lead to leadership failure. These include a lack of awareness of one’s own shortcomings, excessive belief in one’s ability to sway others, harmful favoritism towards one’s own group, a bad fit in an organization, and poor assessment of risks. @_Willem_Fourie

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • What good leadership means – 03:25
  • Meeting high expectations of followers – 10:02
  • Understanding leadership failure – 14:40
  • Leadership for longterm goals – 23:38
  • Strategies for resolving crises – 34:22
  • Corruption, integrity and leadership – 38:26

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Empowering Change: Leadership's Role in Global Development — Willem Fourie Willem Fourie, Dan Banik 00:45:53 Dan Banik and Willem Fourie explore the complexities of leadership, focusing on the characteristics that define successful leaders and the common pitfalls that lead to failure. Dan Banik and Willem Fourie explore the complexities of leadership, focusing on the characteristics that define successful leaders and the common pitfalls that lead to failure. charisma, elections, sustainable development goals, frederik willem de klerk, democracy, nelson mandela, integrity, south africa, china, transactional leadership, corruption, paul kagame, transformational leadership, kwame nkrumah, cyril ramaphosa, electricity, colombia, thabo mbeki, leadership, jomo kenyatta false full 21 5 f6df2e7a-eb71-409f-bda4-0aa53a1c94b7 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 growth can exacerbate existing problems such as inadequate infrastructure, housing shortages, and environmental concerns. African cities with their unique history and socio-economic landscape, must navigate these complexities while harnessing the potential for innovation and economic diversification that a growing populace brings. 

Obvious Katsaura is a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand. His research interests are in, and at the intersections of, the fields of transnational urbanism, transnational religiosity, religious urbanism, urban politics and urban violence.

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The development impacts of urban inequality – 03:36
  • Fear, insecurity, and fortress mentality – 10:58
  • Migrant life in Johannesburg – 15:38
  • The role of churches in providing security and hope – 21:18
  • Pentecostalism and development in Lagos – 30:38

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:41:23 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Obvious Katsaura, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/katsaura-UcNqAABT 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 growth can exacerbate existing problems such as inadequate infrastructure, housing shortages, and environmental concerns. African cities with their unique history and socio-economic landscape, must navigate these complexities while harnessing the potential for innovation and economic diversification that a growing populace brings. 

Obvious Katsaura is a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand. His research interests are in, and at the intersections of, the fields of transnational urbanism, transnational religiosity, religious urbanism, urban politics and urban violence.

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The development impacts of urban inequality – 03:36
  • Fear, insecurity, and fortress mentality – 10:58
  • Migrant life in Johannesburg – 15:38
  • The role of churches in providing security and hope – 21:18
  • Pentecostalism and development in Lagos – 30:38

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Cityscapes and Sanctuaries: Exploring the Socio-Spatial and Religious Dynamics of Johannesburg and Lagos — Obvious Katsaura Obvious Katsaura, Dan Banik 00:47:47 Dan Banik and Obvious Katsaura explore the effects of urban inequality in Johannesburg, discussing how wealth and poverty coexist, shaping the cities’ characters and residents' lives, and the crucial role of Pentecostal churches in offering hope and security amidst social challenges in Johannesburg and Lagos. Dan Banik and Obvious Katsaura explore the effects of urban inequality in Johannesburg, discussing how wealth and poverty coexist, shaping the cities’ characters and residents' lives, and the crucial role of Pentecostal churches in offering hope and security amidst social challenges in Johannesburg and Lagos. apartheid, zimbabwe, prayer cities, johannesburg, cape town, water shortage, lagos, security, crime, pentacostal churches, pretoria, migration false full 20 5 40e6ae57-14b8-40fb-b717-749a4c644170 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 select leaders and representatives. Despite this faith in democracy, there is widespread disenchantment with the efficacy and fairness of the electoral process, highlighted by incidents of voter fraud and judicial rulings overturning elections. Concerns about democracy also extend to the debate on presidential term limits and the apparent unwillingness of some incumbents to vacate office. Insights from Afrobarometer surveys reveal the African public’s priorities and concerns, emphasizing issues like unemployment, economic stewardship, and healthcare. These survey findings illustrate a clear demand for democratic governance amidst dissatisfaction with how democracy currently operates, particularly in relation to corruption. Yet, amidst these challenges, there exists a sense of optimism about the future of democracy in Africa. This optimism is fueled by the continent's resilient civil society, the transformative potential of its young population, and examples of successful democratic transitions, suggesting a pathway towards more effective and representative governance.

Boniface Dulani is an Associate Professor of Political science at the University of Malawi. He is also the Director of Surveys for the Afrobarometer, a pan African network of researchers who conduct surveys on governance, economy, and livelihoods. @IPORMalawi

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Democratic gains and reversals on the African continent – 04:30
  • Reduction in political freedoms in exchange for development – 11:00
  • The most important problems in 39 countries – 21:25
  • Pervasive corruption and challenges in reporting corruption across various institutions – 40:15
  • What we can expect from the coming round of elections in Africa – 52:10

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Wed, 6 Mar 2024 05:20:38 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Boniface Dulani, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/dulani2-p6C40qDC 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 select leaders and representatives. Despite this faith in democracy, there is widespread disenchantment with the efficacy and fairness of the electoral process, highlighted by incidents of voter fraud and judicial rulings overturning elections. Concerns about democracy also extend to the debate on presidential term limits and the apparent unwillingness of some incumbents to vacate office. Insights from Afrobarometer surveys reveal the African public’s priorities and concerns, emphasizing issues like unemployment, economic stewardship, and healthcare. These survey findings illustrate a clear demand for democratic governance amidst dissatisfaction with how democracy currently operates, particularly in relation to corruption. Yet, amidst these challenges, there exists a sense of optimism about the future of democracy in Africa. This optimism is fueled by the continent's resilient civil society, the transformative potential of its young population, and examples of successful democratic transitions, suggesting a pathway towards more effective and representative governance.

Boniface Dulani is an Associate Professor of Political science at the University of Malawi. He is also the Director of Surveys for the Afrobarometer, a pan African network of researchers who conduct surveys on governance, economy, and livelihoods. @IPORMalawi

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Democratic gains and reversals on the African continent – 04:30
  • Reduction in political freedoms in exchange for development – 11:00
  • The most important problems in 39 countries – 21:25
  • Pervasive corruption and challenges in reporting corruption across various institutions – 40:15
  • What we can expect from the coming round of elections in Africa – 52:10

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Voices and Votes: Shaping the Democratic Landscape in Africa — Boniface Dulani Boniface Dulani, Dan Banik 01:00:04 Dan Banik and Boniface Dulani discuss the mixed state of democracy in Africa, spotlighting upcoming elections, power dynamics, and public sentiment towards governance. Dan Banik and Boniface Dulani discuss the mixed state of democracy in Africa, spotlighting upcoming elections, power dynamics, and public sentiment towards governance. burundi, kenya, elections, peter mutharika, presidential term limits, senegal, youth unemployment, african national congress, democracy, zimbabwe, south africa, afrobarometer, lesotho, corruption, malawi, paul kagame, civil society, uganda, yoweri museveni, rwanda, eswatini, protests, zambia, governance, namibia, cyril ramaphosa, nigeria, macky sall, ghana, africa, judiciary false full 19 5 f343c782-0810-4cb8-998a-80fd2e73d64e 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 flawed yet surviving" aptly captures this scenario. 

In Latin American Politics and Society: A Comparative and Historical Analysis, Gerardo Munck and Juan Pablo Luna argue that while Latin American countries have stabilized democratic systems, the journey towards a fully democratized society remains incomplete, as evidenced by the breakdown of democracy in some parts of the region. Various factors have contributed to the state of democracy in contemporary Latin America. The challenges facing democracy in the region range from the impact of neoliberal economic policies to the influence of external powers like the United States, the role of dominant elites, political culture, state weakness, and corruption. The growing phenomenon of populist leaders such as Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Javier Milei in Argentina forms a crucial part of our discussion. While scrutinizing the policies of these leaders and their implications for democracy, we also examine the complexities of political inclusion in Latin American societies, including the role of women, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and ordinary citizens in Latin American democracies. As scholars often point to the persistent crisis of representation in Latin American politics, it is important to explore the relationship between citizens and politicians, and the role of the judiciary in this dynamic. And although there are major shortcomings in providing equal access to political office for all societal groups, there has also been progress in some areas such as the introduction of gender quotas. A particularly important ongoing debate relates to what is considered the most effective development models for the region.

Gerardo Munck is a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on democracy and democratization, state capacity, Latin America, and methodology. He has also worked on the evolution of social science knowledge. @GerardoMunck

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Latin America has made progress on easy problems, but failed to resolve hard problems – 03:32
  • What accounts for the state of democracy today – 10:26
  • The dilemmas of democracy in unequal societies – 20:58
  • Political inclusion and political innovations – 29:12
  • Democracy and development – 37:35

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 04:58:49 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Gerardo Munck, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/munck-LHMVaz_X 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 flawed yet surviving" aptly captures this scenario. 

In Latin American Politics and Society: A Comparative and Historical Analysis, Gerardo Munck and Juan Pablo Luna argue that while Latin American countries have stabilized democratic systems, the journey towards a fully democratized society remains incomplete, as evidenced by the breakdown of democracy in some parts of the region. Various factors have contributed to the state of democracy in contemporary Latin America. The challenges facing democracy in the region range from the impact of neoliberal economic policies to the influence of external powers like the United States, the role of dominant elites, political culture, state weakness, and corruption. The growing phenomenon of populist leaders such as Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Javier Milei in Argentina forms a crucial part of our discussion. While scrutinizing the policies of these leaders and their implications for democracy, we also examine the complexities of political inclusion in Latin American societies, including the role of women, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and ordinary citizens in Latin American democracies. As scholars often point to the persistent crisis of representation in Latin American politics, it is important to explore the relationship between citizens and politicians, and the role of the judiciary in this dynamic. And although there are major shortcomings in providing equal access to political office for all societal groups, there has also been progress in some areas such as the introduction of gender quotas. A particularly important ongoing debate relates to what is considered the most effective development models for the region.

Gerardo Munck is a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on democracy and democratization, state capacity, Latin America, and methodology. He has also worked on the evolution of social science knowledge. @GerardoMunck

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Latin America has made progress on easy problems, but failed to resolve hard problems – 03:32
  • What accounts for the state of democracy today – 10:26
  • The dilemmas of democracy in unequal societies – 20:58
  • Political inclusion and political innovations – 29:12
  • Democracy and development – 37:35

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Democracy in the Balance: Navigating Latin America's Political Landscape — Gerardo Munck Gerardo Munck, Dan Banik 00:45:06 Dan Banik and Gerardo Munck discuss state capacity, the role of political parties, and the interplay between democracy and development in Latin America. Dan Banik and Gerardo Munck discuss state capacity, the role of political parties, and the interplay between democracy and development in Latin America. libertarianism, chile, honduras, conditional cash transfers, peru, rodrigo duterte, indigenous peoples, argentina, political inclusion, afro-descendants, brazil, adam prezeworksi, populism, bolivia, juan pablo luna, guatemala, mexico, nayib bukele, privatization, latin america, el salvador, crisis of representation, colombia, women, guillermo o’donnell, cash transfers, javier milei false full 18 5 3abb1c5e-f8a8-4439-b9b4-b3b855d3df41 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 challenges ahead for the world’s poorest nations. Therefore, it is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of which forms of globalized finance are more effective in fostering development. This episode focuses on the prize-winning book Pawned States: State Building in the Era of International Finance, which examines the consequences of early access to external finance for long-term state capacity. In the 19th century, developing countries frequently sought loans from European credit houses to manage their finances and cope with war. While this external financing provided opportunities for growth, it often allowed leaders of these borrower states to skip essential steps in developing institutions and making political systems more inclusive. "Pawned States" illustrates how this reliance on early foreign loans has resulted in persistent fiscal instability and diminished governmental effectiveness in the developing world.

Didac Queralt is an assistant professor of political science at Yale University, who studies historical causes of modern-day fiscal institutions. @DidacQueralt

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Rising public debt in the Global South – 03:56
  • Conditionality and the international financial architecture – 10:12
  • Access to international finance in the 19th century– 18:22
  • Borrower motives and ability to pay back loans – 24:12
  • Lender strategies – 31:13
  • Success stories: Japan and Chile – 35:08
  • Argentina and Ethiopia – 40:40
  • Lessons for modern states– 44:08

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:45:11 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Didac Queralt, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/queralt-yDRGLXbi 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 challenges ahead for the world’s poorest nations. Therefore, it is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of which forms of globalized finance are more effective in fostering development. This episode focuses on the prize-winning book Pawned States: State Building in the Era of International Finance, which examines the consequences of early access to external finance for long-term state capacity. In the 19th century, developing countries frequently sought loans from European credit houses to manage their finances and cope with war. While this external financing provided opportunities for growth, it often allowed leaders of these borrower states to skip essential steps in developing institutions and making political systems more inclusive. "Pawned States" illustrates how this reliance on early foreign loans has resulted in persistent fiscal instability and diminished governmental effectiveness in the developing world.

Didac Queralt is an assistant professor of political science at Yale University, who studies historical causes of modern-day fiscal institutions. @DidacQueralt

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Rising public debt in the Global South – 03:56
  • Conditionality and the international financial architecture – 10:12
  • Access to international finance in the 19th century– 18:22
  • Borrower motives and ability to pay back loans – 24:12
  • Lender strategies – 31:13
  • Success stories: Japan and Chile – 35:08
  • Argentina and Ethiopia – 40:40
  • Lessons for modern states– 44:08

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> The Globalization of Finance and Its Impact on State Building — Didac Queralt Didac Queralt, Dan Banik 00:50:20 Dan Banik and Didac Queralt discuss the challenges of rising public debt in the Global South and the historical impact of early external finance on state building. Dan Banik and Didac Queralt discuss the challenges of rising public debt in the Global South and the historical impact of early external finance on state building. venezuela, conditionality, japan, chile, south south cooperation, world bank, infrastructure, investments, aid, globalization of finance, ethiopia, argentina, sri lanka, united kingdom, taxation, imf, default, loans, zambia, mexico, state building, foreclosure false full 17 5 6ca6ff8b-292e-4f68-9ecd-26a5e27fd065 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, Amartya Sen published a paper titled "Public action and the quality of life in developing countries", discussing global advancements in quality-of-life metrics such as longevity and literacy despite rising poverty in some areas. Sen highlighted the significant variance in progress among countries, examining how public policies influenced improvements in these indicators. His research on human capabilities, stressing the need for equitable opportunities and choices for everyone, also significantly contributed to the concept of human development. The noted Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq shared Sen’s vision of focusing on human capabilities and well-being and moving beyond GDP in the pursuit of development.Haq also pioneered the practical application of the human development approach by introducing the Human Development Index. 

Both Sen and Haq were aided in this effort by Meghnad Desai, who taught economics from 1965 to 2003 at the London School of Economics, where he now holds the post of Professor Emeritus. Professor Desai has authored numerous books, the most recent being The Poverty of Political Economy: How Economics Abandoned the Poor (2022). He is also a member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom. 

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Meghnad Desai at a conference in New Delhi, titled “Advancing Human Development in the Global South”. In this conversation, he highlights the shift in development metrics from traditional economic indicators to a more holistic approach that includes longevity, education, and income, explaining how this led to a transformative ranking system for countries and influenced international development policy. Our conversation took place outside the conference hall, on a chilly January day, amidst the hustle and bustle of traffic and fellow conference attendees. As I used my phone to record our discussion, you might find the sound quality less than ideal. However, I believe the insights shared by Meghnad Desai about the origins of the human development concept will more than compensate for any audio shortcomings.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 14 Feb 2024 04:36:24 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Meghnad Desai, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/desai-hxbr7uA5 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, Amartya Sen published a paper titled "Public action and the quality of life in developing countries", discussing global advancements in quality-of-life metrics such as longevity and literacy despite rising poverty in some areas. Sen highlighted the significant variance in progress among countries, examining how public policies influenced improvements in these indicators. His research on human capabilities, stressing the need for equitable opportunities and choices for everyone, also significantly contributed to the concept of human development. The noted Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq shared Sen’s vision of focusing on human capabilities and well-being and moving beyond GDP in the pursuit of development.Haq also pioneered the practical application of the human development approach by introducing the Human Development Index. 

Both Sen and Haq were aided in this effort by Meghnad Desai, who taught economics from 1965 to 2003 at the London School of Economics, where he now holds the post of Professor Emeritus. Professor Desai has authored numerous books, the most recent being The Poverty of Political Economy: How Economics Abandoned the Poor (2022). He is also a member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom. 

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Meghnad Desai at a conference in New Delhi, titled “Advancing Human Development in the Global South”. In this conversation, he highlights the shift in development metrics from traditional economic indicators to a more holistic approach that includes longevity, education, and income, explaining how this led to a transformative ranking system for countries and influenced international development policy. Our conversation took place outside the conference hall, on a chilly January day, amidst the hustle and bustle of traffic and fellow conference attendees. As I used my phone to record our discussion, you might find the sound quality less than ideal. However, I believe the insights shared by Meghnad Desai about the origins of the human development concept will more than compensate for any audio shortcomings.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> The Genesis of the Human Development Report and Index — Meghnad Desai Meghnad Desai, Dan Banik 00:20:49 In this conversation with Dan Banik, Meghnad Desai recounts the genesis of the Human Development Report and the Human Development Index, detailing his work with Amartya Sen and Mahbub ul Haq against the backdrop of global economic challenges. In this conversation with Dan Banik, Meghnad Desai recounts the genesis of the Human Development Report and the Human Development Index, detailing his work with Amartya Sen and Mahbub ul Haq against the backdrop of global economic challenges. amartya sen, capability approach, human development, income, education, iran, india, pakistan, poverty reduction, undp, human development index, morocco, life expectancy, mahbub ul haq, gdp, latin america, africa, human development report, human rights false full 16 5 a02b86d2-08a8-48ca-9ae1-349bef654236 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 end of the conversation, we briefly discuss the work of John Rawls and the theory of justice as fairness, which describes a society of free citizens holding equal basic rights and cooperating within an egalitarian economic system.

Thomas Pogge is the Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs at Yale University. He has has authored many influential books on cosmopolitanism, global justice, and extreme poverty. @ThomasPogge


Resources:

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The poverty-freedom relationship – 03:12
  • Is poverty a violation of human rights? – 06:52
  • The urgency of development finance – 19:19
  • Innovation and impact funds – 27:50
  • Profits, patents, and incentives – 39:42
  • Global justice and solidarity with strangers – 47:00
  • John Rawls and a global theory of justice – 51:52

To ensure you never miss an episode of In Pursuit of Development, please make sure to subscribe to our podcast, rate us to support the show, and share this episode within your networks. Your engagement helps us bring more insightful content to you and keeps the conversation going. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 7 Feb 2024 05:51:30 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Thomas Pogge, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pogge-K1LBCx6y 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 end of the conversation, we briefly discuss the work of John Rawls and the theory of justice as fairness, which describes a society of free citizens holding equal basic rights and cooperating within an egalitarian economic system.

Thomas Pogge is the Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs at Yale University. He has has authored many influential books on cosmopolitanism, global justice, and extreme poverty. @ThomasPogge


Resources:

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The poverty-freedom relationship – 03:12
  • Is poverty a violation of human rights? – 06:52
  • The urgency of development finance – 19:19
  • Innovation and impact funds – 27:50
  • Profits, patents, and incentives – 39:42
  • Global justice and solidarity with strangers – 47:00
  • John Rawls and a global theory of justice – 51:52

To ensure you never miss an episode of In Pursuit of Development, please make sure to subscribe to our podcast, rate us to support the show, and share this episode within your networks. Your engagement helps us bring more insightful content to you and keeps the conversation going. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Global Structural Reform: Poverty, Freedom, Justice, and Innovation — Thomas Pogge Thomas Pogge, Dan Banik 00:57:24 Dan Banik and Thomas Pogge explore the intricate relationship between freedom and poverty and the innovative potential of international impact funds to revolutionize innovation for social good. Dan Banik and Thomas Pogge explore the intricate relationship between freedom and poverty and the innovative potential of international impact funds to revolutionize innovation for social good. john rawls, poverty, 2030 agenda, sustainable development goals, pharmaceutical industry, corporate profits, extreme poverty, president franklin roosevelt, health, democracy, millennium development goals, freedom, poverty as a violation of human rights, impact funds, global justice, health impact funds, vaccine nationalism, united nations, pandemic, research and development, theory of justice false full 15 5 5ea98003-f834-4491-bfdf-28749ed41a87 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, setting the stage for modern civilization. However, the bastions of industrialization are not impervious to change. 

Jostein Hauge is a political economist and Assistant Professor in Development Studies at the University of Cambridge, based at the Centre of Development Studies and the Department of Politics and International Studies. In a new book – The Future of the Factory: How Megatrends are Changing Industrialization – he advocates for adaptive, forward-looking industrial strategies that are attuned to the realities of the 21st century. He argues that the current era is characterized by four 'megatrends' or significant shifts in technology, economy, society, and ecology that are collectively redefining the essence and trajectory of industrialization. These trends are challenging the conventional wisdom of manufacturing-led growth and industrial strategies. From the rise of service economies and digital automation to the complex web of global production networks and the pressing imperatives of ecological sustainability, these megatrends demand a reevaluation of the future of factories and the very notion of industrial development. @haugejostein

To ensure you never miss an episode of In Pursuit of Development, please make sure to subscribe to our podcast, rate us to support the show, and share this episode within your networks. Your engagement helps us bring more insightful content to you and keeps the conversation going. 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Industrialization, factories, and wellbeing – 03:56
  • Labor conditions in global production networks – 09:27
  • Devising a good industrial strategy – 14:01
  • The role of manufacturing – 24:14
  • Automation and the fear of mass unemployment – 29:35
  • Global governance and leveling the playing field – 38:03
  • Industrial strategies in an age of ecological breakdown – 41:53

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:21:17 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jostein Hauge, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hauge-FFP_xGef 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, setting the stage for modern civilization. However, the bastions of industrialization are not impervious to change. 

Jostein Hauge is a political economist and Assistant Professor in Development Studies at the University of Cambridge, based at the Centre of Development Studies and the Department of Politics and International Studies. In a new book – The Future of the Factory: How Megatrends are Changing Industrialization – he advocates for adaptive, forward-looking industrial strategies that are attuned to the realities of the 21st century. He argues that the current era is characterized by four 'megatrends' or significant shifts in technology, economy, society, and ecology that are collectively redefining the essence and trajectory of industrialization. These trends are challenging the conventional wisdom of manufacturing-led growth and industrial strategies. From the rise of service economies and digital automation to the complex web of global production networks and the pressing imperatives of ecological sustainability, these megatrends demand a reevaluation of the future of factories and the very notion of industrial development. @haugejostein

To ensure you never miss an episode of In Pursuit of Development, please make sure to subscribe to our podcast, rate us to support the show, and share this episode within your networks. Your engagement helps us bring more insightful content to you and keeps the conversation going. 

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • Industrialization, factories, and wellbeing – 03:56
  • Labor conditions in global production networks – 09:27
  • Devising a good industrial strategy – 14:01
  • The role of manufacturing – 24:14
  • Automation and the fear of mass unemployment – 29:35
  • Global governance and leveling the playing field – 38:03
  • Industrial strategies in an age of ecological breakdown – 41:53

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> The Future of Industrialization – Jostein Hauge Jostein Hauge, Dan Banik 00:47:47 Dan Banik and Jostein Hauge unpack the historical and ongoing economic dichotomy between the Global North and South, underscoring the influence of power, politics, and historical legacies on the distribution and nature of industrial growth. Dan Banik and Jostein Hauge unpack the historical and ongoing economic dichotomy between the Global North and South, underscoring the influence of power, politics, and historical legacies on the distribution and nature of industrial growth. vietnam, factory, trade unions, manufacturing, industrialization, bangladesh, globalization, global north, transnational corporations, india, apparel industry, china, automation, garment industry, technology, norway, malawi, ethiopia, welfare, ecological breakdown, outsourcing, global south false full 14 5 f1000de2-4d04-4cba-8429-a87dfb41460e 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 principles of self-determination, intersectionality, intergenerational equity, and fair distribution, aiming for inclusive, diverse, and sustainable development. The shift towards a rights-based development framework is evident in initiatives like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Bridgetown Initiative. Additionally, the role of businesses in this context is guided by frameworks like the UN Global Compact and the Business and Human Rights Guiding Principles, moving beyond the traditional "do no harm" approach. Despite its significance, the right to development faces challenges and legal critiques regarding its implementation and necessity.

Surya Deva is the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development and a Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Environmental Law at Macquarie University, Australia. @ProfSuryaDeva @UNSRdevelopment

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The right to development and its added value– 03:46
  • The value of binding conventions versus non-binding declarations– 09:25
  • Why the judiciary often prioritizes civil and political rights – 15:16
  • Legalization of the right and the role of the courts in upholding binding conventions– 26:18
  • Has the definition of the right to development been overly broadened or inflated? – 31:31
  • The Global North perspective and the role of businesses – 40:23

     

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 24 Jan 2024 05:36:35 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Surya Deva, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/deva-88coLUZU 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 principles of self-determination, intersectionality, intergenerational equity, and fair distribution, aiming for inclusive, diverse, and sustainable development. The shift towards a rights-based development framework is evident in initiatives like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Bridgetown Initiative. Additionally, the role of businesses in this context is guided by frameworks like the UN Global Compact and the Business and Human Rights Guiding Principles, moving beyond the traditional "do no harm" approach. Despite its significance, the right to development faces challenges and legal critiques regarding its implementation and necessity.

Surya Deva is the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development and a Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Environmental Law at Macquarie University, Australia. @ProfSuryaDeva @UNSRdevelopment

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The right to development and its added value– 03:46
  • The value of binding conventions versus non-binding declarations– 09:25
  • Why the judiciary often prioritizes civil and political rights – 15:16
  • Legalization of the right and the role of the courts in upholding binding conventions– 26:18
  • Has the definition of the right to development been overly broadened or inflated? – 31:31
  • The Global North perspective and the role of businesses – 40:23

     

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Development as a Right: Unpacking Principles and Practices — Surya Deva Surya Deva, Dan Banik 00:50:01 Dan Banik and Surya Deva explore the principles and added value of the right to development, discussing its translation into action and the need for inclusive and sustainable strategies beyond traditional approaches. Dan Banik and Surya Deva explore the principles and added value of the right to development, discussing its translation into action and the need for inclusive and sustainable strategies beyond traditional approaches. principles for responsible investment, vietnam, sustainable development goals, un global compact, intergenerational equity, india, cambodia, norway, malawi, ethiopia, loss and damage, self-determination, treaty, climate change, right to development, intersectionality, united nations, sustainable development, human rights, binding convention, fair distribution, bridgetown initiative false full 13 5 456a6de1-deb3-4be3-b7cb-42a7f92c2058 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 encapsulate. In the second section, we unpack how feminist political economy scrutinizes the power relations underlying production and consumption, challenges the fictitious separation of economic realms from the social, political, and cultural spheres, and highlights the gendered nature of economic inequalities. We explore the critical themes of social reproduction, care economies, labor market inequalities, and the household as a site of gendered power dynamics, all while considering the intersectionality of gender, race, and class. 

Sara Stevano is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at SOAS University of London. Sara’s areas of expertise include the political economy of work, food and nutrition, inequalities and social reproduction. Her recent book with Sara Cantillon and Odile Mackett is Feminist Political Economy. A Global Perspective. @SaraStevano @SOAS

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The utility and limitations of the term the "Global South"– 03:58
  • The term "Global South" often comes under criticism for several reasons– 10:12
  • The added value of feminist political economy approaches – 16:36
  • The feminization of poverty – 21:06
  • The complex relations between gender, growth, and poverty – 26:46
  • The global care chain and the double burden – 34:20
  • Feminist political economy and climate change – 44:54

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 17 Jan 2024 05:01:40 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Sara Stevano, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/stevano-RWJ9ttf3 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 encapsulate. In the second section, we unpack how feminist political economy scrutinizes the power relations underlying production and consumption, challenges the fictitious separation of economic realms from the social, political, and cultural spheres, and highlights the gendered nature of economic inequalities. We explore the critical themes of social reproduction, care economies, labor market inequalities, and the household as a site of gendered power dynamics, all while considering the intersectionality of gender, race, and class. 

Sara Stevano is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at SOAS University of London. Sara’s areas of expertise include the political economy of work, food and nutrition, inequalities and social reproduction. Her recent book with Sara Cantillon and Odile Mackett is Feminist Political Economy. A Global Perspective. @SaraStevano @SOAS

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The utility and limitations of the term the "Global South"– 03:58
  • The term "Global South" often comes under criticism for several reasons– 10:12
  • The added value of feminist political economy approaches – 16:36
  • The feminization of poverty – 21:06
  • The complex relations between gender, growth, and poverty – 26:46
  • The global care chain and the double burden – 34:20
  • Feminist political economy and climate change – 44:54

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Shifting Paradigms: The Global South and Feminist Political Economy Unveiled — Sara Stevano Sara Stevano, Dan Banik 00:49:29 Dan Banik and Sara Stevano analyze the utility and limitations of the term the "Global South" and explore the transformative potential of feminist political economy to re-envision and restructure the global economic landscape. Dan Banik and Sara Stevano analyze the utility and limitations of the term the "Global South" and explore the transformative potential of feminist political economy to re-envision and restructure the global economic landscape. gender inequality, third world, climate adaptation, income inequality, new international economic order, feminization of poverty, brandt report, poverty reduction, developing countries, low-income countries, gdp, climate change, feminist political economy, global south, political economy approaches, women-headed households false full 12 5 c72918c1-4a70-4e49-87f7-0522a2741b2e 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 construction to manufacturing and retail. This has been accompanied by an ambitious drive to develop Africa's infrastructure with projects that span roads, railways, ports, airports, and telecommunications networks. But the ties between China and Africa extend far beyond economics. We're witnessing a dynamic cultural exchange, burgeoning diplomatic activities, and even aid and military support. However, these activities have not been without controversy, igniting debates over so-called debt-trap diplomacy and resource exploitation.

Joshua Eisenman is an Associate Professor of Politics in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on the political economy of China’s development and foreign relations with the United States and the Global South —particularly Africa. Together with David Shinn, Josh has recently co-authored a new book entitled: China’s Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement. @Joshua_Eisenman

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • China and an alternative world order – 03:20
  • The quest for soft power – 10:40
  • Debt burdens and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – 15:10
  • Revamping the BRI – 18:11
  • Why “debt-trap diplomacy” is misleading – 24:10
  • China’s growing relational power - 30:14
  • Increasing the voice of the Global South – 39:57
  • New forms of Chinese multilateralism – 45:53

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 Jan 2024 05:30:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Joshua Eisenman, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/eisenman-yHmpEsk_ 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 construction to manufacturing and retail. This has been accompanied by an ambitious drive to develop Africa's infrastructure with projects that span roads, railways, ports, airports, and telecommunications networks. But the ties between China and Africa extend far beyond economics. We're witnessing a dynamic cultural exchange, burgeoning diplomatic activities, and even aid and military support. However, these activities have not been without controversy, igniting debates over so-called debt-trap diplomacy and resource exploitation.

Joshua Eisenman is an Associate Professor of Politics in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on the political economy of China’s development and foreign relations with the United States and the Global South —particularly Africa. Together with David Shinn, Josh has recently co-authored a new book entitled: China’s Relations with Africa: A New Era of Strategic Engagement. @Joshua_Eisenman

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • China and an alternative world order – 03:20
  • The quest for soft power – 10:40
  • Debt burdens and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – 15:10
  • Revamping the BRI – 18:11
  • Why “debt-trap diplomacy” is misleading – 24:10
  • China’s growing relational power - 30:14
  • Increasing the voice of the Global South – 39:57
  • New forms of Chinese multilateralism – 45:53

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Beyond Trade: China's Cultural and Political Relations in Africa – Joshua Eisenman Joshua Eisenman, Dan Banik 00:56:17 Dan Banik and Joshua Eisenman examine the significance of China's "Community of Shared Future for Mankind," its Belt and Road Initiative, and the African continent in the context of Chinese foreign policy under President Xi Jinping. Dan Banik and Joshua Eisenman examine the significance of China's "Community of Shared Future for Mankind," its Belt and Road Initiative, and the African continent in the context of Chinese foreign policy under President Xi Jinping. soft power, bilateralism, un peacekeeping operations, china and the global south, debt-trap diplomacy, community of shared future for mankind, harmonious world, south africa, china, communist party of china, hard power, david shinn, belt and road initiative, ethiopia, sinocentric network of relationships, forum on china-africa cooperation (focac), chinese dream, ghana, brics, africa, united nations, global governance, multilateralism false full 11 5 ba83ef99-5fe5-4242-8d1c-572a422e60b5 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 numerous “Requests for Inspection”, from communities potentially affected by World Bank-financed projects, and has focused on a range of issues, such as environmental assessment, resettlement and the rights of indigenous peoples. Just how effective has the Inspection Panel been in safeguarding the interests of marginalized groups while holding one of the world’s most powerful institutions to account?

Ramanie Kunanayagam is the Chairperson of the Inspection Panel. She has a distinguished track record in leadership roles within the realm of sustainability, having served in prominent capacities in the corporate world and on the boards of several non-profit organizations. Linkedin

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • How does the Inspection operate? - 03:32
  • Shrinking civic space and the Panel’s accessibility - 10:44
  • How the Bank acts upon the Panel’s recommendations  - 16:53
  • Typical complaints - 21:23
  • The puzzling lack of consultation of local residents - 25:29
  • The business and human rights linkages - 38:33
  • Learning from past mistakes - 48:51

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Wed, 27 Dec 2023 05:34:05 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ramanie Kunanayagam, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kunanayagam-53k4HmTj 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 numerous “Requests for Inspection”, from communities potentially affected by World Bank-financed projects, and has focused on a range of issues, such as environmental assessment, resettlement and the rights of indigenous peoples. Just how effective has the Inspection Panel been in safeguarding the interests of marginalized groups while holding one of the world’s most powerful institutions to account?

Ramanie Kunanayagam is the Chairperson of the Inspection Panel. She has a distinguished track record in leadership roles within the realm of sustainability, having served in prominent capacities in the corporate world and on the boards of several non-profit organizations. Linkedin

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • How does the Inspection operate? - 03:32
  • Shrinking civic space and the Panel’s accessibility - 10:44
  • How the Bank acts upon the Panel’s recommendations  - 16:53
  • Typical complaints - 21:23
  • The puzzling lack of consultation of local residents - 25:29
  • The business and human rights linkages - 38:33
  • Learning from past mistakes - 48:51

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Accountability in Action: The World Bank's Inspection Panel on the Frontlines – Ramanie Kunanayagam Ramanie Kunanayagam, Dan Banik 00:55:28 Dan Banik and Ramanie Kunanayagam discuss the evolving role of the World Bank's Inspection Panel as an independent complaints mechanism for people and communities who believe that they have been, or are likely to be, adversely affected by a World Bank-funded project. Dan Banik and Ramanie Kunanayagam discuss the evolving role of the World Bank's Inspection Panel as an independent complaints mechanism for people and communities who believe that they have been, or are likely to be, adversely affected by a World Bank-funded project. infrastructure projects, democratic governance, complaint mechanism, sustainability, environment, world bank, mines, cultural heritage, landfills, climate change, dams, pipelines, sustainable development, human rights, human rights and displacement, roads false full 10 5 13aa0c2a-9b2b-48a3-8bfe-3b670c208ca5 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 items. Following pressure from environmental activists, the Government of Malawi took action by implementing a nationwide prohibition on the production, distribution, and importation of thin plastics in 2015. This ban was specifically aimed at plastics with a thickness of 60 microns or less, roughly equivalent to the thickness of plastic bags commonly used for fruits and vegetables in grocery stores. 

One of the prominent advocates driving the campaign for the prohibition of single-use plastics was Gloria Majiga, a community development officer and dedicated environmental activist. She was awarded the 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa, acknowledging her remarkable efforts in championing the implementation of the nationwide ban on single-use plastics in Malawi. Linkedin

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The development-environment tradeoff - 05:03
  • Waste management strategies and practices - 07:47
  • Goats and the plastic ban - 20:27
  • The role of the judiciary and implementation of the ban- 32:12
  • The environmental consequences of investments - 40:58
  • Are leaders the problem? - 47:26

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Wed, 20 Dec 2023 04:44:57 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Gloria Majiga, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/majiga-vqaGvVD9 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 items. Following pressure from environmental activists, the Government of Malawi took action by implementing a nationwide prohibition on the production, distribution, and importation of thin plastics in 2015. This ban was specifically aimed at plastics with a thickness of 60 microns or less, roughly equivalent to the thickness of plastic bags commonly used for fruits and vegetables in grocery stores. 

One of the prominent advocates driving the campaign for the prohibition of single-use plastics was Gloria Majiga, a community development officer and dedicated environmental activist. She was awarded the 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa, acknowledging her remarkable efforts in championing the implementation of the nationwide ban on single-use plastics in Malawi. Linkedin

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • The development-environment tradeoff - 05:03
  • Waste management strategies and practices - 07:47
  • Goats and the plastic ban - 20:27
  • The role of the judiciary and implementation of the ban- 32:12
  • The environmental consequences of investments - 40:58
  • Are leaders the problem? - 47:26

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> From Miracle to Menace: The Fight Against Plastic Pollution — Gloria Majiga Gloria Majiga, Dan Banik 00:53:56 Dan Banik and Gloria Majiga discuss the impact of a nationwide ban in Malawi on the production, distribution, and import of thin (single-use) plastics. Dan Banik and Gloria Majiga discuss the impact of a nationwide ban in Malawi on the production, distribution, and import of thin (single-use) plastics. plastic pollution, environment, waste management, malawi, civil society activism, climate change, judiciary in africa, youth activism, africa, sustainable development, thin plastics, leadership false full 9 5 f46bb84e-a569-4b36-b28a-ba39283fd0a2 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 institutions.

Shiping Tang is Fudan Distinguished Professor and Dr. Seaker Chan Chair Professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University, China. In his latest book, The Institutional Foundation of Economic Development: A systemic account of how institutions shape economic development, he argues that institutions play a pivotal role in shaping and influencing economic development through four key factors: possibility, incentive, capability, and opportunity. In addition, his framework encompasses six significant dimensions: political hierarchy, property rights, social mobility, redistribution, innovation protection, and equal opportunity. Sustained economic development, however, necessitates not only a robust institutional foundation but also strong state capacity and well-crafted socioeconomic policies.

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • What is economic development? - 03:15
  • The development-democracy linkage - 05:19
  • Why established understandings of institutions are incomplete - 11:30
  • The institutional foundations of economic development - 14:45
  • The new development triangle - 21:02
  • Explaining China’s economic success - 25:40
  • Power and influence of local leaders in China - 34:23
  • Achieving sustained economic growth – 44:10

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Wed, 13 Dec 2023 04:23:52 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Shiping Tang, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/tang-MyXdomjB 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 institutions.

Shiping Tang is Fudan Distinguished Professor and Dr. Seaker Chan Chair Professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University, China. In his latest book, The Institutional Foundation of Economic Development: A systemic account of how institutions shape economic development, he argues that institutions play a pivotal role in shaping and influencing economic development through four key factors: possibility, incentive, capability, and opportunity. In addition, his framework encompasses six significant dimensions: political hierarchy, property rights, social mobility, redistribution, innovation protection, and equal opportunity. Sustained economic development, however, necessitates not only a robust institutional foundation but also strong state capacity and well-crafted socioeconomic policies.

Key highlights

  • Introduction – 00:24
  • What is economic development? - 03:15
  • The development-democracy linkage - 05:19
  • Why established understandings of institutions are incomplete - 11:30
  • The institutional foundations of economic development - 14:45
  • The new development triangle - 21:02
  • Explaining China’s economic success - 25:40
  • Power and influence of local leaders in China - 34:23
  • Achieving sustained economic growth – 44:10

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Decoding Development: The Crucial Role of Institutions – Shiping Tang Shiping Tang, Dan Banik 00:53:41 Dan Banik and Shiping Tang discuss the pivotal role of institutions in shaping and influencing economic development. Dan Banik and Shiping Tang discuss the pivotal role of institutions in shaping and influencing economic development. amartya sen, capability, daron acemoglu, redistribution, jagdish bhagwati, institutions, democracy, china, innovation protection, douglas north, social mobility, justin yifu lin, equal opportunity, political hierarchy, incentive, property rights false full 8 5 32b80c97-60e8-4296-95b9-7837e349c7b7 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. Globally, the number of new cases each year is estimated to increase from 18 million in 2020 to 28 million in 2040. Cancer is intrinsically related to aging, and the incidence increases exponentially from the age of 50. Accordingly, the better we get at treating the disease and postponing death, the more cancer there will be in the population. 

Jarle Breivik (MD, PhD, EdD) is professor and head of the Department of Behavioral Medicine at the University of Oslo. He is on a mission to change the scientific discourse and the public perception of cancer. In his new book Making Sense of Cancer: From Its Evolutionary Origin to Its Societal Impact and the Ultimate Solution, Jarle discusses how aging, cancer, and death are essential elements of what it means to be human. Eradicating these elements would signify not just the conclusion of cancer but the potential demise of humanity itself. He is internationally recognized for his research on the evolutionary dynamics of cancer, and his thought-provoking analyses in PNAS, EMBO Reports, Scientific American, Wired Magazine, and the New York Times have stimulated a profound international debate about the understanding of cancer and cancer research. @jarlebreivik, Linkedin

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Understanding cancer - 02:40
  • Whether treating cancer can cause more cancer - 09:30
  • Why the dominant global narrative on eliminating cancer is wrong - 10:55
  • Where is the human desire to live a long life taking us? - 14:45
  • The ethics of cancer treatment in high-income and low-income countries - 18:00
  • Should we prioritize treating some types of cancer over others? - 28:27
  • The substantial feedback generated by an op-ed in The New York Times - 36:08
  • How humans cope with crises and the need for optimism – 41:00

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 6 Dec 2023 05:41:22 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jarle Breivik, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/breivik-tfyQmX_d 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. Globally, the number of new cases each year is estimated to increase from 18 million in 2020 to 28 million in 2040. Cancer is intrinsically related to aging, and the incidence increases exponentially from the age of 50. Accordingly, the better we get at treating the disease and postponing death, the more cancer there will be in the population. 

Jarle Breivik (MD, PhD, EdD) is professor and head of the Department of Behavioral Medicine at the University of Oslo. He is on a mission to change the scientific discourse and the public perception of cancer. In his new book Making Sense of Cancer: From Its Evolutionary Origin to Its Societal Impact and the Ultimate Solution, Jarle discusses how aging, cancer, and death are essential elements of what it means to be human. Eradicating these elements would signify not just the conclusion of cancer but the potential demise of humanity itself. He is internationally recognized for his research on the evolutionary dynamics of cancer, and his thought-provoking analyses in PNAS, EMBO Reports, Scientific American, Wired Magazine, and the New York Times have stimulated a profound international debate about the understanding of cancer and cancer research. @jarlebreivik, Linkedin

Resources:

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Understanding cancer - 02:40
  • Whether treating cancer can cause more cancer - 09:30
  • Why the dominant global narrative on eliminating cancer is wrong - 10:55
  • Where is the human desire to live a long life taking us? - 14:45
  • The ethics of cancer treatment in high-income and low-income countries - 18:00
  • Should we prioritize treating some types of cancer over others? - 28:27
  • The substantial feedback generated by an op-ed in The New York Times - 36:08
  • How humans cope with crises and the need for optimism – 41:00

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Making Sense of Cancer: Why Better Therapy Leads to More Disease – Jarle Breivik Jarle Breivik, Dan Banik 00:47:17 Dan Banik and Jarle Breivik explore the surge in cancer incidence driven by an aging population and the imperative for a fresh perspective in addressing the problem. Dan Banik and Jarle Breivik explore the surge in cancer incidence driven by an aging population and the imperative for a fresh perspective in addressing the problem. chemotherapy, cervical cancer, donald trump, barack obama, norway, low-income countries, american cancer society, immunotherapy, united states, us national cancer institute, cancer false full 7 5 c2ada77d-7c1e-4e87-929b-be085049d64f 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 implement policies both between and within countries, across various policy functions, and even within specific administrative tasks. While the Indian bureaucracy is often criticized for being captured and thereby unable to execute its core functions, it is at the same time able to coordinate hugely challenging tasks such as periodic elections. This paradox is further evident in the puzzling disparities in performance across Indian states, exemplified by the country’s success in eradicating polio even as its public health systems face significant challenges.

Akshay Mangla is Associate Professor of International Business at the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School. In — Making Bureaucracy Work: Norms, Education and Public Service Delivery in Rural India — he examines how and why some bureaucracies deliver education services more effectively than others. He finds that variations in bureaucratic norms (informal rules guiding public officials and their interactions with citizens) result in diverse implementation patterns and outcomes. While some agencies adhere strictly to legalistic approaches, emphasizing rule compliance, others foster deliberation and encourage flexible problem-solving with local communities, ultimately improving the quality of education services. @AkshayMangla

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • The perception of bureaucrats being slow and inefficient - 03:56
  • Balancing adherence to rules with exercising discretion - 06:18
  • Embedded autonomy and development - 17:32
  • The bureaucratic paradox in India - 22:14
  • Legalistic bureaucracy versus deliberative bureaucracy - 30:48
  • Engaging street-level bureaucrats in addressing and responding to local issues - 37:26
  • How bureaucrats respond to advance the interests of both underprivileged groups and elites - 43:41
  • Addressing the learning crisis in low-income countries: strategies and solutions – 51:12

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 29 Nov 2023 06:05:11 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Akshay Mangla, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mangla-SWbfZQ_v 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 implement policies both between and within countries, across various policy functions, and even within specific administrative tasks. While the Indian bureaucracy is often criticized for being captured and thereby unable to execute its core functions, it is at the same time able to coordinate hugely challenging tasks such as periodic elections. This paradox is further evident in the puzzling disparities in performance across Indian states, exemplified by the country’s success in eradicating polio even as its public health systems face significant challenges.

Akshay Mangla is Associate Professor of International Business at the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School. In — Making Bureaucracy Work: Norms, Education and Public Service Delivery in Rural India — he examines how and why some bureaucracies deliver education services more effectively than others. He finds that variations in bureaucratic norms (informal rules guiding public officials and their interactions with citizens) result in diverse implementation patterns and outcomes. While some agencies adhere strictly to legalistic approaches, emphasizing rule compliance, others foster deliberation and encourage flexible problem-solving with local communities, ultimately improving the quality of education services. @AkshayMangla

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • The perception of bureaucrats being slow and inefficient - 03:56
  • Balancing adherence to rules with exercising discretion - 06:18
  • Embedded autonomy and development - 17:32
  • The bureaucratic paradox in India - 22:14
  • Legalistic bureaucracy versus deliberative bureaucracy - 30:48
  • Engaging street-level bureaucrats in addressing and responding to local issues - 37:26
  • How bureaucrats respond to advance the interests of both underprivileged groups and elites - 43:41
  • Addressing the learning crisis in low-income countries: strategies and solutions – 51:12

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Beyond Red Tape: Unraveling Bureaucratic Paradoxes in Public Service Delivery – Akshay Mangla Akshay Mangla, Dan Banik 00:57:17 Dan Banik and Akshay Mangla discuss state capacity for achieving inclusive development and how and why some bureaucracies deliver education services more effectively than others. Dan Banik and Akshay Mangla discuss state capacity for achieving inclusive development and how and why some bureaucracies deliver education services more effectively than others. inclusive development, education, india, state capacity, school teachers, deliberative bureaucracy, himachal pradesh, uttarakhand, learning crisis, bureaucratic norms, implementation, legalistic bureaucracy, bihar, bureaucracy, street level bureaucrat, uttar pradesh, indian administrative service false full 6 5 0fe071b4-75cb-493a-acd6-46fa78ead02e 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-reaching impacts of trade on global poverty, inequality, and labor markets. Despite a rapid advance for two decades, globalization slowed after the 2008–2009 financial crisis, but it did not come to a halt. But we have witnessed in recent years a backlash against globalization, particularly in some of the world’s largest economies, including two of globalization’s bastions, the United States and Great Britain. So, is the world economy deglobalizing? Is globalization in crisis? And are we witnessing the beginning of a new era?

Pinelopi (Penny) Koujianou Goldberg is the Elihu Professor of Economics at Yale University and the former chief economist of the World Bank Group. Penny was recently in Oslo to deliver the WIDER Annual lecture. We used that opportunity to engage in a discussion centred around her latest book with Greg Larson – The Unequal Effects of Globalization. @PennyG_Yale

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Globalization and development - 03:13
  • Winners and losers of hyperglobalization - 09:00
  • Reasons for dissatisfaction in the Global South - 16:22
  • Backlash against globalization in the Global North - 26:40
  • How China and many others benefited from globalization - 33:44
  • TRIPS waiverand manufacturing capacity - 41:26
  • Climate disruption and future of multilateralism - 45:40
  • Is degrowth feasible? – 52:40

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:41:19 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Pinelopi Goldberg, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/goldberg-pQZw_aMx 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-reaching impacts of trade on global poverty, inequality, and labor markets. Despite a rapid advance for two decades, globalization slowed after the 2008–2009 financial crisis, but it did not come to a halt. But we have witnessed in recent years a backlash against globalization, particularly in some of the world’s largest economies, including two of globalization’s bastions, the United States and Great Britain. So, is the world economy deglobalizing? Is globalization in crisis? And are we witnessing the beginning of a new era?

Pinelopi (Penny) Koujianou Goldberg is the Elihu Professor of Economics at Yale University and the former chief economist of the World Bank Group. Penny was recently in Oslo to deliver the WIDER Annual lecture. We used that opportunity to engage in a discussion centred around her latest book with Greg Larson – The Unequal Effects of Globalization. @PennyG_Yale

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Globalization and development - 03:13
  • Winners and losers of hyperglobalization - 09:00
  • Reasons for dissatisfaction in the Global South - 16:22
  • Backlash against globalization in the Global North - 26:40
  • How China and many others benefited from globalization - 33:44
  • TRIPS waiverand manufacturing capacity - 41:26
  • Climate disruption and future of multilateralism - 45:40
  • Is degrowth feasible? – 52:40

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Unpacking the Backlash Against Globalization and its Impact on Inequality – Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg Pinelopi Goldberg, Dan Banik 01:02:04 Dan Banik and Pinelopi Goldberg discuss whether the world economy is deglobalizing and the extent to which we are witnessing the beginning of a new era. Dan Banik and Pinelopi Goldberg discuss whether the world economy is deglobalizing and the extent to which we are witnessing the beginning of a new era. degrowth, poverty, globalization, world bank, china, trade, trips waiver, covid-19, united states, climate change, inequality, multilateralism false full 5 5 3a4a7d09-f51e-4966-b9f2-9eaa99cb9f5c 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 meritocratic is the civil service? And what about political interference, bureaucratic motivation and/or demotivation, corruption, and the role and influence of external actors?

Happy Kayuni is a professor of political science at the University of Malawi’s Politics and Government Department. He is currently also the Executive Dean of the School of Law, Economics and Government at the University of Malawi. His main areas of expertise are in the following areas: political governance, public administration and management, and gender and international development policy. @HappyKayuni

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Development or the lack of it in Malawi - 03:50
  • State capacity, policy formulation and implementation - 06:56
  • Everyday challenges facing civil servants - 13:50
  • The major areas of public sector reforms on the African continent - 22:20
  • Reforms for whom and for what - 29:05
  • Instituting discipline in the civil service - 40:55
  • Legitimacy of the state and role of external actors - 46:44

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2023 05:53:44 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Happy Kayuni, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kayuni-wDHAZ3RV 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 meritocratic is the civil service? And what about political interference, bureaucratic motivation and/or demotivation, corruption, and the role and influence of external actors?

Happy Kayuni is a professor of political science at the University of Malawi’s Politics and Government Department. He is currently also the Executive Dean of the School of Law, Economics and Government at the University of Malawi. His main areas of expertise are in the following areas: political governance, public administration and management, and gender and international development policy. @HappyKayuni

 

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Development or the lack of it in Malawi - 03:50
  • State capacity, policy formulation and implementation - 06:56
  • Everyday challenges facing civil servants - 13:50
  • The major areas of public sector reforms on the African continent - 22:20
  • Reforms for whom and for what - 29:05
  • Instituting discipline in the civil service - 40:55
  • Legitimacy of the state and role of external actors - 46:44

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> A New Horizon: Advancing Public Sector Reform in Africa – Happy Kayuni Happy Kayuni, Dan Banik 00:54:27 Dan Banik and Happy Kayuni discuss the complex and multifaceted public sector reforms process on the African continent and potential disconnection between the rhetoric and impact of such reforms. Dan Banik and Happy Kayuni discuss the complex and multifaceted public sector reforms process on the African continent and potential disconnection between the rhetoric and impact of such reforms. corruption, bureaucratic motivation, malawi, african civil service, tanzania, policy implementation, bureaucracy, public sector reform, policy formulation, meritocracy false full 4 5 2f133233-3b3c-4166-b48a-e2a016711c2b 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 failures, and chronic absenteeism in health and education. 

Peter Evans is a governance specialist with wide-ranging experience and expertise across international development and social research. He holds a PhD in medical geography and was previously Team Leader of the Governance, Conflict, Inclusion and Humanitarian Research Team at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). In this role, Peter designed and led the Anti-Corruption Evidence (ACE) programme. Until recently, he was director of the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre at the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) in Bergen. @PeterEvans_Guv

Peter argues that the supply of practical political economy research is limited and often falls short of practicality and accessibility, shaped more by researchers' interests and fund availability than the needs of policymakers or practitioners. Political economy research is further hindered by its sensitivity and riskiness, making it challenging for researchers, particularly in politically unstable or corrupt environments. On the demand side, there is a lack of structured efforts to understand and address political constraints in global investments for growth and development. Politics is often relegated to a risk rather than a problem to be understood and engaged with. And many actors in the field, including national governments, bilateral agencies, and multilateral organizations, often avoid addressing political economy factors, which hinders effective development outcomes.

Resources

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Wicked problems and progress - 03:50
  • Taking politics seriously - 08:08
  • Tackling corruption - 20:25
  • Why capacity building initiatives do not work - 36:20
  • Political settlements and public procurement - 44:07
  • Anti-corruption: What should researchers, donors, and governments focus more on - 53:52

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 8 Nov 2023 05:57:49 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Peter Evans, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/peter-evans-PSp9r3mZ 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 failures, and chronic absenteeism in health and education. 

Peter Evans is a governance specialist with wide-ranging experience and expertise across international development and social research. He holds a PhD in medical geography and was previously Team Leader of the Governance, Conflict, Inclusion and Humanitarian Research Team at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). In this role, Peter designed and led the Anti-Corruption Evidence (ACE) programme. Until recently, he was director of the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre at the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) in Bergen. @PeterEvans_Guv

Peter argues that the supply of practical political economy research is limited and often falls short of practicality and accessibility, shaped more by researchers' interests and fund availability than the needs of policymakers or practitioners. Political economy research is further hindered by its sensitivity and riskiness, making it challenging for researchers, particularly in politically unstable or corrupt environments. On the demand side, there is a lack of structured efforts to understand and address political constraints in global investments for growth and development. Politics is often relegated to a risk rather than a problem to be understood and engaged with. And many actors in the field, including national governments, bilateral agencies, and multilateral organizations, often avoid addressing political economy factors, which hinders effective development outcomes.

Resources

Key highlights

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Wicked problems and progress - 03:50
  • Taking politics seriously - 08:08
  • Tackling corruption - 20:25
  • Why capacity building initiatives do not work - 36:20
  • Political settlements and public procurement - 44:07
  • Anti-corruption: What should researchers, donors, and governments focus more on - 53:52

 

Host

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Political Constraints in Growth and Development: Moving beyond talking about them to actually tackling them – Peter Evans Peter Evans, Dan Banik 01:00:51 Dan Banik and Peter Evans discuss strategies for tackling corruption and mainstreaming political economy research in development. Dan Banik and Peter Evans discuss strategies for tackling corruption and mainstreaming political economy research in development. public procurement, political constraints, india, corruption, aid, tazania, malawi, political economy false full 3 5 2a1fbfa5-645b-4f03-aa5c-99bb6be1d22d 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 that have set the world abuzz.

But India's story isn't just about impressive economic growth. It's also about the democratic values that shape its identity. Indeed, India's status as the world's largest democracy empowers it to play a pivotal role in shaping global governance and navigating the geopolitical terrain. How then has India harnessed its diverse culture, technological prowess, and military might to expand its global reach? What kind of global power does India aspire to be? And what are the potential dilemmas in India’s great power ambitions?

Suhasini Haidar is the Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, one of India’s oldest and most respected national dailies. She was previously correspondent for CNN International’s New Delhi bureau and prime time anchor for a leading 24-hr English news channel CNN-IBN. Apart from writing for The Hindu, she hosts a weekly online show called WorldView with Suhasini Haidar. @suhasinih

Note: This episode was recorded in New Delhi in July 2023, well the BRICS summit in August that resulted in an expansion of the BRICS group of countries, and before the G20 Leaders’ Declaration that was adopted at the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Summit held in September. 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • India’s place in the world - 05:02
  • Democracy, foreign policy, and the Global South - 10:48
  • Soft power and India’s position on the war in Ukraine - 16:01
  • Resurrecting BRICS and South-South Cooperation - 24:42
  • Balancing relations with United States and China - 33:32
  • The G20 Presidency experience - 39:58
  • Foreign policy aspirations – 47:00

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 1 Nov 2023 05:58:12 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Suhasini Haidar, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/haidar-3kn_7mYa 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 that have set the world abuzz.

But India's story isn't just about impressive economic growth. It's also about the democratic values that shape its identity. Indeed, India's status as the world's largest democracy empowers it to play a pivotal role in shaping global governance and navigating the geopolitical terrain. How then has India harnessed its diverse culture, technological prowess, and military might to expand its global reach? What kind of global power does India aspire to be? And what are the potential dilemmas in India’s great power ambitions?

Suhasini Haidar is the Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, one of India’s oldest and most respected national dailies. She was previously correspondent for CNN International’s New Delhi bureau and prime time anchor for a leading 24-hr English news channel CNN-IBN. Apart from writing for The Hindu, she hosts a weekly online show called WorldView with Suhasini Haidar. @suhasinih

Note: This episode was recorded in New Delhi in July 2023, well the BRICS summit in August that resulted in an expansion of the BRICS group of countries, and before the G20 Leaders’ Declaration that was adopted at the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Summit held in September. 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • India’s place in the world - 05:02
  • Democracy, foreign policy, and the Global South - 10:48
  • Soft power and India’s position on the war in Ukraine - 16:01
  • Resurrecting BRICS and South-South Cooperation - 24:42
  • Balancing relations with United States and China - 33:32
  • The G20 Presidency experience - 39:58
  • Foreign policy aspirations – 47:00

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> India's Aspirations on the Global Stage — Suhasini Haidar Suhasini Haidar, Dan Banik 00:52:33 Dan Banik and Suhasini Haidar discuss the kind of global power India aspires to be and the potential dilemmas of its great power ambitions. Dan Banik and Suhasini Haidar discuss the kind of global power India aspires to be and the potential dilemmas of its great power ambitions. soft power, indian foreign policy, g20, ukraine, democracy, india, china, russia, foreign policy, sri lanka, security council, brics, united nations, nato false full 2 5 e1d2355e-c8af-4ad6-8974-a80cfe9988fa 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 and directed for the benefit of all. The remarkable advances in computing over the past fifty years have the potential to be tools of empowerment and democratization, but only if decision-making power is dispersed rather than concentrated in the hands of a few overconfident tech leaders.

Daron Acemoglu is Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT.  @DAcemogluMIT

(Cover photo of Daron Acemoglu by Cody O'Loughlin)

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Understanding “progress” - 04:06
  • Optimism in an era of doom and gloom - 12:00
  • The power of persuasion - 16:10
  • Shared prosperity, welfare, and whether technology is always useful - 25:08
  • Machine intelligence vs. machine usefulness - 30:12
  • How technology (e.g., AI) can help promote development in low-income countries - 36:50

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 04:50:46 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Daron Acemoglu) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/daron-acemoglu2-r1AKfSH9 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 and directed for the benefit of all. The remarkable advances in computing over the past fifty years have the potential to be tools of empowerment and democratization, but only if decision-making power is dispersed rather than concentrated in the hands of a few overconfident tech leaders.

Daron Acemoglu is Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT.  @DAcemogluMIT

(Cover photo of Daron Acemoglu by Cody O'Loughlin)

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • Understanding “progress” - 04:06
  • Optimism in an era of doom and gloom - 12:00
  • The power of persuasion - 16:10
  • Shared prosperity, welfare, and whether technology is always useful - 25:08
  • Machine intelligence vs. machine usefulness - 30:12
  • How technology (e.g., AI) can help promote development in low-income countries - 36:50

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Humanity's Enduring Quest for Power and Prosperity – Daron Acemoglu Dan Banik, Daron Acemoglu 00:48:10 Dan Banik and Daron Acemoglu discuss the critical role of technology in shaping progress throughout history and today. The way we utilize technology can either benefit a privileged few or promote widespread prosperity. Dan Banik and Daron Acemoglu discuss the critical role of technology in shaping progress throughout history and today. The way we utilize technology can either benefit a privileged few or promote widespread prosperity. progress, democracy, india, labour market, china, prosperity, technology, machine usefulness, welfare, machine intelligence, techno optimism, united states, silicon valley, artificial intelligence false full 1 5 c1267b26-6a38-4dc7-8d19-7fddf596fb4b 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 discontents – Francis Fukuyama outlines some of the main reasons for the current state of crisis and offers a defense of a revitalized liberalism for the twenty-first century.

Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and a faculty member of FSI's Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. He is also Director of Stanford's Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy, and a professor of political science. Twitter: @FukuyamaFrancis

(Cover photo of Francis Fukuyama by Rod Searcey)

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • The debate on democratic backsliding - 03:30
  • Democracy and “good enough governance” - 08:25
  • Distinguishing between liberalism and democracy - 16:05
  • Moral and economic justifications for liberalism - 24:24
  • Inequality as a cause of discontentment - 38:33
  • Alternatives to liberalism - 43:43
  • How AI will impact democracies - 57:17

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Subscribe: 

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https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 04:41:27 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Francis Fukuyama, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ffukuyama-LBDG_jbQ 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 discontents – Francis Fukuyama outlines some of the main reasons for the current state of crisis and offers a defense of a revitalized liberalism for the twenty-first century.

Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and a faculty member of FSI's Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. He is also Director of Stanford's Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy, and a professor of political science. Twitter: @FukuyamaFrancis

(Cover photo of Francis Fukuyama by Rod Searcey)

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:24
  • The debate on democratic backsliding - 03:30
  • Democracy and “good enough governance” - 08:25
  • Distinguishing between liberalism and democracy - 16:05
  • Moral and economic justifications for liberalism - 24:24
  • Inequality as a cause of discontentment - 38:33
  • Alternatives to liberalism - 43:43
  • How AI will impact democracies - 57:17

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/
https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Unveiling the Global Tapestry: Liberalism, Democracy, and the Path to Development – Francis Fukuyama Francis Fukuyama, Dan Banik 01:02:30 Dan Banik and Francis Fukuyama discuss democratic backsliding, why liberalism is under threat, and the alternatives to liberalism. Dan Banik and Francis Fukuyama discuss democratic backsliding, why liberalism is under threat, and the alternatives to liberalism. venezuela, democratic backsliding, singapore, hungary, democracy, india, donald trump, poland, china, liberalism, united states, climate change, joe biden, el salvador, stephen krasner, inequality, global governance, stanford university, artificial intelligence false full 30 4 3d7df6e7-f139-4dcf-9967-f76758ce4f99 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 this crucial aspect, highlighting the challenges and potential implications for the country's democratic fabric.

Conrado Hübner Mendes is a Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of São Paulo. His work encompasses the separation of powers, judicial review, theories of justice and democracy, and the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court. Twitter: @conradohubner

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:43
  • Current political situation in Brazil - 03:10
  • Relationship between the political and judicial systems - 06:38
  • Tackling poverty, inequality, and corruption - 23:36
  • Constitutionalization of environmental protection in Latin America- 29:54

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/
https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 04:28:03 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Conrado Hübner Mendes, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hubner-ix59EKnD 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 this crucial aspect, highlighting the challenges and potential implications for the country's democratic fabric.

Conrado Hübner Mendes is a Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of São Paulo. His work encompasses the separation of powers, judicial review, theories of justice and democracy, and the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court. Twitter: @conradohubner

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:43
  • Current political situation in Brazil - 03:10
  • Relationship between the political and judicial systems - 06:38
  • Tackling poverty, inequality, and corruption - 23:36
  • Constitutionalization of environmental protection in Latin America- 29:54

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/
https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Unraveling Brazil's political and legal landscape – Conrado Hübner Mendes Conrado Hübner Mendes, Dan Banik 00:49:12 Dan Banik and Conrado Hübner Mendes explore the intricate relationship between the political and judicial systems in Brazil, and the arduous task of tackling poverty, inequality, and corruption. They also discuss the impact of the constitutionalization of environmental protection in Latin America. Dan Banik and Conrado Hübner Mendes explore the intricate relationship between the political and judicial systems in Brazil, and the arduous task of tackling poverty, inequality, and corruption. They also discuss the impact of the constitutionalization of environmental protection in Latin America. operation car wash, amazon, judicial review, luiz inácio lula da silva, lava jato, ecuador, judicial autonomy, jair bolsonaro, corruption, petrobras, brazil, dilma rousseff, bolivia, constitutionalization of environmental protection, inequality, judiciary false full 29 4 eadbbf95-7e22-4bff-9f85-cdce042b5c06 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 numerous challenges appear, however, to be grossly inadequate. There is growing concern whether and to what extent rich countries are willing to take on greater responsibility for addressing global challenges, including increased finance for sustainable development, climate adaptation, and global public goods. The case of Norway is particularly interesting. It is extremely wealthy, frequently tops human development rankings, and is often praised for being a generous provider of foreign aid. But it is also a major exporter of oil and gas. Does this mean that Norway should take on additional global responsibilities? And although foreign aid can only provide a small fraction of the required resources, it is nonetheless of crucial importance in many low-income countries. What then is the future of aid in a fragmented world order where countries are becoming more selfish? Should Norway be doing much more than it already is? If so, what? 

Anne Beathe Tvinnereim is Norway’s Minister of International Development. She has had a long and distinguished career in politics and diplomacy, and is currently the deputy leader of the Centre Party, which forms the ruling coalition together with the Labour party. Anne Beathe studied political science at the University of Oslo and wrote a thought-provoking Master’s thesis over a decade ago on aid. Twitter: @AnneBeathe_

 

Host:

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]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:55:01 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/tvinnereim-1PZ3OJrN 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 numerous challenges appear, however, to be grossly inadequate. There is growing concern whether and to what extent rich countries are willing to take on greater responsibility for addressing global challenges, including increased finance for sustainable development, climate adaptation, and global public goods. The case of Norway is particularly interesting. It is extremely wealthy, frequently tops human development rankings, and is often praised for being a generous provider of foreign aid. But it is also a major exporter of oil and gas. Does this mean that Norway should take on additional global responsibilities? And although foreign aid can only provide a small fraction of the required resources, it is nonetheless of crucial importance in many low-income countries. What then is the future of aid in a fragmented world order where countries are becoming more selfish? Should Norway be doing much more than it already is? If so, what? 

Anne Beathe Tvinnereim is Norway’s Minister of International Development. She has had a long and distinguished career in politics and diplomacy, and is currently the deputy leader of the Centre Party, which forms the ruling coalition together with the Labour party. Anne Beathe studied political science at the University of Oslo and wrote a thought-provoking Master’s thesis over a decade ago on aid. Twitter: @AnneBeathe_

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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]]> Planet & Progress: Navigating Climate, Poverty, and Aid — Anne Beathe Tvinnereim Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Dan Banik 00:48:51 Dan Banik and Anne Beathe Tvinnereim discuss evidence-informed policymaking, how to address climate change and promote development, the challenge of promoting food and energy security, and the future of budget support in aid policy. Dan Banik and Anne Beathe Tvinnereim discuss evidence-informed policymaking, how to address climate change and promote development, the challenge of promoting food and energy security, and the future of budget support in aid policy. renewal energy, poverty, ukraine, global public goods, aid, norway, malawi, loss and damage, sri lanka, food security, climate change, disaster, budget support, natural gas false full 28 4 5f028c67-af63-469a-aba0-b89975a75076 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 Director of the Policy Planning at the US Department of State. 

In his latest book, How to Make Love to a Despot: An alternative foreign policy for the 21st Century, Steve Krasner argues that because prosperous, democratic nations are exceptions in international politics, the United States ought to adopt policies “acceptable to despotic rulers”. This means coming to terms with the “good-enough governance” of nondemocratic governments rather than trying to consolidate democracy around the world.

 

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]]> Wed, 7 Jun 2023 05:46:24 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Stephen D. Krasner, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/krasner-JQSmSknM 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 Director of the Policy Planning at the US Department of State. 

In his latest book, How to Make Love to a Despot: An alternative foreign policy for the 21st Century, Steve Krasner argues that because prosperous, democratic nations are exceptions in international politics, the United States ought to adopt policies “acceptable to despotic rulers”. This means coming to terms with the “good-enough governance” of nondemocratic governments rather than trying to consolidate democracy around the world.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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]]> Forging New Paths in Challenging Geopolitical Landscapes — Stephen D. Krasner Stephen D. Krasner, Dan Banik 00:50:01 Dan Banik and Stephen D. Krasner discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the fragmented global order, and why the United States ought to promote “good-enough governance” rather than trying to consolidate democracy around the world. Dan Banik and Stephen D. Krasner discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the fragmented global order, and why the United States ought to promote “good-enough governance” rather than trying to consolidate democracy around the world. soft power, venezuela, afghanistan, taiwan, canada, democracy, china, switzerland, russia, nicaragua, norway, sovereignty, united states, george w. bush, guatemala, mexico, nigeria, extractive industries transparency initiative (eiti), nato, stanford university, god governance, weak states false full 27 4 6d438d20-0c41-49d1-9fbb-a858caf5951f 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 data-driven and outcome-focused global development. Entrepreneurial startups are also offering a range of services to farmers and rural inhabitants as well as urban customers; and new organizations are helping individuals to directly send money to those in need via an app. 

Raj Kumar is the President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex, the media platform for the global development community. He is a media leader and former humanitarian council chair for the World Economic Forum and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His work has led him to more than 50 countries, where he has had the honor to meet many of the aid workers and development professionals who make up the Devex community. He is the author of the book The Business of Changing the World: How Billionaires, Tech Disrupters, and Social Entrepreneurs are Transforming the Global Aid Industry, which is a go-to primer on the ideas, people, and technology disrupting the aid industry. Twitter: @raj_devex

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:40
  • Media and global development - 03:15
  • Origins and impact of Devex's journalism - 16:34
  • Role of businesses in global development - 21:54
  • The poor as customers - 30:00
  • How billionaire philanthropists have disrupted aid world - 34:52
  • Celebrities and global development - 43:30

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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]]> Wed, 31 May 2023 05:25:58 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Raj Kumar, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/raj-kumar-7bglMtNj 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 data-driven and outcome-focused global development. Entrepreneurial startups are also offering a range of services to farmers and rural inhabitants as well as urban customers; and new organizations are helping individuals to directly send money to those in need via an app. 

Raj Kumar is the President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex, the media platform for the global development community. He is a media leader and former humanitarian council chair for the World Economic Forum and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His work has led him to more than 50 countries, where he has had the honor to meet many of the aid workers and development professionals who make up the Devex community. He is the author of the book The Business of Changing the World: How Billionaires, Tech Disrupters, and Social Entrepreneurs are Transforming the Global Aid Industry, which is a go-to primer on the ideas, people, and technology disrupting the aid industry. Twitter: @raj_devex

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:40
  • Media and global development - 03:15
  • Origins and impact of Devex's journalism - 16:34
  • Role of businesses in global development - 21:54
  • The poor as customers - 30:00
  • How billionaire philanthropists have disrupted aid world - 34:52
  • Celebrities and global development - 43:30

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Unleashing the Power of Business to Change the World — Raj Kumar Raj Kumar, Dan Banik 00:54:36 Dan Banik and Raj Kumar discuss the role of the current media landscape in global development and how billionaires, tech disrupters, and social entrepreneurs are transforming the global aid industry. Dan Banik and Raj Kumar discuss the role of the current media landscape in global development and how billionaires, tech disrupters, and social entrepreneurs are transforming the global aid industry. journalism, poverty, usaid, celebrities, risk, charity, innovation, aid effectiveness, india, media, world bank, china, gates foundation, aid, technology, philanthropy, malawi, united states, human rights, accountability false full 26 4 5ebd42c2-af25-49d5-b237-510cc7d002bf 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 relationships and providing robust and reliable evidence for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of development programs.

While some regard RCTs as the gold standard, others are more critical of using it to measure what works. Critics argue that it is not just about 'what works,' but 'why things work' which should be prioritized when designing effective policies and interventions that can be scaled up. 

Another related aspect in this context is the generalizability puzzle, i.e., whether the results of a specific program can be generalized to other contexts. For example, there are questions about whether a study can inform policy only in the location in which it was undertaken. Should policymakers mainly rely on whatever evidence is available locally, even if it is not of very good quality? There is also the question of whether a new local randomized evaluation should be undertaken before an attempt to scale up and the number of times such evaluations should be repeated before scaling up.

Rachel Glennerster is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. She uses randomized trials to study democracy and accountability, health, education, microfinance, and women’s empowerment mainly in West Africa and South Asia. Rachel spent 13 years as the executive director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at MIT, a key leader in popularizing RCTs in development economics. Thereafter she served as chief economist of the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Twitter: @rglenner

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:44
  • Asking the right questions and answering them correctly - 03:45
  • The added-value of RCTs and critique - 08:00
  • The generalizability puzzle - 17:37
  • Education and learning - 23:20
  • Microfinance in India - 26:13
  • Improving public services through participation - 34:30
  • Impact of the media in Burkina Faso - 38:38
  • Translating evidence into policy - 46:00

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Host:

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 05:22:50 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Rachel Glennerster, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/glennerster-6HTKPOIe 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 relationships and providing robust and reliable evidence for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of development programs.

While some regard RCTs as the gold standard, others are more critical of using it to measure what works. Critics argue that it is not just about 'what works,' but 'why things work' which should be prioritized when designing effective policies and interventions that can be scaled up. 

Another related aspect in this context is the generalizability puzzle, i.e., whether the results of a specific program can be generalized to other contexts. For example, there are questions about whether a study can inform policy only in the location in which it was undertaken. Should policymakers mainly rely on whatever evidence is available locally, even if it is not of very good quality? There is also the question of whether a new local randomized evaluation should be undertaken before an attempt to scale up and the number of times such evaluations should be repeated before scaling up.

Rachel Glennerster is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. She uses randomized trials to study democracy and accountability, health, education, microfinance, and women’s empowerment mainly in West Africa and South Asia. Rachel spent 13 years as the executive director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at MIT, a key leader in popularizing RCTs in development economics. Thereafter she served as chief economist of the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Twitter: @rglenner

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:44
  • Asking the right questions and answering them correctly - 03:45
  • The added-value of RCTs and critique - 08:00
  • The generalizability puzzle - 17:37
  • Education and learning - 23:20
  • Microfinance in India - 26:13
  • Improving public services through participation - 34:30
  • Impact of the media in Burkina Faso - 38:38
  • Translating evidence into policy - 46:00

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Using Evidence to Drive Policy and Achieve Lasting Development Impact — Rachel Glennerster Rachel Glennerster, Dan Banik 00:51:43 Dan Banik and Rachel Glennerster discuss the value of randomized control trials, the generalizability puzzle, how to improve education and learning, the role of participation in improving public services and the impact of microfinance and the media on development. Dan Banik and Rachel Glennerster discuss the value of randomized control trials, the generalizability puzzle, how to improve education and learning, the role of participation in improving public services and the impact of microfinance and the media on development. kenya, evidence, j-pal, media impact, education, rct, aid effectiveness, india, what works, fcdo, esther duflo, microfinance, abhijit banerjee, michael kremer, burkina faso, randomized control trials, generalizability puzzle, angus deaton false full 25 4 b9904f9d-1be3-4e20-b64e-bf667bc04e50 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 of what it is and how it operates. This may include adopting a dialectical approach that pays attention to the practical and social life of corruption, and the strategies of the various actors involved. What is crucial in this context is how we can best unpack the complicated web of social norms, value acceptances, power relations, negotiations, and social networks that animates local discourse and practices of corruption.

Daniel Agbiboa is an assistant professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. In his recent book – They Eat Our Sweat: Transport Labor, Corruption, and Everyday Survival in Urban Nigeria – he explores how transport workers encounter and respond to the situation defined by extortion and violence in which they ply their trade. Twitter: @DanielAgbiboa

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • What the literature on corruption overlooks - 03:52
  • The language of corruption in African countries - 08:03
  • Why efforts to curb corruption often fail - 20:23
  • The road transport sector in Nigeria- 28:54
  • Rethinking anti-corruption policy - 46:20

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 05:49:04 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Daniel Agbiboa, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/agbiboa-goN9G8nL 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 of what it is and how it operates. This may include adopting a dialectical approach that pays attention to the practical and social life of corruption, and the strategies of the various actors involved. What is crucial in this context is how we can best unpack the complicated web of social norms, value acceptances, power relations, negotiations, and social networks that animates local discourse and practices of corruption.

Daniel Agbiboa is an assistant professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. In his recent book – They Eat Our Sweat: Transport Labor, Corruption, and Everyday Survival in Urban Nigeria – he explores how transport workers encounter and respond to the situation defined by extortion and violence in which they ply their trade. Twitter: @DanielAgbiboa

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • What the literature on corruption overlooks - 03:52
  • The language of corruption in African countries - 08:03
  • Why efforts to curb corruption often fail - 20:23
  • The road transport sector in Nigeria- 28:54
  • Rethinking anti-corruption policy - 46:20

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Unpacking the complexities of corruption — Daniel Agbiboa Daniel Agbiboa, Dan Banik 00:53:43 Dan Banik and Daniel Agbiboa discuss the scholarship on corruption in postcolonial Africa, the survival tactics of road transport workers in Nigeria, and why we must re-think our understanding of corruption. Dan Banik and Daniel Agbiboa discuss the scholarship on corruption in postcolonial Africa, the survival tactics of road transport workers in Nigeria, and why we must re-think our understanding of corruption. kenya, danfo, corruption, road transport, malawi, joseph nye, lagos, culture, nigeria, informal sector, olusegun obasanjo, road blocks, bribe, extortion false full 24 4 e87d2fcd-6eeb-4845-97cc-4ec18c5b34a2 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 to new social norms and customs.

Elliott Green is Professor of Development Studies in the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics. In his recent book — Industrialization and Assimilation: Understanding Ethnic Change in the Modern World — he provides a new framework to understand the origins of modern ethnic identities. Elliott explains how and why ethnicity changes across time, showing that, by altering the basis of economic production from land to labour, industrialization makes societies more ethnically homogenous. By lowering the relative value of rural land, industrialization results in people identifying less with narrow rural identities in favour of broader identities that can help them navigate the formal urban economy. Twitter: @ElliottDGreen


Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:53
  • Ethnicity and race - 03:20
  • Negotiating identity - 12:36
  • Assimilation and the state - 18:10
  • Turkey, United States and New Zealand - 27:00
  • Somalia, Uganda and Botswana - 32:30
  • Ethiopia - 40:45
  • South Africa - 44:50

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 May 2023 05:27:20 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Elliott Green, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/green-TZNEvbNk 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 to new social norms and customs.

Elliott Green is Professor of Development Studies in the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics. In his recent book — Industrialization and Assimilation: Understanding Ethnic Change in the Modern World — he provides a new framework to understand the origins of modern ethnic identities. Elliott explains how and why ethnicity changes across time, showing that, by altering the basis of economic production from land to labour, industrialization makes societies more ethnically homogenous. By lowering the relative value of rural land, industrialization results in people identifying less with narrow rural identities in favour of broader identities that can help them navigate the formal urban economy. Twitter: @ElliottDGreen


Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:53
  • Ethnicity and race - 03:20
  • Negotiating identity - 12:36
  • Assimilation and the state - 18:10
  • Turkey, United States and New Zealand - 27:00
  • Somalia, Uganda and Botswana - 32:30
  • Ethiopia - 40:45
  • South Africa - 44:50

Host:

Professor Dan Banik (Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod)

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/
https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How industrialization reshapes modern ethnic identities — Elliott Green Elliott Green, Dan Banik 00:53:08 Dan Banik and Elliott Green discuss why ethnicity is sometimes used interchangeably with race, how identities are negotiated, and the role of the state in promoting ethnic homogenization in Turkey, United States, New Zealand, Somalia, Uganda, Botswana and South Africa. Dan Banik and Elliott Green discuss why ethnicity is sometimes used interchangeably with race, how identities are negotiated, and the role of the state in promoting ethnic homogenization in Turkey, United States, New Zealand, Somalia, Uganda, Botswana and South Africa. ethnicity, kenya, identity, industrialization, globalization, south africa, turkey, somalia, new zealand, uganda, united states, botswana, race false full 23 4 9a0b3a3b-81a5-4cbf-9a3c-2c5ad567c43b 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 economy and society. Indeed, this everyday labor of entrepreneurial reinvention is remaking China amid changing geopolitical currents.

In her new book, The Labor of Reinvention: Entrepreneurship in the New Chinese Digital Economy, Lin Zhang explores the surge in digital entrepreneurialism against the backdrop of global financial crises, the U.S.-China trade war, and the more recent pandemic. She argues that the rise of internet-based industries and practices has simultaneously empowered and exploited digital entrepreneurs and laborers. Despite embracing high-tech innovation, state-led entrepreneurialization does not represent a radical break with the past. Rather such entrepreneurship has also reinforced traditional Chinese ideas about state power, labor, gender, and identity.

Lin Zhang is an assistant professor of communication and media studies at the University of New Hampshire. Twitter:@LinZhang9

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • Entrepreneurialism and entrepreneurship - 04:04
  • Surge in entrepreneurialism in China following the 2008 financial crisis - 09:36
  • Opportunities and challenges facing migrants - 18:10
  • Elite, urban-based entrepreneurs vs. non-elite entrepreneurs - 34:04
  • China’s reinvention and innovation efforts vis-a-vis the United States - 48:15

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 3 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Lin Zhang, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/zhang-B2EhMM4x 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 economy and society. Indeed, this everyday labor of entrepreneurial reinvention is remaking China amid changing geopolitical currents.

In her new book, The Labor of Reinvention: Entrepreneurship in the New Chinese Digital Economy, Lin Zhang explores the surge in digital entrepreneurialism against the backdrop of global financial crises, the U.S.-China trade war, and the more recent pandemic. She argues that the rise of internet-based industries and practices has simultaneously empowered and exploited digital entrepreneurs and laborers. Despite embracing high-tech innovation, state-led entrepreneurialization does not represent a radical break with the past. Rather such entrepreneurship has also reinforced traditional Chinese ideas about state power, labor, gender, and identity.

Lin Zhang is an assistant professor of communication and media studies at the University of New Hampshire. Twitter:@LinZhang9

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • Entrepreneurialism and entrepreneurship - 04:04
  • Surge in entrepreneurialism in China following the 2008 financial crisis - 09:36
  • Opportunities and challenges facing migrants - 18:10
  • Elite, urban-based entrepreneurs vs. non-elite entrepreneurs - 34:04
  • China’s reinvention and innovation efforts vis-a-vis the United States - 48:15

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> How China's digital entrepreneurs are redefining innovation and reshaping the global economy — Lin Zhang Lin Zhang, Dan Banik 00:53:04 Dan Banik and Lin Zhang discuss global capitalism and the digital economy from a non-Western perspective and how the contradictions of entrepreneurialism have played out in China. Dan Banik and Lin Zhang discuss global capitalism and the digital economy from a non-Western perspective and how the contradictions of entrepreneurialism have played out in China. identity, state-led entrepreneurialization, migrant labor, state power, financial crisis, innovation, china paradigm, entrepreneurialism, china, high-tech innovation, identiy, united states, entrepreneurship, e-commerce false full 22 4 e6bdc751-a7ec-4a93-9eb2-bc313ebb123d 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 longtermism have become increasingly influential, these ideas have also been subject to greater scrutiny. 

Ryan Briggs is an associate professor in the Guelph Institute of Development Studies and Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph. He has worked extensively on foreign aid, African politics, and effective altruism. Twitter: @ryancbriggs

 

Resources:

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:43
  • The current status of the effective altruism movement - 03:08
  • Strengthening effective altruism with a capability approach - 15:07
  • The political effects of foreign aid - 21:37
  • Targeting the poorest in World Bank projects - 39:43
  • How effective altruism can shape aid policies - 48:32

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:04:50 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ryan Briggs, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/briggs-QYeFjnbU 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 longtermism have become increasingly influential, these ideas have also been subject to greater scrutiny. 

Ryan Briggs is an associate professor in the Guelph Institute of Development Studies and Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph. He has worked extensively on foreign aid, African politics, and effective altruism. Twitter: @ryancbriggs

 

Resources:

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:43
  • The current status of the effective altruism movement - 03:08
  • Strengthening effective altruism with a capability approach - 15:07
  • The political effects of foreign aid - 21:37
  • Targeting the poorest in World Bank projects - 39:43
  • How effective altruism can shape aid policies - 48:32

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Making every dollar count — Ryan Briggs Ryan Briggs, Dan Banik 00:53:15 Dan Banik and Ryan Briggs discuss effective altruism and longtermism, the political effects of foreign aid, and how to maximize global efforts to reduce poverty. Dan Banik and Ryan Briggs discuss effective altruism and longtermism, the political effects of foreign aid, and how to maximize global efforts to reduce poverty. peter singer, capability approach, kenya, foreign aid, longtermism, world bank, african politics, amertya sen, poverty reduction, sam bankman-fried, malawi, william macaskill, united states, effective altruism, nigeria, ghana, lindsay dolan false full 21 4 659ee0f2-34f9-4deb-a8f5-69778dc3b9aa 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 particularly important. Indeed, the extent to which development programs avoid being captured by state or local power systems is key and something that concerns both scholars and practitioners. 

My guest has studied whether the opening of government records and the use of digital technology provide higher levels of government with better tools to effectively monitor local state action. Rajesh Veeraraghavan is an assistant professor in the Science Technology and International Affairs Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. In a wonderful new book, Patching Development: Information Politics and Social Change in India, Rajesh explores two crucial and interrelated questions: First, how can states best deliver social benefits to marginalized citizens? And second, what role can marginalized citizens and members of civil society play in strengthening systems of accountability? Twitter: @RajeshVeeraa

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • India's ambitious social protection agenda - 05:02
  • Bureaucratic capacity and motivation in the implementation process - 14:08
  • Rights-based development programs and the Right to Information - 20:03
  • The "patching development" concept - 33:45
  • Addressing resistance in development programs - 50:54

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:02:09 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Rajesh Veeraraghavan, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/veeraraghavan-9Q_6msLp 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 particularly important. Indeed, the extent to which development programs avoid being captured by state or local power systems is key and something that concerns both scholars and practitioners. 

My guest has studied whether the opening of government records and the use of digital technology provide higher levels of government with better tools to effectively monitor local state action. Rajesh Veeraraghavan is an assistant professor in the Science Technology and International Affairs Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. In a wonderful new book, Patching Development: Information Politics and Social Change in India, Rajesh explores two crucial and interrelated questions: First, how can states best deliver social benefits to marginalized citizens? And second, what role can marginalized citizens and members of civil society play in strengthening systems of accountability? Twitter: @RajeshVeeraa

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • India's ambitious social protection agenda - 05:02
  • Bureaucratic capacity and motivation in the implementation process - 14:08
  • Rights-based development programs and the Right to Information - 20:03
  • The "patching development" concept - 33:45
  • Addressing resistance in development programs - 50:54

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Patching development – Rajesh Veeraraghavan Rajesh Veeraraghavan, Dan Banik 00:55:34 Dan Banik and Rajesh Veeraraghavan discuss the impact of two landmark rights-based laws enacted by the Indian government in 2005: the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which resulted in the largest development program in the world that provides employment on demand and builds rural infrastructure; and the Right to Information Act, which granted all citizens the right to access government records. Dan Banik and Rajesh Veeraraghavan discuss the impact of two landmark rights-based laws enacted by the Indian government in 2005: the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which resulted in the largest development program in the world that provides employment on demand and builds rural infrastructure; and the Right to Information Act, which granted all citizens the right to access government records. national rural employment guarantee act, social protection, india, right to information, andhra pradesh, james c. scott, local resistance, political interference false full 20 4 178bb506-d369-4092-bc88-6bc724af89c3 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 we discussed in this conversation: Getting Better: Why Global Development is Succeeding, and Our World, Better: Global Progress and What You Can Do About It. We also discussed a recent report, where Charles and his coauthor Zack Gehan created a set of scenarios for the shape of the global economy in 2050. While their forecast for richer countries is not very optimistic, what they found is largely positive for developing and middle-income nations. For example, the report finds that incomes per capita on the African continent could be 76% higher in 2050 than they were a few years ago, and in India incomes could jump 136%. Twitter: @charlesjkenny

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:46
  • Global development viewed from Washington - 02:52
  • Reducing extreme poverty by 2050 - 07:15
  • Economic growth, poverty and “degrowth” - 15:40
  • What should the World Bank be doing more of? - 28:25
  • The global public goods agenda - 39:00
  • OECD DAC aid has lost its credibility - 43:30
  • Combating pessimism and short-term thinking – 50:18

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:20:17 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Charles Kenny, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kenny-WPFe1o3e 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 we discussed in this conversation: Getting Better: Why Global Development is Succeeding, and Our World, Better: Global Progress and What You Can Do About It. We also discussed a recent report, where Charles and his coauthor Zack Gehan created a set of scenarios for the shape of the global economy in 2050. While their forecast for richer countries is not very optimistic, what they found is largely positive for developing and middle-income nations. For example, the report finds that incomes per capita on the African continent could be 76% higher in 2050 than they were a few years ago, and in India incomes could jump 136%. Twitter: @charlesjkenny

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:46
  • Global development viewed from Washington - 02:52
  • Reducing extreme poverty by 2050 - 07:15
  • Economic growth, poverty and “degrowth” - 15:40
  • What should the World Bank be doing more of? - 28:25
  • The global public goods agenda - 39:00
  • OECD DAC aid has lost its credibility - 43:30
  • Combating pessimism and short-term thinking – 50:18

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Is economic growth the magic wand for ending poverty? — Charles Kenny Charles Kenny, Dan Banik 00:54:01 Dan Banik and Charles Kenny discuss reasons for optimism about the future of the global economy, the role of global public goods, World Bank reforms, and why Western aid is losing its credibility. Dan Banik and Charles Kenny discuss reasons for optimism about the future of the global economy, the role of global public goods, World Bank reforms, and why Western aid is losing its credibility. g77, degrowth, usaid, sustainable development goals, global public goods, world bank, china, economic growth, aid, belt and road initiative, ajay banga, united states, gdp, climate change, stefan dercon, decouple, indermit gill, oecd false full 19 4 3640e513-43e4-4dc0-b7f9-df9357fc3111 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 chaired the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and in 2020, she was appointed co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, established by the World Health Organization. In addition to serving on numerous advisory boards and commissions, Helen is a strong and highly influential voice on gender equality and women’s leadership, sustainable development, climate action, peace and justice, and global health. Twitter: @HelenClarkNZ

 

Resources:

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:45
  • Development as it ought to be understood - 04:10
  • The fragmented global development agenda - 08:10
  • Role and relevance of the United Nations system - 15:37
  • Preparing for the next pandemic - 20:28
  • How politicians translate research into policy - 35:35
  • The challenges faced by female leaders - 42:20

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 5 Apr 2023 05:53:14 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Helen Clark, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/helen-clark-5QDknWdU 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 chaired the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and in 2020, she was appointed co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, established by the World Health Organization. In addition to serving on numerous advisory boards and commissions, Helen is a strong and highly influential voice on gender equality and women’s leadership, sustainable development, climate action, peace and justice, and global health. Twitter: @HelenClarkNZ

 

Resources:

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:45
  • Development as it ought to be understood - 04:10
  • The fragmented global development agenda - 08:10
  • Role and relevance of the United Nations system - 15:37
  • Preparing for the next pandemic - 20:28
  • How politicians translate research into policy - 35:35
  • The challenges faced by female leaders - 42:20

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Subscribe: 

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> A more fragmented world — Helen Clark Helen Clark, Dan Banik 00:46:09 Dan Banik and Helen Clark discuss the fragmented global development agenda, the role and relevance of the United Nations system, whether we are now better prepared for the next pandemic, and how politicians apply research while shaping everyday policies. Dan Banik and Helen Clark discuss the fragmented global development agenda, the role and relevance of the United Nations system, whether we are now better prepared for the next pandemic, and how politicians apply research while shaping everyday policies. amartya sen, sustainable development goals, ellen johnson sirleaf, extractive industries transparency initiative, ukraine, human development, jacinda ardern, millennium development goals, world bank, new zealand, undp, gro harlem brundtland, framework convention on climate change, independent panel for pandemic preparedness and response, world health organization, vaccine nationalism, united nations, pandemic false full 18 4 6ee9e610-3683-4789-8004-1a005a5938a1 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 less attention. Our guest has focused her research on the contestation of international norms and values, particularly the promotion of human rights norms in the EU’s development policy.In identifying the limits to the EU’s approach, her recent book discusses how standardised policies, particularly in the case of human rights sanctions, may be perceived as neo-colonially intrusive and can come at the cost of recognising the experiences and interests of vulnerable groups and allowing for partner countries’ democratic ownership of their own development trajectory. 

Johanne Døhlie Saltnes is a lecturer and collaborating researcher at the Institute for International Relations (IREL) at the University of Brasilia. She was previously a post-doctoral fellow at ARENA, Centre for European Studies, at the University of Oslo. Her book, The European Union and Global Development: A Rights-Based Approach?, was published in 2021 by Routledge. Johanne is the academic editor of ECPR’s political science blog, The Loop. Twitter: @johannesaltnes

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:55
  • The current status of the Human Rights-Based Approach to development - 04:10
  • The EU as a global development player- 07:42
  • The application of the EU's human rights clause - 15:56
  • Impact of applying a human rights-based approach in national contexts - 38:00

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 06:05:09 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Johanne Døhlie Saltnes, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/johanne-saltnes-SPOv3p4H 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 less attention. Our guest has focused her research on the contestation of international norms and values, particularly the promotion of human rights norms in the EU’s development policy.In identifying the limits to the EU’s approach, her recent book discusses how standardised policies, particularly in the case of human rights sanctions, may be perceived as neo-colonially intrusive and can come at the cost of recognising the experiences and interests of vulnerable groups and allowing for partner countries’ democratic ownership of their own development trajectory. 

Johanne Døhlie Saltnes is a lecturer and collaborating researcher at the Institute for International Relations (IREL) at the University of Brasilia. She was previously a post-doctoral fellow at ARENA, Centre for European Studies, at the University of Oslo. Her book, The European Union and Global Development: A Rights-Based Approach?, was published in 2021 by Routledge. Johanne is the academic editor of ECPR’s political science blog, The Loop. Twitter: @johannesaltnes

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:55
  • The current status of the Human Rights-Based Approach to development - 04:10
  • The EU as a global development player- 07:42
  • The application of the EU's human rights clause - 15:56
  • Impact of applying a human rights-based approach in national contexts - 38:00

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> The European Union and global development — Johanne Døhlie Saltnes Johanne Døhlie Saltnes, Dan Banik 00:47:53 Dan Banik and Johanne Døhlie Saltnes discuss the application of the human rights clause in the EU’s global development agenda and the impact of applying a human rights-based approach to promote development in specific national contexts. Dan Banik and Johanne Døhlie Saltnes discuss the application of the human rights clause in the EU’s global development agenda and the impact of applying a human rights-based approach to promote development in specific national contexts. burundi, togo, niger, madagascar, paris agenda, zimbabwe, ireland, guinea, peter uvin, united klingdom, norway, germany, european union, liberia, asbjørn eide, dfid, denmark, uganda, urban jonsson, lgbti, eu foreign policy, coup d’état, rwanda, mauritania, utstein group, human rights-based approach, netherlands, guinea., unicef false full 17 4 6d9d8e12-7d91-4b77-aec8-2be90e68e835 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, and incomplete data sources. The authors argue that Beijing’s use of debt rather than aid to bankroll big-ticket infrastructure projects certainly creates new opportunities for developing countries to achieve rapid socioeconomic gains. However, such actions also introduce major risks, such as corruption, political capture, and conflict. 

Axel Dreher is a Professor of International and Development Politics at Heidelberg University, Germany. Together with Andreas Fuchs, Bradley Parks, Austin Strange and Michael Tierney, Axel co-authored Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China's Overseas Development Program (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Twitter: @DreherAxel

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:50
  • On why is it hard to find data on Chinese aid and investments - 04:04
  • Chinese aid, motives, and soft power- 09:40
  • The methods for unpacking Chinese aid data - 24:30
  • Understanding the transition from "benefactor" to "banker" - 32:00
  • The need and long-term viability of big infrastructure projects - 43:44

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Axel Dreher, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/axel-dreher-YvZvuMx3 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, and incomplete data sources. The authors argue that Beijing’s use of debt rather than aid to bankroll big-ticket infrastructure projects certainly creates new opportunities for developing countries to achieve rapid socioeconomic gains. However, such actions also introduce major risks, such as corruption, political capture, and conflict. 

Axel Dreher is a Professor of International and Development Politics at Heidelberg University, Germany. Together with Andreas Fuchs, Bradley Parks, Austin Strange and Michael Tierney, Axel co-authored Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China's Overseas Development Program (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Twitter: @DreherAxel

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:50
  • On why is it hard to find data on Chinese aid and investments - 04:04
  • Chinese aid, motives, and soft power- 09:40
  • The methods for unpacking Chinese aid data - 24:30
  • Understanding the transition from "benefactor" to "banker" - 32:00
  • The need and long-term viability of big infrastructure projects - 43:44

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Banking on Beijing — Axel Dreher Axel Dreher, Dan Banik 00:57:44 Dan Banik and Axel Dreher discuss how China has transitioned from a benefactor to a banker and the impact of this shift in low-income and middle-income countries. Dan Banik and Axel Dreher discuss how China has transitioned from a benefactor to a banker and the impact of this shift in low-income and middle-income countries. poverty, norfund, xi jinping, world bank, infrastructure, concessional loans, china, aid, belt and road initiative, germany, malawi, state-owned companies, sri lanka, imf, united states, united nations, hambantota port, development assistance committee, multilateralism, oecd false full 16 4 600c2ed6-d522-43a2-ad81-3acaf932c946 Africa’s youth in the race for climate action — Hilda Flavia Nakabuye Fridays For Future is a youth-led  movement that began in August 2018. This movement was inspired by 15-year-old Greta Thunberg and other young activists, who sat in front of the Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis. While Greta has become a household name, there are many other young activists around the world who are also making a vital contribution by pressuring their governments to undertake climate action. 

Our guest – Hilda Flavia Nakabuye – is one of these inspiring young African leaders. While pursuing her university studies in Kampala, Hilda began to acquire a nuanced understanding of the causes of unpredictable rainy seasons, frequent heatwaves, droughts and floods that she had witnessed growing up in southern Uganda. Indeed, she began connecting the dots and realized that much of what she and her family had experienced (and what her country continues to experience) was and is caused by climate disruption. She therefore decided to become a climate and environmental rights activist and founded Uganda’s Fridays for Future movement in 2019. Twitter: @NakabuyeHildaF @Fridays4FutureU

Resources

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:38
  • How to promote both development and protect the environment - 04:00
  • Growing climate activismamong Africa’s youth- 08:56
  • The menace of air pollution - 24:30
  • Uganda’s oil and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline - 35:40

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 18 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hilda-nakabuye-D15dgLH8 Fridays For Future is a youth-led  movement that began in August 2018. This movement was inspired by 15-year-old Greta Thunberg and other young activists, who sat in front of the Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis. While Greta has become a household name, there are many other young activists around the world who are also making a vital contribution by pressuring their governments to undertake climate action. 

Our guest – Hilda Flavia Nakabuye – is one of these inspiring young African leaders. While pursuing her university studies in Kampala, Hilda began to acquire a nuanced understanding of the causes of unpredictable rainy seasons, frequent heatwaves, droughts and floods that she had witnessed growing up in southern Uganda. Indeed, she began connecting the dots and realized that much of what she and her family had experienced (and what her country continues to experience) was and is caused by climate disruption. She therefore decided to become a climate and environmental rights activist and founded Uganda’s Fridays for Future movement in 2019. Twitter: @NakabuyeHildaF @Fridays4FutureU

Resources

 

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:38
  • How to promote both development and protect the environment - 04:00
  • Growing climate activismamong Africa’s youth- 08:56
  • The menace of air pollution - 24:30
  • Uganda’s oil and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline - 35:40

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

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]]> Africa’s youth in the race for climate action — Hilda Flavia Nakabuye Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, Dan Banik 00:54:29 Dan Banik and Hilda Flavia Nakabuye discuss climate injustice, the Fridays for Future movement in Uganda and the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. Dan Banik and Hilda Flavia Nakabuye discuss climate injustice, the Fridays for Future movement in Uganda and the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. heatwave, kampala, east african crude oil pipeline, greta thunberg, agriculture, floods, cxlimate action, uganda, climate strikes, fridays for future, tourism, drought false full 15 4 ddd3547f-4a92-48a4-a075-bf304681cc11 Poverty and the new threat to prosperity — Indermit Gill The onset of the pandemic in 2020 marked a turning point in the 30-year pursuit of successful global poverty reduction. According to recent World Bank estimates, the incomes of the poorest 40 percent of the world’s population likely fell by 4 percent in 2020. And as a result, the number of people living in extreme poverty likely increased by 11  percent in 2020—i.e. it increased from 648 million to 719 million. The pandemic also increased global inequality. In terms of lost income, the world’s poor paid the highest price for the pandemic; Indeed, the percentage income losses of the poorest are estimated to have been double those of the richest. The rise in extreme poverty and decline of shared prosperity caused by inflation, currency depreciations, and broader overlapping crises facing development, pose numerous challenges for global development.

Indermit Gill is Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics. Before starting this position on September 1, 2022, he served as the World Bank’s Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions, where he played a key role in shaping the Bank’s response to the extraordinary series of shocks that have hit developing economies since 2020. Between 2016 and 2021, he was a professor of public policy at Duke University and non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Global Economy and Development program. Indermit has published extensively on policy issues facing developing countries, sovereign debt, green growth, labor markets, poverty and inequality, and managing natural resource wealth. His pioneering work includes introducing the concept of the “middle income trap” to describe how developing countries stagnate after reaching a certain level of income. Indermit also spearheaded the influential World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography. Twitter: @IndermitGill

Resources:

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • How "development" has changed over the years - 03:22
  • The current status of the World Bank's twin goals - 08:56
  • Growing global poverty and how to best measure poverty - 13:38
  • The "middle income trap" and natural resource curse thesis - 21:00
  • Sustainable development, renewal energy, and climate change- 29:50
  • Addressing the debt crisis - 40:15

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 15 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Indermit Gill, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/indermit-gill-jVjizeSt The onset of the pandemic in 2020 marked a turning point in the 30-year pursuit of successful global poverty reduction. According to recent World Bank estimates, the incomes of the poorest 40 percent of the world’s population likely fell by 4 percent in 2020. And as a result, the number of people living in extreme poverty likely increased by 11  percent in 2020—i.e. it increased from 648 million to 719 million. The pandemic also increased global inequality. In terms of lost income, the world’s poor paid the highest price for the pandemic; Indeed, the percentage income losses of the poorest are estimated to have been double those of the richest. The rise in extreme poverty and decline of shared prosperity caused by inflation, currency depreciations, and broader overlapping crises facing development, pose numerous challenges for global development.

Indermit Gill is Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics. Before starting this position on September 1, 2022, he served as the World Bank’s Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions, where he played a key role in shaping the Bank’s response to the extraordinary series of shocks that have hit developing economies since 2020. Between 2016 and 2021, he was a professor of public policy at Duke University and non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Global Economy and Development program. Indermit has published extensively on policy issues facing developing countries, sovereign debt, green growth, labor markets, poverty and inequality, and managing natural resource wealth. His pioneering work includes introducing the concept of the “middle income trap” to describe how developing countries stagnate after reaching a certain level of income. Indermit also spearheaded the influential World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography. Twitter: @IndermitGill

Resources:

Key highlights:

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • How "development" has changed over the years - 03:22
  • The current status of the World Bank's twin goals - 08:56
  • Growing global poverty and how to best measure poverty - 13:38
  • The "middle income trap" and natural resource curse thesis - 21:00
  • Sustainable development, renewal energy, and climate change- 29:50
  • Addressing the debt crisis - 40:15

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Poverty and the new threat to prosperity — Indermit Gill Indermit Gill, Dan Banik 00:49:49 Dan Banik and Indermit Gill discuss the causes of growing global poverty, debt and stagflation, and what the World Bank is doing to address some of these huge challenges. Dan Banik and Indermit Gill discuss the causes of growing global poverty, debt and stagflation, and what the World Bank is doing to address some of these huge challenges. south-south cooperation, poverty, cash transfer, social protection, homi kharas, inflation, senegal, stagflation, middle-income economies, india, world bank, china, mozambique, martin ravallion, renewable energy, sri lanka, indonesia, imf, zambia, private sector, latin america, east asian miracle, pandemic, debt false full 14 4 167d5e0f-8a1c-45b4-9cb9-880cfa01cf58 Rethinking "evidence" — Eivind Engebretsen and Mona Baker In the past few decades, we have witnessed the rise and consolidation of “evidence-based medicine” among health professionals. This refers to a systematic approach to medicine in which doctors and other health care professionals use the best available scientific evidence from clinical research to help make decisions about the care of individual patients. But the COVID-19 pandemic has managed to transform what constitutes reliable medical evidence into a topic of public concern and debate. These debates have taken place within and beyond the medical establishment, such as in news reports and social media posts. And suddenly everyone began offering an opinion on the efficacy of measures such as quarantines, lock downs, school closures, and mandatory face masks. How then should we understand “evidence”? Does evidence mean the same thing in different contexts and constituencies? 

In their new book, Rethinking Evidence in the Time of Pandemics: Scientific Vs Narrative Rationality, and Medical Knowledge Practices, Eivind Engebretsen and Mona Baker argue that we ought to adopt a more nuanced and socially responsive approach to medical expertise that incorporates scientific and lay processes of making sense of the world and how we decide to act in it. Using the narrative framework, they offer a model of analysis that sheds greater light on why different people arrive at different decisions based on the same sources of evidence and why we must acknowledge their reasons for doing so as rooted in different types of rationality rather than dismissing them as irrational. 

Eivind Engebretsen is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, where he is also the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education.

Mona Baker is Director of the Baker Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies at Shanghai International Studies University. She is also affiliated with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education at the University of Oslo.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2023 16:15:32 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Eivind Engebretsen, Mona Baker, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/engebretsen-baker-oEeJIGui In the past few decades, we have witnessed the rise and consolidation of “evidence-based medicine” among health professionals. This refers to a systematic approach to medicine in which doctors and other health care professionals use the best available scientific evidence from clinical research to help make decisions about the care of individual patients. But the COVID-19 pandemic has managed to transform what constitutes reliable medical evidence into a topic of public concern and debate. These debates have taken place within and beyond the medical establishment, such as in news reports and social media posts. And suddenly everyone began offering an opinion on the efficacy of measures such as quarantines, lock downs, school closures, and mandatory face masks. How then should we understand “evidence”? Does evidence mean the same thing in different contexts and constituencies? 

In their new book, Rethinking Evidence in the Time of Pandemics: Scientific Vs Narrative Rationality, and Medical Knowledge Practices, Eivind Engebretsen and Mona Baker argue that we ought to adopt a more nuanced and socially responsive approach to medical expertise that incorporates scientific and lay processes of making sense of the world and how we decide to act in it. Using the narrative framework, they offer a model of analysis that sheds greater light on why different people arrive at different decisions based on the same sources of evidence and why we must acknowledge their reasons for doing so as rooted in different types of rationality rather than dismissing them as irrational. 

Eivind Engebretsen is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, where he is also the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education.

Mona Baker is Director of the Baker Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies at Shanghai International Studies University. She is also affiliated with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education at the University of Oslo.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

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]]> Rethinking "evidence" — Eivind Engebretsen and Mona Baker Eivind Engebretsen, Mona Baker, Dan Banik 00:54:53 Dan Banik, Mona Baker, and Eivind Engebretsen discuss what is meant by “evidence”, and why different people arrive at different decisions based on the same sources of evidence. Dan Banik, Mona Baker, and Eivind Engebretsen discuss what is meant by “evidence”, and why different people arrive at different decisions based on the same sources of evidence. trisha greenhalgh, evidence based medicine, face masks, hiv, rct, sars, human behaviour, norway, united kingdom, covid-19, lockdowns, school closures, world health organization, infodemic, smoking false full 13 4 7d1ca0fc-e255-4a7f-b8b4-8f269c471818 Locally led development and the future of aid — Håvard Mokleiv Nygård The global development domain currently faces huge challenges. Apart from trying to stimulate economic growth and ensuring a fair distribution of the benefits of that growth, national governments and their international partners must also tackle complex conflicts, provide humanitarian assistance, and not least address the harmful impacts of climate disruption. What then should the role of external actors be? How can good intentions be best mobilized into effective actions on the ground?

Håvard Mokleiv Nygård is a Deputy Director-General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norad, where he directs the Department of Knowledge. Until a few years ago, he was Research Director at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), where his research focused on armed conflict and political violence, peace building, and patterns of democratic development. Twitter: @havardmn

Resources:

Key highlights 

  • Introduction - 00:49
  • Foreign aid vs. development cooperation - 04:52
  • Locally led development - 13:10
  • The aid effectiveness debate - 24:15
  • What works in global development and how to measure success - 43:49
  • Bridging the gap between research and policy and the future of aid - 52:45

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 8 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Håvard Mokleiv Nygård, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/haavard-nygaard-Bb3bFbkd The global development domain currently faces huge challenges. Apart from trying to stimulate economic growth and ensuring a fair distribution of the benefits of that growth, national governments and their international partners must also tackle complex conflicts, provide humanitarian assistance, and not least address the harmful impacts of climate disruption. What then should the role of external actors be? How can good intentions be best mobilized into effective actions on the ground?

Håvard Mokleiv Nygård is a Deputy Director-General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norad, where he directs the Department of Knowledge. Until a few years ago, he was Research Director at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), where his research focused on armed conflict and political violence, peace building, and patterns of democratic development. Twitter: @havardmn

Resources:

Key highlights 

  • Introduction - 00:49
  • Foreign aid vs. development cooperation - 04:52
  • Locally led development - 13:10
  • The aid effectiveness debate - 24:15
  • What works in global development and how to measure success - 43:49
  • Bridging the gap between research and policy and the future of aid - 52:45

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Locally led development and the future of aid — Håvard Mokleiv Nygård Håvard Mokleiv Nygård, Dan Banik 01:02:27 Dan Banik and Håvard Mokleiv Nygård discuss locally led development, how to bridge the gap between research and policy, and the future of foreign aid. Dan Banik and Håvard Mokleiv Nygård discuss locally led development, how to bridge the gap between research and policy, and the future of foreign aid. kenya, evidence, poverty, 2030 agenda, usaid, sustainable development goals, sweden, capacity building, peace research institute oslo (prio), humanitarian aid, rct, norad, aid effectiveness, china, ugo gentilini, fcdo, aid, bård vegar solhjell, undp, global partnership for effective development cooperation, aid evaluations, samantha power, dfid, uganda, locally-led development, budget support, stefan dercon, ghana, empowerment, united nations, sustainable development, cash transfers false full 12 4 aec0fecb-4c0c-49b1-98fd-076ca0ae3079 The Wild World of WhatsApp — Jamie Hitchen The role of social media in spreading political misinformation has received considerable attention. But various forms of social media also facilitate and enable participatory democracy across boundaries. They help to hold leaders to account as well as provide channels for airing the needs and demands of marginalised communities and vulnerable groups. These demands can sometimes even be propelled to the centre of public debates. While there has been considerable focus on Twitter and Facebook, the private messaging application WhatsApp has emerged as a especially popular medium for inter-personal communication. But WhatsApp has not received the attention it deserves. What is so special about WhatsApp and how and why has it emerged as the main form of communication for a wide range of actors on the African continent? 

Jamie Hitchen is an independent research analyst and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. He has written extensively on social media in West Africa and recently co-edited a volume with Idayat Hassan entitled WhatsApp and Everyday Life in West Africa: Beyond Fake News. 

Twitter: @jchitchen

Resources

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 1 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jamie Hitchen, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/jamie-hitchen-AchtDNtA The role of social media in spreading political misinformation has received considerable attention. But various forms of social media also facilitate and enable participatory democracy across boundaries. They help to hold leaders to account as well as provide channels for airing the needs and demands of marginalised communities and vulnerable groups. These demands can sometimes even be propelled to the centre of public debates. While there has been considerable focus on Twitter and Facebook, the private messaging application WhatsApp has emerged as a especially popular medium for inter-personal communication. But WhatsApp has not received the attention it deserves. What is so special about WhatsApp and how and why has it emerged as the main form of communication for a wide range of actors on the African continent? 

Jamie Hitchen is an independent research analyst and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. He has written extensively on social media in West Africa and recently co-edited a volume with Idayat Hassan entitled WhatsApp and Everyday Life in West Africa: Beyond Fake News. 

Twitter: @jchitchen

Resources

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The Wild World of WhatsApp — Jamie Hitchen Jamie Hitchen, Dan Banik 00:58:12 Dan Banik and Jamie Hitchen discuss how WhatsApp impacts everyday life in West Africa. Dan Banik and Jamie Hitchen discuss how WhatsApp impacts everyday life in West Africa. newspapers, television, political campaigning, social media, kenya, peter mutharika, fact-checking, senegal, fake news, india, zimbabwe, mainstream media, gambia, muhammadu buhari, nanjala nyabola, malawi, disinformation, brazil, digital divide, whatsapp, radio, sierra leone, nigeria, ghana, cameroon false full 11 4 360289ef-6068-4004-9e33-edb1fedc93ae Christmas special – The acronisation game While much of the success of the show is due to my fabulous guests, I am also lucky to have a wonderful team to assist me at the University of Oslo. I wish to in particular thank Kristoffer Ring, our IT guru, and Oda Fagerland, Bella Reid, and Eliska Sottova for research assistance and transcripts.

My colleague Desmond McNeill, who was on the show earlier this year discussing the power of ideas and metaphors in international development policy, has invented a game which he calls “acronisation”. 

The game is designed to test your knowledge about international organizations and bilateral aid agencies. 

If you can identity 10 acronyms or more, Desmond would be delighted to receive an e-mail from you latest by the 11th of January. 

Please write to Desmond at: desmond.mcneill@sum.uio.no

Happy holidays!

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Mon, 26 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Desmond McNeill) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/acronisation-game-oxS17oS9 While much of the success of the show is due to my fabulous guests, I am also lucky to have a wonderful team to assist me at the University of Oslo. I wish to in particular thank Kristoffer Ring, our IT guru, and Oda Fagerland, Bella Reid, and Eliska Sottova for research assistance and transcripts.

My colleague Desmond McNeill, who was on the show earlier this year discussing the power of ideas and metaphors in international development policy, has invented a game which he calls “acronisation”. 

The game is designed to test your knowledge about international organizations and bilateral aid agencies. 

If you can identity 10 acronyms or more, Desmond would be delighted to receive an e-mail from you latest by the 11th of January. 

Please write to Desmond at: desmond.mcneill@sum.uio.no

Happy holidays!

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Christmas special – The acronisation game Dan Banik, Desmond McNeill 00:08:46 Dan Banik thanks listeners and introduces the acronisation game invented by his colleague Desmond McNeill. Dan Banik thanks listeners and introduces the acronisation game invented by his colleague Desmond McNeill. acronyms, bilateral aid agencies, international organisations, christmas false bonus 4 5622d65f-e7e4-47e4-8d81-618f6314365a Just copy us! Why can’t the rest of the world be more like Scandinavia? — Harald Eia Scandinavian countries are well-known for high standards of living and many people wonder about the origins of the welfare state model in Scandinavia and why it has worked so well. The features of the welfare state in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden typically include high state spending, strong universal public services, and relatively high equality in gender roles.

But what explains the success of this model of development and how did these countries get to where they are today? These are some of the questions my guest – Harald Eia – tries to answer in a recent book co-authored with Ole-Martin Ihle. The book – The Mystery of Norway – discusses how Norway became one of the most prosperous countries in the world. It focuses on the relationship between wealth and happiness, and the power of civil society and trade unions in negotiating wages and a range of benefits. The book also highlights the important role played by The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration – popularly known in Norway by its acronym – NAV, which administers a third of the national budget through schemes such as unemployment benefit, work assessment allowance, sickness benefit, pensions, child benefit and cash-for-care benefit.

Harald Eia is a sociologist and became a household name in Norway in the mid-1990s having starred in several hit comedy shows. He has since then been one of the country's most popular and well-known comedians. 

Key highlights 

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • Is there a Norwegian model of development? - 03:18
  • Origins and functions of the welfare state in Norway: 06:22
  • Can money make you happy? 20:20
  • Relative poverty in one of the world's wealthiest countries: 28:30
  • Immigration: 35:13

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

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]]> Wed, 21 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Harald Eia, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/harald-eia-LTRp3PIL Scandinavian countries are well-known for high standards of living and many people wonder about the origins of the welfare state model in Scandinavia and why it has worked so well. The features of the welfare state in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden typically include high state spending, strong universal public services, and relatively high equality in gender roles.

But what explains the success of this model of development and how did these countries get to where they are today? These are some of the questions my guest – Harald Eia – tries to answer in a recent book co-authored with Ole-Martin Ihle. The book – The Mystery of Norway – discusses how Norway became one of the most prosperous countries in the world. It focuses on the relationship between wealth and happiness, and the power of civil society and trade unions in negotiating wages and a range of benefits. The book also highlights the important role played by The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration – popularly known in Norway by its acronym – NAV, which administers a third of the national budget through schemes such as unemployment benefit, work assessment allowance, sickness benefit, pensions, child benefit and cash-for-care benefit.

Harald Eia is a sociologist and became a household name in Norway in the mid-1990s having starred in several hit comedy shows. He has since then been one of the country's most popular and well-known comedians. 

Key highlights 

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • Is there a Norwegian model of development? - 03:18
  • Origins and functions of the welfare state in Norway: 06:22
  • Can money make you happy? 20:20
  • Relative poverty in one of the world's wealthiest countries: 28:30
  • Immigration: 35:13

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Just copy us! Why can’t the rest of the world be more like Scandinavia? — Harald Eia Harald Eia, Dan Banik 00:51:50 Dan Banik and Harald Eia discuss the welfare state in Norway, the relationship between wealth and happiness, and whether the Norwegian experience can be replicated elsewhere. Dan Banik and Harald Eia discuss the welfare state in Norway, the relationship between wealth and happiness, and whether the Norwegian experience can be replicated elsewhere. finland, norwegian labour and welfare administration (nav), development model, trade unions, sweden, religion, equality, immigration, healthcare, world happiness survey, happiness, relative poverty, norway, natural resources, wage negotiations, protestant ethic, denmark, taxation, world values survey, welfare state, scandinavia, pensions, francis fukuyama false full 10 4 82f6338e-838a-45f6-bfea-3dd6cc98b385 Contemporary state building and elite taxation in Latin America — Gustavo Flores-Macías While many Latin American states have experienced severe public-safety crises in the context of fiscal duress, elite engagement in state building has taken place in some countries but not in others. Why is that the case?

In explaining the adoption of elite taxes for public safety, Gustavo Flores-Macías argues that the conventional crisis-centered explanations are insufficient. Whereas economic elites are generally reluctant to shoulder a greater tax burden, public-safety crises can soften this opposition – when they affect elites directly – and thereby open the door to negotiations with the government. However, the deterioration of public-safety conditions is not enough to elicit elite taxation. Rather, the resulting tax arrangement will depend on the strength of business–government linkages in the form of formal and informal collaboration mechanisms. When linkages are weak, elite taxation is likely to fail, if attempted at all. Stronger linkages will make elite taxation more likely.

Gustavo Flores-Macías is a Professor of Government and Public Policy and Associate Vice Provost for International Affairs at Cornell University. His latest book is Contemporary State Building: Elite Taxation and Public Safety in Latin America. Twitter @Gustavo_F_M

 

Key highlights 

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • Contemporary state building in Latin America - 04.00
  • Economic elites in Latin America – 12.34
  • Elites as an obstacle to state building - 19.04
  • Determinants of fiscal reforms and elite taxation - 25.46
  • Differentiation of public safety from other public goods - 34.50
  • Taxing elites, the El Salvador case - 46.50
  • How to mobilise security tax for development and welfare – 52.26

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 14 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Gustavo Flores-Macías, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gustavo-flores-macias-YEw5e7ne While many Latin American states have experienced severe public-safety crises in the context of fiscal duress, elite engagement in state building has taken place in some countries but not in others. Why is that the case?

In explaining the adoption of elite taxes for public safety, Gustavo Flores-Macías argues that the conventional crisis-centered explanations are insufficient. Whereas economic elites are generally reluctant to shoulder a greater tax burden, public-safety crises can soften this opposition – when they affect elites directly – and thereby open the door to negotiations with the government. However, the deterioration of public-safety conditions is not enough to elicit elite taxation. Rather, the resulting tax arrangement will depend on the strength of business–government linkages in the form of formal and informal collaboration mechanisms. When linkages are weak, elite taxation is likely to fail, if attempted at all. Stronger linkages will make elite taxation more likely.

Gustavo Flores-Macías is a Professor of Government and Public Policy and Associate Vice Provost for International Affairs at Cornell University. His latest book is Contemporary State Building: Elite Taxation and Public Safety in Latin America. Twitter @Gustavo_F_M

 

Key highlights 

  • Introduction - 00:52
  • Contemporary state building in Latin America - 04.00
  • Economic elites in Latin America – 12.34
  • Elites as an obstacle to state building - 19.04
  • Determinants of fiscal reforms and elite taxation - 25.46
  • Differentiation of public safety from other public goods - 34.50
  • Taxing elites, the El Salvador case - 46.50
  • How to mobilise security tax for development and welfare – 52.26

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Contemporary state building and elite taxation in Latin America — Gustavo Flores-Macías Gustavo Flores-Macías, Dan Banik 00:58:12 Dan Banik and Gustavo Flores-Macías discuss elite engagement in contemporary state building in Latin America and how some countries were able to adopt elite taxes for public safety. Dan Banik and Gustavo Flores-Macías discuss elite engagement in contemporary state building in Latin America and how some countries were able to adopt elite taxes for public safety. violence, homicides, public safety, honduras, elite taxation, corruption, taxation, brazil, public goods, costa rica, welfare state, guatemala, mexico, el salvador, state building, inequality, colombia, carlos mauricio funes cartagena, haiti false full 9 4 0b5880c1-604f-4e51-96c0-cc6cf034083d The power of the Chinese state: Examination, Autocracy, Stability, and Technology — Yasheng Huang Ever wondered why the state in China is so powerful? Yasheng argues that Keju — the Imperial civil service examination — has historically maximized a specific type of knowledge in the minds of the population such as memorization. It also reduced the scope of, or eliminated, alternative ideas. Keju made the state all powerful. The state was able to monopolize the very best of human capital. And in doing so, the state deprived society access to talent and pre-empted organized religion, commerce, and intelligentsia. While it is China’s blessing, Keju is also a curse as it decimated society.

Yasheng Huang is a Professor of International Management and Faculty Director of Action Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His forthcoming book, which will be published by Yale University Press, is The Rise and the Fall of the EAST: Examination, Autocracy, Stability and Technology in Chinese History and Today. Twitter: @YashengHuang

Key highlights  

Introduction – 00:52

Recent protests in China – 03:15

Protest strategies and logistical capacity – 13:25

Why is the Chinese state so powerful? – 19:35

The role of the civil service exam in China – 35:00

Meritocracy and the Chinese bureaucracy – 47:15 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 7 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Yasheng Huang, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/yasheng-huang-u10r65bb Ever wondered why the state in China is so powerful? Yasheng argues that Keju — the Imperial civil service examination — has historically maximized a specific type of knowledge in the minds of the population such as memorization. It also reduced the scope of, or eliminated, alternative ideas. Keju made the state all powerful. The state was able to monopolize the very best of human capital. And in doing so, the state deprived society access to talent and pre-empted organized religion, commerce, and intelligentsia. While it is China’s blessing, Keju is also a curse as it decimated society.

Yasheng Huang is a Professor of International Management and Faculty Director of Action Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His forthcoming book, which will be published by Yale University Press, is The Rise and the Fall of the EAST: Examination, Autocracy, Stability and Technology in Chinese History and Today. Twitter: @YashengHuang

Key highlights  

Introduction – 00:52

Recent protests in China – 03:15

Protest strategies and logistical capacity – 13:25

Why is the Chinese state so powerful? – 19:35

The role of the civil service exam in China – 35:00

Meritocracy and the Chinese bureaucracy – 47:15 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> The power of the Chinese state: Examination, Autocracy, Stability, and Technology — Yasheng Huang Yasheng Huang, Dan Banik 00:55:05 Dan Banik and Yasheng Huang discuss the recent protests against COVID-19 lockdowns, the role and attraction of merit-based recruitment to the civil service, and how the civil service examination has historically shaped state-society relations in China. Dan Banik and Yasheng Huang discuss the recent protests against COVID-19 lockdowns, the role and attraction of merit-based recruitment to the civil service, and how the civil service examination has historically shaped state-society relations in China. wukan protests, state-society relations, vaccination strategy, land compensation, democracy, china, administrative capacity, freedom of speech, keju, technology, autocracy, alibaba, lockdowns, jack ma, protests, stability, meritocracy, civil service examination, human capital false full 8 4 867ad3d9-1064-40bb-8aae-2b05377f9cae Show me the money: Why cash transfers matter for development — Ugo Gentilini Cash transfer schemes have grown in popularity in many parts of the world in the past few decades. Numerous studies find that cash transfer programs can be one of the most effective social protection tools at our disposal in the fight against poverty. There is now also growing empirical evidence of how cash transfers can provide quick relief during major economic crises. In addition to economic effects, they may change gender hierarchies and improve the position of women in local society, increase school attendance, and improve nutrition. It is therefore no surprise that cash transfer programs have been warmly embraced by many civil society organizations and international agencies. But is it all win-win? What works and what does not, and how can cash transfers be made even more effective as a tool for global development? 

Ugo Gentilini is an economist and the global lead for social assistance at the World Bank. He has worked extensively on the analytics and practice of social protection, including in relation to economic crises, fragility and displacement, and resilience and disaster risk management. He also writes a popular weekly newsletter and is my go-to-person on everything to do with social protection. In a new paper — Cash Transfers in Pandemic Times — Ugo combines analysis of large datasets with a review of about 300 pandemic papers, evaluations, and practical experiences and concludes with 10 lessons from the largest scale up of cash transfers in history. Twitter: @Ugentilini

Key highlights  

Introduction – 0.48 

Definition and understanding of cash transfers – 3.46 

Increased interest in cash transfers – 6.15 

Evolution of conditional and unconditional cash transfers – 14.38 

Challenges and benefits of cash transfers – 19.33 

What works, cash transfers and in-kind transfers - 25.36 

Logistical and structural challenges of cash transfers - 31.00 

How the pandemic has changed cash transfers – 40.10 

Cash transfers going forward and advice for the future – 43.42

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 30 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ugo Gentilini, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ugo-gentilini-4ttSJqk2 Cash transfer schemes have grown in popularity in many parts of the world in the past few decades. Numerous studies find that cash transfer programs can be one of the most effective social protection tools at our disposal in the fight against poverty. There is now also growing empirical evidence of how cash transfers can provide quick relief during major economic crises. In addition to economic effects, they may change gender hierarchies and improve the position of women in local society, increase school attendance, and improve nutrition. It is therefore no surprise that cash transfer programs have been warmly embraced by many civil society organizations and international agencies. But is it all win-win? What works and what does not, and how can cash transfers be made even more effective as a tool for global development? 

Ugo Gentilini is an economist and the global lead for social assistance at the World Bank. He has worked extensively on the analytics and practice of social protection, including in relation to economic crises, fragility and displacement, and resilience and disaster risk management. He also writes a popular weekly newsletter and is my go-to-person on everything to do with social protection. In a new paper — Cash Transfers in Pandemic Times — Ugo combines analysis of large datasets with a review of about 300 pandemic papers, evaluations, and practical experiences and concludes with 10 lessons from the largest scale up of cash transfers in history. Twitter: @Ugentilini

Key highlights  

Introduction – 0.48 

Definition and understanding of cash transfers – 3.46 

Increased interest in cash transfers – 6.15 

Evolution of conditional and unconditional cash transfers – 14.38 

Challenges and benefits of cash transfers – 19.33 

What works, cash transfers and in-kind transfers - 25.36 

Logistical and structural challenges of cash transfers - 31.00 

How the pandemic has changed cash transfers – 40.10 

Cash transfers going forward and advice for the future – 43.42

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

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]]> Show me the money: Why cash transfers matter for development — Ugo Gentilini Ugo Gentilini, Dan Banik 00:49:37 Dan Banik and Ugo Gentilini discuss the growing popularity of cash transfers, the evolution of conditional and unconditional forms, logistical and structural challenges of social protection programs, and how the governments used cash transfers to provide quick relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dan Banik and Ugo Gentilini discuss the growing popularity of cash transfers, the evolution of conditional and unconditional forms, logistical and structural challenges of social protection programs, and how the governments used cash transfers to provide quick relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. social protection, conditional cash transfers, health, india, world bank, humanitarian assistance, poverty reduction, aid, nutrition, morocco, opportunidades, brazil, progresa, mexico, colombia, cash transfers, labor market, bolsa familia false full 7 4 bf0eaee5-1c9a-4491-aae3-90be581c0deb Crises of democracy — Adam Przeworski Democracy is valued by many people because it enables us to achieve freedom and political equality in addition to numerous economic and social goals. But democracy also allows us to decide from time to time by whom we wish to be governed. Through elections, we can place in office those who we expect to like and also remove from office those we do not like.

Adam Przeworski argues that the essence of democracy is that it processes in relative liberty and peace whatever conflicts that arise in society. And elections are the main mechanism by which conflicts are managed. This is because elections generate temporary winners and losers designated by specific rules. Elections peacefully process conflicts when the losers do not find their defeat too painful and if they expect to have a reasonable chance of winning in the future. This also means that the winners do not inflict too much pain on the losers and do not foreclose the possibility of being removed from office.

Adam Przeworski is Emeritus Professor of Politics at New York University and one of the world’s foremost scholars on democracy. He has studied political regimes, democracy, autocracy, and their intermediate forms, the conditions under which regimes survive and change, as well as their consequences for economic development and income equality. His latest book is Crises of Democracy, where he discusses the political situation in established democracies, places this in the context of past misadventures of democratic regimes, and speculates on the future of democracy. Twitter: @AdamPrzeworski

Key highlights:

Introduction - 0:44

Definitions and understandings of democracy – 2:42

The distinction between democracy and freedom – 11:15

Democracy and minority rights – 17:54

Income and democracy – 30:08

Processing conflicts – 37:27

The future of democracy in Poland  – 45:36 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 23 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Adam Przeworski, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/adam-przeworski-kSIjl_SI Democracy is valued by many people because it enables us to achieve freedom and political equality in addition to numerous economic and social goals. But democracy also allows us to decide from time to time by whom we wish to be governed. Through elections, we can place in office those who we expect to like and also remove from office those we do not like.

Adam Przeworski argues that the essence of democracy is that it processes in relative liberty and peace whatever conflicts that arise in society. And elections are the main mechanism by which conflicts are managed. This is because elections generate temporary winners and losers designated by specific rules. Elections peacefully process conflicts when the losers do not find their defeat too painful and if they expect to have a reasonable chance of winning in the future. This also means that the winners do not inflict too much pain on the losers and do not foreclose the possibility of being removed from office.

Adam Przeworski is Emeritus Professor of Politics at New York University and one of the world’s foremost scholars on democracy. He has studied political regimes, democracy, autocracy, and their intermediate forms, the conditions under which regimes survive and change, as well as their consequences for economic development and income equality. His latest book is Crises of Democracy, where he discusses the political situation in established democracies, places this in the context of past misadventures of democratic regimes, and speculates on the future of democracy. Twitter: @AdamPrzeworski

Key highlights:

Introduction - 0:44

Definitions and understandings of democracy – 2:42

The distinction between democracy and freedom – 11:15

Democracy and minority rights – 17:54

Income and democracy – 30:08

Processing conflicts – 37:27

The future of democracy in Poland  – 45:36 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Crises of democracy — Adam Przeworski Adam Przeworski, Dan Banik 00:52:20 Dan Banik and Adam Przeworski discuss the meaning of democracy, the links between democracy and development, and the crises of democracy. Dan Banik and Adam Przeworski discuss the meaning of democracy, the links between democracy and development, and the crises of democracy. venezuela, thailand, elections, hungary, ukraine, chile, nicola ehlke, karl marx, democracy, india, south korea, donald trump, poland, usa, joseph schumpeter, isaiah berlin, germany, argentina, brazil, hans kelsen, robert dahl, milan svolik, inequality, fernando limongi, antonio gramsci, pierre rosanvallon false full 6 4 247a25bf-af1c-4518-8f28-e92d7a1e5efb Silenced voices in global health — Address Malata Global health organizations are mainly located in the global North and experts from low- and middle-income countries are underrepresented in global health leadership positions. Thus, it is unsurprising that there has been considerable criticism and heated debate on who should represent the underrepresented. According to our guest this week, it is crucial to ask: Who Speaks for Whom and About What?

Professor Address Malata is the Vice Chancellor of the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST). She trained to be a nurse and is former President of Africa Honor Society of Nursing and former Vice President of International Confederation of Midwives. She has previously served as principal of the University of Malawi’s Kamuzu College of Nursing and is the recipient of numerous honors both at home and abroad.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 16 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Address Malata, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/address-malata-ai1eVdKG Global health organizations are mainly located in the global North and experts from low- and middle-income countries are underrepresented in global health leadership positions. Thus, it is unsurprising that there has been considerable criticism and heated debate on who should represent the underrepresented. According to our guest this week, it is crucial to ask: Who Speaks for Whom and About What?

Professor Address Malata is the Vice Chancellor of the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST). She trained to be a nurse and is former President of Africa Honor Society of Nursing and former Vice President of International Confederation of Midwives. She has previously served as principal of the University of Malawi’s Kamuzu College of Nursing and is the recipient of numerous honors both at home and abroad.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Silenced voices in global health — Address Malata Address Malata, Dan Banik 01:06:23 Dan Banik and Address Malata discuss power imbalances in the global health domain, the importance of investing in the healthcare workforce and primary health infrastructure, and the major challenges facing the health sector in Malawi today. Dan Banik and Address Malata discuss power imbalances in the global health domain, the importance of investing in the healthcare workforce and primary health infrastructure, and the major challenges facing the health sector in Malawi today. midwife, research capacity, global health organizations, malawi, brain drain, health workforce, nursing, paul farmer, informal sector, pandemic, leadership, global health false full 5 4 0dc95f5b-1ab5-4c8c-a163-1a33f6303ddd The development bargain — Stefan Dercon Development is a gamble because success is not guaranteed when benefits materialize in the long-term and a host of factors may undermine elite positions. Some countries are able to settle on elite bargains that favour growth and development, and others are unable to reach such settlements.

While elite bargains in China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Ghana ended up being development bargains, the opposite was the case in Nigeria, DRC, Malawi and South Sudan. 

Stefan Dercon is Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government and the Economics Department at theUniversity of Oxford, where he also directs the Centre for the Study of African Economies.

His latest book – Gambling on Development: Why some countries win and others lose– draws on his academic research and his policy experience across three decades. Twitter: @gamblingondev

Key highlights:

Introduction - 0:55

Bridging the gap between research and policy – 3:09

Why a general recipe for development is not very helpful – 11:22

Gambling for development: Key arguments – 28:38

The future of foreign aid – 45:13

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Instagram: @GlobalDevPod

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E-mail: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 9 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Stefan Dercon, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/stefan-dercon-J0YZe0x4 Development is a gamble because success is not guaranteed when benefits materialize in the long-term and a host of factors may undermine elite positions. Some countries are able to settle on elite bargains that favour growth and development, and others are unable to reach such settlements.

While elite bargains in China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Ghana ended up being development bargains, the opposite was the case in Nigeria, DRC, Malawi and South Sudan. 

Stefan Dercon is Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government and the Economics Department at theUniversity of Oxford, where he also directs the Centre for the Study of African Economies.

His latest book – Gambling on Development: Why some countries win and others lose– draws on his academic research and his policy experience across three decades. Twitter: @gamblingondev

Key highlights:

Introduction - 0:55

Bridging the gap between research and policy – 3:09

Why a general recipe for development is not very helpful – 11:22

Gambling for development: Key arguments – 28:38

The future of foreign aid – 45:13

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Instagram: @GlobalDevPod

Apple Google Spotify YouTube

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E-mail: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com 

Host:

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The development bargain — Stefan Dercon Stefan Dercon, Dan Banik 01:01:21 Dan Banik and Stefan Dercon discuss the benefits and pitfalls of global development blueprints, how certain elite bargains can favour growth and development, and why some countries win and others lose. Dan Banik and Stefan Dercon discuss the benefits and pitfalls of global development blueprints, how certain elite bargains can favour growth and development, and why some countries win and others lose. james robinson, amartya sen, daron acemoglu, sustainable development goals, bangladesh, india, south sudan, james c. scott, china, elites, aid, malawi, ethiopia, dfid, jean dreze, indonesia, rwanda, drc, nigeria, ghana, uk, jeffrey d. sachs, francis fukuyama false full 4 4 2dc854bf-eb16-4358-88c9-948bb52cd8ac Transforming our global food system — Gunhild Stordalen Over 2 billion people in our world lack access to adequate food, and over 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. Between 2014 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people going hungry and suffering from food insecurity had been gradually rising. The pandemic only made things worse. And the Ukraine war has further disrupted global supply chains. In 2021, 702-828 million people faced hunger. The gender gap in food insecurity has widened under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and women are more food insecure than men in every region of the world.

Food is linked to almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). And it is difficult if not virtually impossible to meet these global goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, without a radical transformation of the global food system.

Gunhild A. Stordalen is the founder and executive chair of EAT: the science-based global platform for food system transformation. She is a medical doctor and the recipient of the UN Foundation’s “Global Leadership Award”. Instagram: @gunhild_stordalen Twitter: @G_stordalen

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo

Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Instagram: @inpursuitofdevelopment

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]]> Wed, 2 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Gunhild Stordalen, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gunhild-stordalen-a_bKI6_f Over 2 billion people in our world lack access to adequate food, and over 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. Between 2014 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people going hungry and suffering from food insecurity had been gradually rising. The pandemic only made things worse. And the Ukraine war has further disrupted global supply chains. In 2021, 702-828 million people faced hunger. The gender gap in food insecurity has widened under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and women are more food insecure than men in every region of the world.

Food is linked to almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). And it is difficult if not virtually impossible to meet these global goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, without a radical transformation of the global food system.

Gunhild A. Stordalen is the founder and executive chair of EAT: the science-based global platform for food system transformation. She is a medical doctor and the recipient of the UN Foundation’s “Global Leadership Award”. Instagram: @gunhild_stordalen Twitter: @G_stordalen

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo

Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Instagram: @inpursuitofdevelopment

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]]> Transforming our global food system — Gunhild Stordalen Gunhild Stordalen, Dan Banik 00:57:57 Dan Banik and Gunhild Stordalen discuss the implications of climate change and a growing world population on global food security and the work of The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health, which brought together 37 world-leading scientists from across the globe to answer the question: Can we feed a future population of 10 billion people a healthy diet within planetary boundaries? Dan Banik and Gunhild Stordalen discuss the implications of climate change and a growing world population on global food security and the work of The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health, which brought together 37 world-leading scientists from across the globe to answer the question: Can we feed a future population of 10 billion people a healthy diet within planetary boundaries? food, planetary boundaries, food access, food production, hunger, sustainable development goals, world population, fertilty rates, india, environment, green revolution, eat-lancet commission, paris climate agreement, climate smart agriculture, meat consumption, norway, ipcc, healthy diet, ethiopia, malnutrition, pakistan flood, food systems, food security, climate change, animal health, food availability, united nations food summit false full 3 4 92857e24-8fb4-42d6-ba7d-259e5b3959f1 Why we fight — Chris Blattman While there are millions of hostile rivalries around the world, only a fraction of these erupt into violence. It is easy to overlook the underlying strategic forces of war and to see war mainly as a series of errors and accidents. It is also easy to forget that war shouldn’t happen—and most of the time it doesn’t. 

Chris Blattman is a Professor at the University of Chicago in the Harris School of Public Policy. He is an economist and political scientist who studies violence, crime, and underdevelopment. His most recent book is Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace, which shows that violence is actually not the norm; and that there are only five reasons why conflict wins over compromise. Twitter: @cblatts 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 26 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Chris Blattman, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/chris-blattman-hR2czqUI While there are millions of hostile rivalries around the world, only a fraction of these erupt into violence. It is easy to overlook the underlying strategic forces of war and to see war mainly as a series of errors and accidents. It is also easy to forget that war shouldn’t happen—and most of the time it doesn’t. 

Chris Blattman is a Professor at the University of Chicago in the Harris School of Public Policy. He is an economist and political scientist who studies violence, crime, and underdevelopment. His most recent book is Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace, which shows that violence is actually not the norm; and that there are only five reasons why conflict wins over compromise. Twitter: @cblatts 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Why we fight — Chris Blattman Chris Blattman, Dan Banik 00:58:01 Dan Banik and Chis Blattman discuss why there are so many misleading ideas about war, how we should distinguish between individual acts of violence and those that are performed by groups and the major reasons for war. Dan Banik and Chis Blattman discuss why there are so many misleading ideas about war, how we should distinguish between individual acts of violence and those that are performed by groups and the major reasons for war. violence, peace, afghanistan, ukraine, india, james c. scott, russia, war, george washington, un security council, northern ireland, malawi, liberia, uganda, paul brass, rwanda, genocide, chicago, united states, belarus, colombia, babri masjid, kazakhstan false full 2 4 2a56c8a5-b36d-4896-8bb5-072e445fe3b3 Africa's right to development — Mo Ibrahim Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British entrepreneur, founded one of the largest mobile phone companies that operated on the African continent. In 2006, he established the Mo Ibrahim Foundation with the goal of fostering improved governance. The foundation publishes The Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which assesses governance performance in 54 African countries. It also awards the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership (worth $5 million) to African leaders who have successfully delivered security, health, education, and economic development to their constituents and have democratically transferred power to their successors.

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]]> Wed, 19 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Mo Ibrahim, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mo-ibrahim-7MHem3AR Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British entrepreneur, founded one of the largest mobile phone companies that operated on the African continent. In 2006, he established the Mo Ibrahim Foundation with the goal of fostering improved governance. The foundation publishes The Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which assesses governance performance in 54 African countries. It also awards the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership (worth $5 million) to African leaders who have successfully delivered security, health, education, and economic development to their constituents and have democratically transferred power to their successors.

Resources:

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Africa's right to development — Mo Ibrahim Mo Ibrahim, Dan Banik 00:54:24 Dan Banik and Mo Ibrahim discuss the drivers of poverty and underdevelopment on the African continent, what good leadership entails, and how African countries can make a stronger case for their priorities in the global climate debate. Dan Banik and Mo Ibrahim discuss the drivers of poverty and underdevelopment on the African continent, what good leadership entails, and how African countries can make a stronger case for their priorities in the global climate debate. development aid, senegal, resource curse, democracy, india, energy poverty, sudan, china, corruption, oil, european union, colonialism, united states, governance, nigeria, electricity, ibrahim prize, leadership, climate polocy, natural gas false full 1 4 8029492e-a064-4c55-ba0f-ad263a427c9e The pursuit of liberty and prosperity along a narrow corridor — Daron Acemoglu In the bestselling book – Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012), Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson ask why some nations are rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine. They claim that it is neither culture, weather, nor geography. Rather, they argue that economic success depends on man-made political and economic institutions. In their latest book, The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (2019), Daron and Jim show that liberal-democratic states exist in between the alternatives of lawlessness and authoritarianism. And while the state is needed to protect people from domination at the hands of others in society, the state can also become an instrument of violence and repression. Society’s default condition is anarchy (or the "Absent Leviathan"). The alternatives to chaos are despotism (the "Despotic Leviathan"), the powerless state (the "Paper Leviathan"), and the "Shackled Leviathan" (or state which equals the corridor between the Absent, Paper, and Despotic Leviathans). Thus, liberty originates from a delicate balance of power between state and society.

Daron Acemoglu is Institute Professor in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). 

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 30 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Daron Acemoglu) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/daron-acemoglu-qnCsfaO2 In the bestselling book – Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012), Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson ask why some nations are rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine. They claim that it is neither culture, weather, nor geography. Rather, they argue that economic success depends on man-made political and economic institutions. In their latest book, The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (2019), Daron and Jim show that liberal-democratic states exist in between the alternatives of lawlessness and authoritarianism. And while the state is needed to protect people from domination at the hands of others in society, the state can also become an instrument of violence and repression. Society’s default condition is anarchy (or the "Absent Leviathan"). The alternatives to chaos are despotism (the "Despotic Leviathan"), the powerless state (the "Paper Leviathan"), and the "Shackled Leviathan" (or state which equals the corridor between the Absent, Paper, and Despotic Leviathans). Thus, liberty originates from a delicate balance of power between state and society.

Daron Acemoglu is Institute Professor in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). 

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> The pursuit of liberty and prosperity along a narrow corridor — Daron Acemoglu Dan Banik, Daron Acemoglu 00:52:28 Dan Banik and Daron Acemoglu discuss the role of institutions and how and why the pursuit of liberty and development progresses along a narrow corridor, using the examples of South Africa, China, India, the United States and Scandinavia. Dan Banik and Daron Acemoglu discuss the role of institutions and how and why the pursuit of liberty and development progresses along a narrow corridor, using the examples of South Africa, China, India, the United States and Scandinavia. james robinson, amartya sen, afghanistan, middle class, aksel sandemose, modernization, sweden, india, james c. scott, south africa, china, isaiah berlin, robert mugabe, norway, brazil, united states, samuel hungtington, united nations, why nations fail, leviathan, francis fukuyama false full 26 3 119d661a-568d-4522-b3e1-041230160d63 Can fixing dinner fix the planet? — Jessica Fanzo A complex web of factors affects our ability not only to meet nutritional needs, but also our efforts to sustain biodiversity and protect the environment. As the world's agricultural, environmental, and nutritional needs intersect—and often collide—how can nations, international organizations and consumers work together to reverse the damage by changing how we make, distribute, and buy food? And do we have the right to eat wrongly?

Jessica Fanzo is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Global Food & Agricultural Policy and Ethics at Johns Hopkins University. She has previously worked as an advisor for various organizations and governments including the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Scaling Up Nutrition movement (SUN), the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Her latest book is Can Fixing Dinner Fix the Planet? 

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jessica Fanzo, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/jess-fanzo-_wKJnlbr A complex web of factors affects our ability not only to meet nutritional needs, but also our efforts to sustain biodiversity and protect the environment. As the world's agricultural, environmental, and nutritional needs intersect—and often collide—how can nations, international organizations and consumers work together to reverse the damage by changing how we make, distribute, and buy food? And do we have the right to eat wrongly?

Jessica Fanzo is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Global Food & Agricultural Policy and Ethics at Johns Hopkins University. She has previously worked as an advisor for various organizations and governments including the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Scaling Up Nutrition movement (SUN), the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Her latest book is Can Fixing Dinner Fix the Planet? 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Can fixing dinner fix the planet? — Jessica Fanzo Jessica Fanzo, Dan Banik 00:52:58 Dan Banik and Jessica Fanzo discuss what is meant by food systems, the success of the Green Revolution in preventing famine, the double burden of obesity and undernutrition, the role of culture in shaping our food preferences, the arguments for and against eating meat and how better policies can create better food. Dan Banik and Jessica Fanzo discuss what is meant by food systems, the success of the Green Revolution in preventing famine, the double burden of obesity and undernutrition, the role of culture in shaping our food preferences, the arguments for and against eating meat and how better policies can create better food. food policy, thailand, italy, potatoes, vietnam, timor-leste, norman borlaug, soil erosion, palo alto, brundtland commission, undernutrition, green revolution, china, eat-lancet commission, palm oil, drug cartels, pollution, norway, obesity, oil, maize, argentina, michoacán, malnutrition, brazil, chiquita banana, food systems, rice, united states, climate change, un food system summit, wheat, avacado, soybean, east palo alto, m.s. swaminathan, tim lang false full 25 3 412cccaf-4776-408f-9736-11aa729002fb The Life You Can Save — Peter Singer Peter Singer — one of the world’s most influential philosophers —  is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. Peter has written several influential books, including Animal Liberation, The Expanding Circle: Ethics and Sociobiology, The Most Good You Can Do, Why Vegan? Eating Ethically and The Life You Can Save: How To Do Your Part To End World Poverty. He is one of the intellectual founders of the modern animal rights and effective altruism movements and has made important contributions to the development of bioethics. Twitter: @PeterSinger

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Peter Singer) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/peter-singer-I6xYucc1 Peter Singer — one of the world’s most influential philosophers —  is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. Peter has written several influential books, including Animal Liberation, The Expanding Circle: Ethics and Sociobiology, The Most Good You Can Do, Why Vegan? Eating Ethically and The Life You Can Save: How To Do Your Part To End World Poverty. He is one of the intellectual founders of the modern animal rights and effective altruism movements and has made important contributions to the development of bioethics. Twitter: @PeterSinger

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> The Life You Can Save — Peter Singer Dan Banik, Peter Singer 00:50:17 Dan Banik and Peter Singer discuss what constitutes a morally good life, how we should eat ethically, and why we should be doing much more to improve the lives of people living in extreme poverty. Dan Banik and Peter Singer discuss what constitutes a morally good life, how we should eat ethically, and why we should be doing much more to improve the lives of people living in extreme poverty. henry sidgwick, hunger, libertarianism, jeremy bentham, sustainable development goals, consequentialism, extreme poverty, bangladesh, charity, india, millennium development goals, donald trump, altruism, garrett hardin, norway, universal declaration of human rights, australia, fair trade, utilitarianism, animal rights, vegetarianism, united states, famine, the life you can save, effective altruism, lifeboat ethics, duty, give directly, john stuart mill, frances moore lappe, paul ehrlich false full 24 3 0ee1e098-a227-4392-ae55-ad6d0d8589bb Roadblock Politics — Peer Schouten In many parts of the African continent, there are so many roadblocks that it is indeed very hard to find a road that does not have one. But what is the point of having so many roadblocks that are often viewed by travellers to cause considerable inconvenience?

In a brilliant new book — Roadblock Politics: The Origins of Violence in Central Africa – Peer Schouten maps over a thousand roadblocks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, in order to document how communities, rebels, and state security forces forge resistance and power out of control over these narrow points of passage.

Peer Schouten is Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies and Associate Researcher at the International Peace Information Service. Twitter: @peer_schouten

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 9 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Peer Schouten, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/peer-schouten-qa_RQbmn In many parts of the African continent, there are so many roadblocks that it is indeed very hard to find a road that does not have one. But what is the point of having so many roadblocks that are often viewed by travellers to cause considerable inconvenience?

In a brilliant new book — Roadblock Politics: The Origins of Violence in Central Africa – Peer Schouten maps over a thousand roadblocks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, in order to document how communities, rebels, and state security forces forge resistance and power out of control over these narrow points of passage.

Peer Schouten is Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies and Associate Researcher at the International Peace Information Service. Twitter: @peer_schouten

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Roadblock Politics — Peer Schouten Peer Schouten, Dan Banik 01:00:09 Dan Banik and Peer Schouten discuss the historical evolution of roadblocks and their current functions, how major multinational companies and aid organisations navigate through roadblocks in Africa and what this means for violence and state legitimacy. Dan Banik and Peer Schouten discuss the historical evolution of roadblocks and their current functions, how major multinational companies and aid organisations navigate through roadblocks in Africa and what this means for violence and state legitimacy. joshua clover, central african republic, violence, roadblocks, goma, state legitimacy, rebel groups, rcd, james augustus grant, transit tax, james c. scott, hongo, malawi, joseph kabila, democratic republic of congo, m23, rene girard, heineken, bukavu false full 23 3 2ffe5a3b-a7df-429b-adc1-ffb7e527f13c Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order — Kathryn Stoner Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already caused untold suffering to millions of people and upended the global order as we know it. The international community, apart from a few exceptions, has been largely united in its condemnation of this attack on a sovereign country’s ability to decide its own future. And several sanctions have thus far been imposed on Russia, many of which also target President Putin, senior Russian officials, and their rich financial backers. President Putin has tried, although without much success, to justify what he terms to be a military operation (and not an invasion). President Zelenskyy of Ukraine has refused to flee his war-ravaged country, and this, together with his regular morale boosting social media posts, has made him a household name in many parts of the world. 

What kind of threat does Ukraine pose to Russia? How did we get to this point? Can President Putin withstand the backlash from this war? What is Russia’s role and purpose in a new global order, and how has it managed to develop an outsized influence in international politics even though it does not have the traditional means of power possessed by the United States or China? 

Kathryn Stoner is the Mosbacher Director of Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL). She is also a Senior Fellow the Hoover Institution and a professor of political science. She has conducted extensive research on contemporary Russia and has a new book: "Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order". Twitter: @kath_stoner

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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]]> Fri, 4 Mar 2022 19:10:51 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Kathryn Stoner) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kathryn-stoner-9jeEsczr Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already caused untold suffering to millions of people and upended the global order as we know it. The international community, apart from a few exceptions, has been largely united in its condemnation of this attack on a sovereign country’s ability to decide its own future. And several sanctions have thus far been imposed on Russia, many of which also target President Putin, senior Russian officials, and their rich financial backers. President Putin has tried, although without much success, to justify what he terms to be a military operation (and not an invasion). President Zelenskyy of Ukraine has refused to flee his war-ravaged country, and this, together with his regular morale boosting social media posts, has made him a household name in many parts of the world. 

What kind of threat does Ukraine pose to Russia? How did we get to this point? Can President Putin withstand the backlash from this war? What is Russia’s role and purpose in a new global order, and how has it managed to develop an outsized influence in international politics even though it does not have the traditional means of power possessed by the United States or China? 

Kathryn Stoner is the Mosbacher Director of Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL). She is also a Senior Fellow the Hoover Institution and a professor of political science. She has conducted extensive research on contemporary Russia and has a new book: "Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order". Twitter: @kath_stoner

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order — Kathryn Stoner Dan Banik, Kathryn Stoner 00:42:18 Dan Banik and Kathryn Stoner discuss the invasion of Ukraine and Russia’s role and purpose in a new global order. Dan Banik and Kathryn Stoner discuss the invasion of Ukraine and Russia’s role and purpose in a new global order. recep tayyip erdoğan, sergeĭ viktorovich lavrov, viktor yanukovych, catherine belton, viktor yushchenko, sochi olympics, crimea, ukraine, human development, iran, india, north macedonia, china, russia, turkey, volodymyr zelenskyy, vladimir putin, orange revolution, euromaidan, united states, georgia, saudi arabia, nikolai patrushev, baltic republics, nato false full 22 3 b531a74a-583c-42a5-a20b-a674eaf174a0 The power of ideas and metaphors in international development policy – Desmond McNeill In global development, ideas have power and some ideas or concepts such as social capital, human development, the informal sector, and sustainable development have been highly influential. The development agenda also includes metaphors that can shape how we think and hence how we act. 

Professor Desmond James McNeill has worked extensively on issues related to global governance, aid, and sustainable development and on the links between research and policy. He was director of the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo from 1992 to 2001. And from 2001 and until a couple of years ago, he was Head of Research, and Director of the Centre’s Research School.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 2 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Desmond McNeill, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/desmond-mcneill-eb365ZCw In global development, ideas have power and some ideas or concepts such as social capital, human development, the informal sector, and sustainable development have been highly influential. The development agenda also includes metaphors that can shape how we think and hence how we act. 

Professor Desmond James McNeill has worked extensively on issues related to global governance, aid, and sustainable development and on the links between research and policy. He was director of the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo from 1992 to 2001. And from 2001 and until a couple of years ago, he was Head of Research, and Director of the Centre’s Research School.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The power of ideas and metaphors in international development policy – Desmond McNeill Desmond McNeill, Dan Banik 00:56:36 Dan Banik and Desmond McNeill discuss the role and influence of ideas and metaphors in development, the contradictions of foreign aid and the potential for financing global public goods. Dan Banik and Desmond McNeill discuss the role and influence of ideas and metaphors in development, the contradictions of foreign aid and the potential for financing global public goods. amartya sen, kenya, trust fund on environmentally and socially sustainable development (tfessd), sustainable development goals, capacity building, global public goods, human development, informal economy, world bank, china, sakiko fukuda-parr, aid, norway, dfid, sri lanka, united kingdom, gro harlem brundtland, aid evaluation, tanzania, informal sector, empowerment, sustainable development, social capital false full 21 3 4583e3e2-646b-4aff-a304-422b12cd48af Breaking Bad: Understanding Backlash Against Democracy in Africa — Lise Rakner There is a great deal of attention these days on the backlash against democracy around the world. In a forthcoming book, Democratic Backsliding in Africa? Autocratization, Resilience, and Contention, my guest Lise Rakner and her two co-authors (Leonardo R. Arriola and Nicolas van de Walle) conclude that the African continent’s democratic experience over the past two decades largely reflects status quo politics. Thus, there is neither substantial progress nor regression in the advancement of civil and political freedoms since the initial transitions to democracy in the early 1990s.

Lise Rakner is a professor of political science at the University of Bergen. She studies democratization and autocratization, focusing particularly on human rights, electoral politics, and political parties. Twitter: @li63ra 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 23 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Lise Rakner) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/lise-rakner-VbdjYIi9 There is a great deal of attention these days on the backlash against democracy around the world. In a forthcoming book, Democratic Backsliding in Africa? Autocratization, Resilience, and Contention, my guest Lise Rakner and her two co-authors (Leonardo R. Arriola and Nicolas van de Walle) conclude that the African continent’s democratic experience over the past two decades largely reflects status quo politics. Thus, there is neither substantial progress nor regression in the advancement of civil and political freedoms since the initial transitions to democracy in the early 1990s.

Lise Rakner is a professor of political science at the University of Bergen. She studies democratization and autocratization, focusing particularly on human rights, electoral politics, and political parties. Twitter: @li63ra 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Breaking Bad: Understanding Backlash Against Democracy in Africa — Lise Rakner Dan Banik, Lise Rakner 00:50:43 Dan Banik and Lise Rakner discuss whether countries on the African continent are facing a democratic backlash, and how incumbent political elites are increasingly containing democratizing pressures through two interacting processes: legal institutions and international relationships. Dan Banik and Lise Rakner discuss whether countries on the African continent are facing a democratic backlash, and how incumbent political elites are increasingly containing democratizing pressures through two interacting processes: legal institutions and international relationships. democratic backsliding, kenya, foreign aid, mauritius, statebuilding, democracy, zimbabwe, social extraction, south africa, china, jair bolsonaro, corruption, gay rights, ellen lust, malawi, sovereignty, taxation, uganda, public goods, zambia, namibia, culture, nicolas van de walle, ghana, botswana, leonardo r. arriola, inequality, cape verde, autocratization, siri gloppen false full 20 3 f23706d8-19c2-4632-874b-d2f5a1096b1b A world of insecurity — Pranab Bardhan Pranab Bardhan is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. He has undertaken pioneering research on international trade, the political economy of development policies, decentralised governance, and the political economy of development in China and India. His latest book, A World of Insecurity: Democratic Disenchantment in Rich and Poor Countries, is scheduled to be published by Harvard University Press later this year.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 16 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Pranab Bardhan) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pranab-bardhan-A6NPXaHu Pranab Bardhan is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. He has undertaken pioneering research on international trade, the political economy of development policies, decentralised governance, and the political economy of development in China and India. His latest book, A World of Insecurity: Democratic Disenchantment in Rich and Poor Countries, is scheduled to be published by Harvard University Press later this year.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> A world of insecurity — Pranab Bardhan Dan Banik, Pranab Bardhan 01:06:57 Dan Banik and Pranab Bardhan discuss the role of globalization in reducing world poverty, democracy and development in China and India and the corruption-development relationship. Dan Banik and Pranab Bardhan discuss the role of globalization in reducing world poverty, democracy and development in China and India and the corruption-development relationship. venezuela, daron acemoglu, arjun sengupta, vietnam, singapore, hungary, olympics, bangladesh, education, immigration, health, india, speed money, donald trump, poland, infrastructure, china, globalisation, nationalism, state bank of india, corruption, turkey, grand corruption, norway, underemployment, china shock, denmark, united kingdom, indonesia, unemployment, populism, united states, mumbai, brexit, informal sector, petty corruption false full 19 3 057ccef4-d238-406e-915a-2a01c71fc212 Do morals matter? — Joseph S. Nye Joseph S. Nye is the University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus and former Dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

He is the author of numerous highly influential books, including: 

  • Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004)
  • The Powers to Lead  (2008)
  • The Future of Power (2011)
  • Is the American Century Over? (2015)
  • Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump  (2020)

Joe Nye has also served in various capacities in the US government, as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chair of the National Intelligence Council, and Deputy Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 9 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Joseph S. Nye) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/joseph-nye-_9hXa1W6 Joseph S. Nye is the University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus and former Dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

He is the author of numerous highly influential books, including: 

  • Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004)
  • The Powers to Lead  (2008)
  • The Future of Power (2011)
  • Is the American Century Over? (2015)
  • Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump  (2020)

Joe Nye has also served in various capacities in the US government, as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chair of the National Intelligence Council, and Deputy Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Do morals matter? — Joseph S. Nye Dan Banik, Joseph S. Nye 00:48:54 Dan Banik and Joseph S. Nye discuss the concepts of soft power and smart power, what constitutes a moral foreign policy, the ethical records of US presidents over the past 7 decades and the type of leader Americans typically desire. Dan Banik and Joseph S. Nye discuss the concepts of soft power and smart power, what constitutes a moral foreign policy, the ethical records of US presidents over the past 7 decades and the type of leader Americans typically desire. soft power, bollywood, psy, vietnam, yoga, bretton woods, japan, power, sweden, democracy, india, robert gates, zimbabwe, south korea, donald trump, serum institute, beijing olympics, barack obama, china, hard power, russia, immanuel kant, garrett hardin, harry truman, marshall plan, norway, saddam hussein, ai weiwei, syria, smart power, foreign policy, australia, richard nixon, united states, george w. bush, climate change, world health organisation, hu jintao, george marshall, joe biden, franklin delano roosevelt, george h. bush, multilateralism, hillary clinton, nato, lyndon johnson, dwight eisenhower, diplomacy false full 18 3 934b9472-3dda-46c2-a600-597e14ae9414 Globalization and Asian Geopolitics — Shivshankar Menon As India’s stature across the globe increases, there is considerable interest in better understanding how its foreign policy is likely to evolve. In a new book – India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present – Shivshankar Menon examines India’s foreign and security policy choices through history, with a particular focus on India’s responses to the rise of China and other regional powers. 

Shivshankar Menon served as the Foreign Secretary from 2006 to 2009 and as the National Security Adviser to the prime minister of India from 2010 to 2014. He has previously authored Choices: Inside the Making of Indian Foreign Policy and is current a Visiting Professor at Ashoka University. Twitter:  @ShivshankaMenon

 

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 2 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Shivshankar Menon, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/shivshankar-menon-2mndIwvT As India’s stature across the globe increases, there is considerable interest in better understanding how its foreign policy is likely to evolve. In a new book – India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present – Shivshankar Menon examines India’s foreign and security policy choices through history, with a particular focus on India’s responses to the rise of China and other regional powers. 

Shivshankar Menon served as the Foreign Secretary from 2006 to 2009 and as the National Security Adviser to the prime minister of India from 2010 to 2014. He has previously authored Choices: Inside the Making of Indian Foreign Policy and is current a Visiting Professor at Ashoka University. Twitter:  @ShivshankaMenon

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Globalization and Asian Geopolitics — Shivshankar Menon Shivshankar Menon, Dan Banik 00:49:38 Dan Banik and Shivshankar Menon discuss India’s place in a new world order and the extent to which the country is currently diversifying its foreign policy, how globalization changed Asian geopolitics, the strained relationship between India and China, the role of personalities in foreign policy, and the impact of the idea of India as a “Vishwaguru”. Dan Banik and Shivshankar Menon discuss India’s place in a new world order and the extent to which the country is currently diversifying its foreign policy, how globalization changed Asian geopolitics, the strained relationship between India and China, the role of personalities in foreign policy, and the impact of the idea of India as a “Vishwaguru”. soft power, bollywood, vishwaguru, yoga, japan, income inequality, xi jinping, tolerance, india-africa relations, security policy, swami vivekananda, globalization, india, quad, south korea, shyam saran, china, indira gandhi, authoritarianism, belt and road initiative, universal declaration of human rights, international solar alliance, european union, angela merkel, foreign policy, chinese party state, nicolas sarkozy, populism, geopolitics, narendra modi, united states, george w. bush, climate change, manmohan singh, ashoka university, pandemic, leadership false full 17 3 98e5acca-cd64-48c3-a1e5-b11f2ab3afba The power of small states — Ine Eriksen Søreide Ine Eriksen Søreide served as Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2021 – the first woman in the country’s history to hold the position. She represents the Conservative Party and is the current Chair of the Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. Between 2013 and 2017, she served as Minister of Defense. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 26 Jan 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ine Eriksen Søreide, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ine-eriksen-sreide-u76cZrtb Ine Eriksen Søreide served as Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2021 – the first woman in the country’s history to hold the position. She represents the Conservative Party and is the current Chair of the Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. Between 2013 and 2017, she served as Minister of Defense. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The power of small states — Ine Eriksen Søreide Ine Eriksen Søreide, Dan Banik 00:52:26 Dan Banik and Ine Eriksen Søreide discuss Norway’s reputation abroad, the foreign policy priorities of this small but extremely prosperous state, what it hopes to achieve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and why a photo of her giving a hug to her successor went viral last year. Dan Banik and Ine Eriksen Søreide discuss Norway’s reputation abroad, the foreign policy priorities of this small but extremely prosperous state, what it hopes to achieve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and why a photo of her giving a hug to her successor went viral last year. soft power, afghanistan, wto, foreign aid, whaling, heiko maas, conflict prevention, india, fossil fuels, world bank, humanitarian assistance, china, united nations security council, russia, nobel peace prize, human rights council, norway, germany, renewable energy, climate and security, syria, imf, united states, welfare state, un general assembly, erna solberg, nordic model, anniken huitfeldt, peace process, bernie sanders, multilateralism, human rights, nato false full 16 3 44734c40-4585-402a-9f94-1a40c7c5aeaf Why we need a different system of global development — Jeffrey D. Sachs Jeffrey D. Sachs is University Professor at Columbia University in New York. He was the Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University (2002-2016) and currently heads the Center for Sustainable Development. He is a commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, an SDG Advocate for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Jeffrey Sachs) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/jeffrey-sachs-OEDhKkWC Jeffrey D. Sachs is University Professor at Columbia University in New York. He was the Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University (2002-2016) and currently heads the Center for Sustainable Development. He is a commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, an SDG Advocate for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Why we need a different system of global development — Jeffrey D. Sachs Dan Banik, Jeffrey Sachs 00:48:00 Dan Banik and Jeffrey Sachs discuss why the system of global development is not working, how to break the deadlock at the WTO, what it would take to reform specific multilateral institutions, the role of experts in global development, and the impact of the Millennium Villages Project. Dan Banik and Jeffrey Sachs discuss why the system of global development is not working, how to break the deadlock at the WTO, what it would take to reform specific multilateral institutions, the role of experts in global development, and the impact of the Millennium Villages Project. finland, mining, covid-19 vaccines, iceland, g20, jeremy bentham, agricultural subsidies, convention on biological diversity, g7, millennium villages project, franklin roosevelt, clean water, india, donald trump, world bank, un food systems, china, john locke, central america, paris climate agreement, corruption, aid, norway, germany, sdg finance gap, denmark, indonesia, the philippines, imf, league of nations, united states, governance, political culture, sdgs, united nations, sustainable development, pepfar, covax mechanism, multilateralism, the global fund, global peace, sanitation false full 15 3 88ade678-853f-4c91-872a-a9a521d7dc7e Rich countries’ climate policies are colonialism in green — Vijaya Ramachandran Vijaya Ramachandran argues that blanket bans on fossil-fuel funds will entrench poverty. By pushing a renewables only model on developing countries, and expressing fear about the future emissions of these countries, including those on the African continent, rich countries such as Norway are promoting  colonialism in green. 

Vijaya is an economist with extensive experience in public policy and academia, having worked for the World Bank and the UN as well as serving on the faculty of Duke University and Georgetown University. She is currently director for energy and development at the Breakthrough Institute, and a non-resident fellow at the Energy for Growth Hub and the Center for Global Development. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 12 Jan 2022 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Vijaya Ramachandran, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/vijaya-ramachandran-w3NrLKo9 Vijaya Ramachandran argues that blanket bans on fossil-fuel funds will entrench poverty. By pushing a renewables only model on developing countries, and expressing fear about the future emissions of these countries, including those on the African continent, rich countries such as Norway are promoting  colonialism in green. 

Vijaya is an economist with extensive experience in public policy and academia, having worked for the World Bank and the UN as well as serving on the faculty of Duke University and Georgetown University. She is currently director for energy and development at the Breakthrough Institute, and a non-resident fellow at the Energy for Growth Hub and the Center for Global Development. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Rich countries’ climate policies are colonialism in green — Vijaya Ramachandran Vijaya Ramachandran, Dan Banik 00:51:43 Dan Banik and Vijaya Ramachandran discuss the impacts of a blanket ban on fossil fuel financing on development and poverty reduction in low-income countries. Dan Banik and Vijaya Ramachandran discuss the impacts of a blanket ban on fossil fuel financing on development and poverty reduction in low-income countries. branko milanovic, norwegian agency for development cooperation (norad), eu, kenya, coal-fired power plants, lazarus chakwera, india, liquefied petroleum gas, world bank, gender equity, south africa, china, poverty reduction, mozambique, electric vehicles, fuel subsidies, norway, germany, coal, malawi, renewable energy, loss and damage, united kingdom, uganda, unemployment, yoweri museveni, wind power, united states, welfare state, cop26, climate change, charcoal, nigeria, electricity, energy transition, solar power, lamu, cooking gas, oil industry, natural gas, paul collier false full 14 3 6e2b88c2-6b9e-4213-b5ae-bd8da43772d2 Is it the end of democracy in Africa? — Nic Cheeseman Nic Cheeseman is Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham and was formerly the Director of the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. He works on democracy, elections and development, including election rigging, political campaigning, corruption, “fake news” and executive-legislative relations. Nic is the author or editor of ten books, including Democracy in Africa (2015), Institutions and Democracy in Africa (2017), How to Rig an Election (2018), Coalitional Presidentialism in Comparative Perspective (2018), and The Moral Economy of Elections in Africa (2021). 

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 15 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Nic Cheeseman, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/nic-cheeseman-HlRi1Ql1 Nic Cheeseman is Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham and was formerly the Director of the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. He works on democracy, elections and development, including election rigging, political campaigning, corruption, “fake news” and executive-legislative relations. Nic is the author or editor of ten books, including Democracy in Africa (2015), Institutions and Democracy in Africa (2017), How to Rig an Election (2018), Coalitional Presidentialism in Comparative Perspective (2018), and The Moral Economy of Elections in Africa (2021). 

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Is it the end of democracy in Africa? — Nic Cheeseman Nic Cheeseman, Dan Banik 00:59:16 Dan Banik and Nic Cheeseman discuss how democracy is viewed on the African continent, the extent to which democracy has delivered development, whether the Rwandan model of development can be replicated elsewhere, and what should be done to stop elections from being rigged. Dan Banik and Nic Cheeseman discuss how democracy is viewed on the African continent, the extent to which democracy has delivered development, whether the Rwandan model of development can be replicated elsewhere, and what should be done to stop elections from being rigged. central african republic, congo, kenya, elections, taiwan, mauritius, presidential term limits, senegal, zimbabwe, election observers, south korea, south africa, china, afrobarometer, freedom of speech, corruption, michael sata, malawi, paul kagame, ethiopia, uganda, chad, rwanda, zambia, john magufuli, tanzania, nairobi, nigeria, staffan lindberg, ghana, botswana, leadership, human rights false full 13 3 1ea7f92f-3d9c-44a0-b3ad-bbdd04e236d8 Does the Nobel Peace Prize Promote Peace? — Henrik Urdal This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. While announcing the award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee highlighted the efforts of these two extraordinary journalists to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.

Henrik Urdal is the director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). 

Twitter: @h_urdal

 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Fri, 10 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Henrik Urdal) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/henrik-urdal-cKnXEtsv This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. While announcing the award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee highlighted the efforts of these two extraordinary journalists to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.

Henrik Urdal is the director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). 

Twitter: @h_urdal

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Does the Nobel Peace Prize Promote Peace? — Henrik Urdal Dan Banik, Henrik Urdal 00:31:15 Dan Banik and Henrik Urdal discuss this year’s media prize and the impact of the Nobel Peace Prize in general. Dan Banik and Henrik Urdal discuss this year’s media prize and the impact of the Nobel Peace Prize in general. false full 12 3 2096368f-737b-4abd-862c-28761c62349f Travelling While Black — Nanjala Nyabola Nanjala Nyabola, the Kenya-based writer, advocate, activist and political analyst has written a wonderful new book titled "Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a life on the move”. She explore show travel and migration reveal numerous aspects of race, identity politics and culture and why the world order has become hostile to human mobility. In this beautifully written book, Nanjala tackles several important questions: What are the joys and pains of holidays for people of colour, when guidebooks are never written with them in mind? How are black lives today impacted by the othering legacy of colonial cultures and policies? And what can travel tell us about our sense of self, of home, of belonging and identity? 

Resources:

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Professor Dan Banik, 

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]]> Wed, 8 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Nanjala Nyabola) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/nanjala-nyabola-S4cO0fc6 Nanjala Nyabola, the Kenya-based writer, advocate, activist and political analyst has written a wonderful new book titled "Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a life on the move”. She explore show travel and migration reveal numerous aspects of race, identity politics and culture and why the world order has become hostile to human mobility. In this beautifully written book, Nanjala tackles several important questions: What are the joys and pains of holidays for people of colour, when guidebooks are never written with them in mind? How are black lives today impacted by the othering legacy of colonial cultures and policies? And what can travel tell us about our sense of self, of home, of belonging and identity? 

Resources:

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

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]]> Travelling While Black — Nanjala Nyabola Dan Banik, Nanjala Nyabola 01:01:11 Dan Banik and Nanjala Nyabola discuss why the world order has become hostile to human mobility and what travel tells us about our sense of self, of home, of belonging and identity. Dan Banik and Nanjala Nyabola discuss why the world order has become hostile to human mobility and what travel tells us about our sense of self, of home, of belonging and identity. racism, lake moita, thailand, abidjan, visa application process, eu, kenya, canada, india, south sudan, barack obama, south africa, switzerland, travel restrictions, mozambique, somalia, new zealand, health insurance, norway, germany, malawi, ethiopia, nepal, czech republic, australia, identity politics, nairobi, nigeria, hiv and aids, new delhi, omar al-bashir, netherlands, vaccine apartheid, african agency, haiti false full 11 3 47968c11-4766-4112-8370-ce9539d66c70 Beating the Odds: Jump-Starting Developing Countries — Justin Yifu Lin Justin Yifu Lin is the  former Chief Economist of the World Bank. He is one of China’s leading economists and has worked extensively on the industrialization policies of rapidly developing countries. Justin is currently the Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University. At the same university, he is also the Dean of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development and Professor and Honorary Dean of the National School of Development.

 

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]]> Wed, 1 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Justin Yifu Lin) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/justin-lin-zgH0UnK3 Justin Yifu Lin is the  former Chief Economist of the World Bank. He is one of China’s leading economists and has worked extensively on the industrialization policies of rapidly developing countries. Justin is currently the Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University. At the same university, he is also the Dean of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development and Professor and Honorary Dean of the National School of Development.

 

Resources

 

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Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

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Host:

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]]> Beating the Odds: Jump-Starting Developing Countries — Justin Yifu Lin Dan Banik, Justin Yifu Lin 00:51:21 Dan Banik and Justin Yifu Lin discuss the role of Bretton Woods Institutions in promoting global development, China’s experience of achieving economic growth and eradicating extreme poverty, what worked and did not work in India, and the key conclusions from his book "Beating the Odds: Jump-Starting Developing Countries". Dan Banik and Justin Yifu Lin discuss the role of Bretton Woods Institutions in promoting global development, China’s experience of achieving economic growth and eradicating extreme poverty, what worked and did not work in India, and the key conclusions from his book "Beating the Odds: Jump-Starting Developing Countries". amartya sen, taiwan, poverty, japan, singapore, t. w. schultz, mauritius, li xiaoyun, stagflation, india, korea, world bank, portugal, china, economic growth, agriculture, martin ravallion, hong kong, iinstitutions, doing business report, and greece, carbon emissions, célestin monga, spain, twain, pandemic, multilateralism false full 10 3 ea944522-dc0e-4145-8bdc-3f49c42e2614 Bangladesh's development journey — Imran Matin Bangladesh has witnessed a remarkable turnaround in recent decades. From being termed as a “basket case” by the American Under Secretary of Political Affairs in 1971, it is now frequently talked of a development success, having achieved fast economic growth and considerable poverty reduction. While Bangladesh’s per capita GDP was the tenth lowest in the world upon independence in 1971 and by 2015, the country had reached lower-middle-income status. 

Over the past decade, Bangladesh has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It has among others benefited from a demographic dividend, strong ready-made garment exports, and stable macroeconomic conditions. While literacy rates have soared, infant mortality has plunged. And Bangladesh is now on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.

Imran Matin studied for a PhD in Economics at the University of Sussex and is the executive director of the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development in Dhaka. He has worked extensively on poverty reduction, financial inclusion, governance, health, and social protection. Imran previously served as a Country Director of the International Growth Centre in Bangladesh.

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]]> Wed, 24 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Imran Matin, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/imran-matin-fCktd4gO Bangladesh has witnessed a remarkable turnaround in recent decades. From being termed as a “basket case” by the American Under Secretary of Political Affairs in 1971, it is now frequently talked of a development success, having achieved fast economic growth and considerable poverty reduction. While Bangladesh’s per capita GDP was the tenth lowest in the world upon independence in 1971 and by 2015, the country had reached lower-middle-income status. 

Over the past decade, Bangladesh has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It has among others benefited from a demographic dividend, strong ready-made garment exports, and stable macroeconomic conditions. While literacy rates have soared, infant mortality has plunged. And Bangladesh is now on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.

Imran Matin studied for a PhD in Economics at the University of Sussex and is the executive director of the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development in Dhaka. He has worked extensively on poverty reduction, financial inclusion, governance, health, and social protection. Imran previously served as a Country Director of the International Growth Centre in Bangladesh.

Resources

 

Host:

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]]> Bangladesh's development journey — Imran Matin Imran Matin, Dan Banik 01:00:08 Dan Banik and Imran Matin discuss the Bangladesh model of development, the influential role of the NGO — Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) — in the country’s development record, and innovative poverty reduction programs that have been implemented in the country in recent decades. Dan Banik and Imran Matin discuss the Bangladesh model of development, the influential role of the NGO — Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) — in the country’s development record, and innovative poverty reduction programs that have been implemented in the country in recent decades. village organizations, brac, hunger, ultra-poor program, poverty, cyclone, grameen, bangladesh, oxfam, rana plaza, poverty trap, microfinance, david korten, fazle hasan abed, covid, governance, famine, climate change, brac institute of governance and development, decent work, pandemic, cash transfers, brac university false full 9 3 e76eec62-f4da-4330-a775-ee0321240e03 States, markets and foreign aid — Simone Dietrich Simone Dietrich is an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Geneva. Her research interests are in International Development, international and comparative political economy and democratization. She is a member of the EGAP network that promotes rigorous knowledge accumulation, innovation, and evidence-based policy across development domains. Prior to her academic career, she was development practitioner in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In her new book States, Markets and Foreign Aid, Simone explores why some donors (e.g. US, UK, Sweden) systematically bypass local authorities in recipient countries while implementing aid projects, while others (such as Germany, France, and Japan) tend to engage and work closely with local authorities. She argues that ideological orientations about the role of the state in donor countries shape the structure of foreign aid bureaucracies and, therefore, influence current aid delivery patterns and how donors approach international development. 
 

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 17 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Simone Dietrich, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/simone-dietrich-a25789b7 Simone Dietrich is an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Geneva. Her research interests are in International Development, international and comparative political economy and democratization. She is a member of the EGAP network that promotes rigorous knowledge accumulation, innovation, and evidence-based policy across development domains. Prior to her academic career, she was development practitioner in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In her new book States, Markets and Foreign Aid, Simone explores why some donors (e.g. US, UK, Sweden) systematically bypass local authorities in recipient countries while implementing aid projects, while others (such as Germany, France, and Japan) tend to engage and work closely with local authorities. She argues that ideological orientations about the role of the state in donor countries shape the structure of foreign aid bureaucracies and, therefore, influence current aid delivery patterns and how donors approach international development. 
 

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> States, markets and foreign aid — Simone Dietrich Simone Dietrich, Dan Banik 00:57:58 Dan Banik and Simone Dietrich discuss the strategies adopted by donor agencies to minimize risk in aid projects, how and why some donors bypass local authorities, the politics of aid within donor countries and how donor agencies typically brand their aid abroad. Dan Banik and Simone Dietrich discuss the strategies adopted by donor agencies to minimize risk in aid projects, how and why some donors bypass local authorities, the politics of aid within donor countries and how donor agencies typically brand their aid abroad. south-south cooperation, foreign aid, branding aid, japan, usaid, sweden, bangladesh, norad, aid effectiveness, india, gunilla carlsson, france, usa, china, mozambique, andrew mitchell, state capacity, ronald reagan, corruption, germany, michael chasukwa, malawi, sida, donor accountability, brazil, institutional bypass, aid agencies, margaret thatcher, noreway, chemonics, uk, bureaucratic capacity, pepfar, haiti false full 8 3 604874af-4837-45f1-8cad-f0cb786f434a The UN in a post-pandemic world — Achim Steiner Achim Steiner is UNDP Administrator. He has served across the United Nations system. He was the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi and between 2006-2016 he led the United Nations Environment Programme, where he prioritized investments in clean technologies and renewable energy. Achim has also held other notable positions including Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Achim Steiner) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/achim-steiner-zHLcFSWV Achim Steiner is UNDP Administrator. He has served across the United Nations system. He was the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi and between 2006-2016 he led the United Nations Environment Programme, where he prioritized investments in clean technologies and renewable energy. Achim has also held other notable positions including Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The UN in a post-pandemic world — Achim Steiner Dan Banik, Achim Steiner 00:52:48 Dan Banik and Achim Steiner discuss the role of multilateralism and global cooperation in a post-Covid world, what is required for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, and the UNDP’s approach to tackling climate change. Dan Banik and Achim Steiner discuss the role of multilateralism and global cooperation in a post-Covid world, what is required for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, and the UNDP’s approach to tackling climate change. central african republic, un general seembly, who, amartya sen, g20, afghanistan, development aid, 2030 agenda, un core funding, global public goods, human development, energy, people’s climate vote, india, covax, european green deal, world bank, china, public finance, cop 26, undp, sdg bonds, malawi, digitilisation, financing, pandemic response, oda, pfizer, climate, food systems, biontch, world economic forum, mahbub ul haq, climate change, yemen, state capaciity, private sector, mdgs, sdgs, mariana mazzucato, energy transition, inequality, unep, united nations, moderna, multilateralism, paris agreement, university of oxford false full 7 3 fb3ae3bf-8133-467b-93c7-3bcd85d2ae60 Local resistance against coal in Lamu, Kenya — Raya Ahmed, Omar Elmawi, Gino Cocchiaro Guests:

  • Raya Ahmed is a climate justice defender from Lamu. She holds Bachelor of Science in Development Studies and is the founder of Lamu Women Alliance which is a consortium organizations under Save Lamu, championing climate justice and women’s rights. In 2019, she was awarded the Lamu County Mashujaa by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyata,and the Shujaa Female Activist of the Year Award by MUHURI/ Coast Women’s Magazine.
  • Omar Elmawi is a lawyer who helps communities assert their rights and have their voices heard on various development projects. He coordinates the deCOALonize campaign – a movement that, with the help of community engagement, public activism and legal advocacy, pushes for green and sustainable energy solutions and is opposed to coal-related industrialization in Kenya and the region. He is also the coordinator of the Stop EACOP campaign that is against the construction of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline. Twitter: @OmarElmawi
  • Gino Cocchiaro is the Director of Programmes and Development at Natural Justice, where he previously served as the Director of the Kenya Hub as well as the Director of the Extractives and Infrastructure Programme. He is legally trained and has supported communities to participate in environmental decision-making processes in Southern Africa and Kenya. He was the lead lawyer from Natural Justice against the Lamu coal plant and has worked closely with the communities of Lamu since 2010. Twitter: @GinoCocchiaro

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 3 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Raya Ahmed, Gino Cocchiaro, Omar Elmawi) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/lamu-coal-Cn6yPQly Guests:

  • Raya Ahmed is a climate justice defender from Lamu. She holds Bachelor of Science in Development Studies and is the founder of Lamu Women Alliance which is a consortium organizations under Save Lamu, championing climate justice and women’s rights. In 2019, she was awarded the Lamu County Mashujaa by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyata,and the Shujaa Female Activist of the Year Award by MUHURI/ Coast Women’s Magazine.
  • Omar Elmawi is a lawyer who helps communities assert their rights and have their voices heard on various development projects. He coordinates the deCOALonize campaign – a movement that, with the help of community engagement, public activism and legal advocacy, pushes for green and sustainable energy solutions and is opposed to coal-related industrialization in Kenya and the region. He is also the coordinator of the Stop EACOP campaign that is against the construction of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline. Twitter: @OmarElmawi
  • Gino Cocchiaro is the Director of Programmes and Development at Natural Justice, where he previously served as the Director of the Kenya Hub as well as the Director of the Extractives and Infrastructure Programme. He is legally trained and has supported communities to participate in environmental decision-making processes in Southern Africa and Kenya. He was the lead lawyer from Natural Justice against the Lamu coal plant and has worked closely with the communities of Lamu since 2010. Twitter: @GinoCocchiaro

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPod

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Local resistance against coal in Lamu, Kenya — Raya Ahmed, Omar Elmawi, Gino Cocchiaro Dan Banik, Raya Ahmed, Gino Cocchiaro, Omar Elmawi 01:20:23 Dan Banik speaks with Raya Ahmed, Omar Elmawi and Gino Cocchiaro on how they were able to stop a major coal-fired power plant from being built in Kenya. How and why did the local population mobilise against the project, what was the response from the authorities, and what lessons does the Lamu case offer to other communities? Dan Banik speaks with Raya Ahmed, Omar Elmawi and Gino Cocchiaro on how they were able to stop a major coal-fired power plant from being built in Kenya. How and why did the local population mobilise against the project, what was the response from the authorities, and what lessons does the Lamu case offer to other communities? industrial and commercial bank of china, katiba institute, lapsset, coal-fired plant, hydroelectricity, kenya, renewal energy, kitui, standard gauge railway, unesco world heritage, legal empowerment, south africa, china, environmental impact assessment, amu power, natural justice, belt and road initiative, litigation plus approach, coal, african development bank, save lamu, wind power, decoalonize, de-coalonize, national environmental tribunal, climate change, nairobi, electricity, solar power, general electric, lamu, standard bank of south africa false full 6 3 f60bb5c4-4863-42ac-bd56-f8e12127c5f9 Living in a Materials World: Extractives on the road to Net Zero — Tony Addison Tony Addison is a Professor of Economics, University of Copenhagen in the Development Economics Research Group. He was a Chief Economist and Deputy Director of UNU-WIDER in Helsinki, Finland. He was previously Professor of Development Studies, University of Manchester; Executive Director of the Brooks World Poverty Institute (BWPI), University of Manchester (from 2006-2009); and Associate Director of the Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC).

His books include: From Conflict to Recovery in Africa (Oxford University Press), Making Peace Work: The Challenges of Economic and Social Reconstruction (Palgrave Macmillan), and Poverty Dynamics: A Cross-Disciplinary Perspective (Oxford University Press). He was a lead author for The Chronic Poverty Report 2008-09: Escaping Poverty Traps.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Tony Addison) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/tony-addison-_EK3nzCE Tony Addison is a Professor of Economics, University of Copenhagen in the Development Economics Research Group. He was a Chief Economist and Deputy Director of UNU-WIDER in Helsinki, Finland. He was previously Professor of Development Studies, University of Manchester; Executive Director of the Brooks World Poverty Institute (BWPI), University of Manchester (from 2006-2009); and Associate Director of the Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC).

His books include: From Conflict to Recovery in Africa (Oxford University Press), Making Peace Work: The Challenges of Economic and Social Reconstruction (Palgrave Macmillan), and Poverty Dynamics: A Cross-Disciplinary Perspective (Oxford University Press). He was a lead author for The Chronic Poverty Report 2008-09: Escaping Poverty Traps.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Living in a Materials World: Extractives on the road to Net Zero — Tony Addison Dan Banik, Tony Addison 00:53:57 Dan Banik and Tony Addison discuss the lessons learned from low-and middle income countries that have successfully managed their revenues from extractive resources, how these countries can benefit from growing global interest in transitioning to renewable energy, the impact of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the international community’s future role in natural resource governance. Dan Banik and Tony Addison discuss the lessons learned from low-and middle income countries that have successfully managed their revenues from extractive resources, how these countries can benefit from growing global interest in transitioning to renewable energy, the impact of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the international community’s future role in natural resource governance. venezuela, cobalt and lithium, norwegian agency for development cooperation (norad), kenya, chile, battery storage, senegal, rio tinto, resource curse, india, climate action, sudan, guinea, south africa, china, mozambique, norway, international council of mining and metals in london (icmm), uganda, carbon budget, chad, zambia, drc, extractives, cop26, climate change, tanzania, nickel, electricity, ghana, botswana, cameroon, oil for development, bauxite, angola, extractive industrial transparency initiative (eiti) false full 5 3 016ad583-9fa7-4352-b80b-5951db5564be Electrifying India — Elizabeth Chatterjee Dr. Elizabeth Chatterjee is an assistant professor of environmental history at the University of Chicago. Her research explores how non-Western energy histories disrupt conventional understandings of capitalist development, the social dynamics of climate change, and green political thought.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 20 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Elizabeth Chatterjee, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/liz-chatterjee-HpUExsQw Dr. Elizabeth Chatterjee is an assistant professor of environmental history at the University of Chicago. Her research explores how non-Western energy histories disrupt conventional understandings of capitalist development, the social dynamics of climate change, and green political thought.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Electrifying India — Elizabeth Chatterjee Elizabeth Chatterjee, Dan Banik 00:59:24 Dan Banik and Elizabeth Chatterjee discuss India's achievements in extending electricity coverage, recent reforms in the power sector and the role of public-private partnerships, the country's heavy dependence on coal and whether renewable energy is going to be enough to meet its future energy needs. Dan Banik and Elizabeth Chatterjee discuss India's achievements in extending electricity coverage, recent reforms in the power sector and the role of public-private partnerships, the country's heavy dependence on coal and whether renewable energy is going to be enough to meet its future energy needs. false full 4 3 d077e10f-8a3f-41b4-a2b9-bb00397d31c2 Why is the West obsessed with changing China? — Xu Qinduo Xu Qinduo is a political analyst, news columnist and an adjunct professor at Renmin University’s School of Journalism and Communication. He is also a senior fellow at the Pangoal Foundation and host of the talk show “Dialogue Weekend” at China Global Television Network, CGTN. He was previously posted as China Radio International’s chief correspondent in Washington, DC.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/
 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 13 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Qinduo Xu) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/qinduo-xu-aZq8irFh Xu Qinduo is a political analyst, news columnist and an adjunct professor at Renmin University’s School of Journalism and Communication. He is also a senior fellow at the Pangoal Foundation and host of the talk show “Dialogue Weekend” at China Global Television Network, CGTN. He was previously posted as China Radio International’s chief correspondent in Washington, DC.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/
 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Why is the West obsessed with changing China? — Xu Qinduo Dan Banik, Qinduo Xu 01:01:10 Dan Banik and Xu Qinduo discuss how Chinese leaders and citizens view their country’s role as a global leader, what explains Beijing’s enormous faith in the United Nations, and how the West ought to offer constructive criticism of Chinese policies and decisions. Dan Banik and Xu Qinduo discuss how Chinese leaders and citizens view their country’s role as a global leader, what explains Beijing’s enormous faith in the United Nations, and how the West ought to offer constructive criticism of Chinese policies and decisions. build back better world, afghanistan, kenya, myanmar, transparency, taiwan, north korea, cgtn, asean, xi jinping, ministry of ecology and the environment, democracy, india, ecological civilization, donald trump, world bank, china, russia, asia infrastructure investment bank, focac, un security council, belt and road initiative, norway, taliban, european union, hong kong, new development bank, huawei, china international development agency, civil society, aung san suu kyi, global gateway initiative, imf, xinjiang, united states, 5g, africa-china relations, culture, brics, united nations, multilateralism false full 3 3 a2f57308-2e95-46c2-9202-c5897ff40e59 What went wrong with COVAX, the vast global vaccine program? — Katerini Storeng Katerini Storeng is an associate professor at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo.  She directs the interdisciplinary Global Health Politics research group and is the Deputy Director of the Independent Panel on Global Governance for Health, an initiative to follow up the Lancet-University of Oslo Commission's agenda on the political determinants of health inequity. 

Dr. Storeng's research advances a critical, ethnographic perspective on the social and political dynamics shaping global health research and policy. She is particularly interested in how global public-private partnerships, scientific communities and civil society coalitions shape and challenge prevailing understandings and approaches to global public health.

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]]> Wed, 6 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Katerini Storeng, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/katerini-storeng-GXa0wIqK Katerini Storeng is an associate professor at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo.  She directs the interdisciplinary Global Health Politics research group and is the Deputy Director of the Independent Panel on Global Governance for Health, an initiative to follow up the Lancet-University of Oslo Commission's agenda on the political determinants of health inequity. 

Dr. Storeng's research advances a critical, ethnographic perspective on the social and political dynamics shaping global health research and policy. She is particularly interested in how global public-private partnerships, scientific communities and civil society coalitions shape and challenge prevailing understandings and approaches to global public health.

Resources:

Twitter:

 https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/


 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> What went wrong with COVAX, the vast global vaccine program? — Katerini Storeng Katerini Storeng, Dan Banik 00:55:59 Dan Banik and Katerini Storeng discuss the options available to low-income countries to access COVID-19 vaccines, the role of the WHO and the Gates Foundation and the pros and cons of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in global health. Dan Banik and Katerini Storeng discuss the options available to low-income countries to access COVID-19 vaccines, the role of the WHO and the Gates Foundation and the pros and cons of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in global health. who, act accelerator, solidarity, astrazeneca, wto, malaria, african union, gavi alliance, covax, bill and melinda gates foundation, health systems, global fund to fight aids tuberculosis and malaria, coalition for epidemic preparedness initiative, g20 high level independent panel, norway, hiv/aids, gro harlem brundtland, patent waiver, civil society organizations, cepi, big pharma, joe biden, united nations, moderna, public-private partnership, covid-vaccines, global health false full 2 3 5a6afa4c-9fd0-4e09-bdea-bc1771fe973c Beyond the Bottom Billion — Paul Collier Welcome to season 3!

Our first guest this season is Sir Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College, University of Oxford. In 2014, Professor Collier received a knighthood for services to promoting research and policy change in Africa.

Sir Paul's research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanisation in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organisational cultures. He has authored numerous books, including The Bottom Billion (Oxford University Press, 2007) which in 2008 won the Lionel Gelber, Arthur Ross and Corine prizes and in May 2009 was the joint winner of the Estoril Global Issues Distinguished Book prize; Wars, Guns and Votes: Democracy in Dangerous Places (Vintage Books, 2009); The Plundered Planet: How to reconcile prosperity with nature (Oxford University Press, 2010); Exodus: How migration is changing our world (Oxford University Press, 2013); and The Future of Capitalism: Facing The New Anxieties (Penguin Books, 2018). His latest book, co-authored with John Kay, is Greed is Dead: Politics After Individualism (Penguin Books, 2020). 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 29 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Paul Collier) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/paul-collier-r9LlhaYd Welcome to season 3!

Our first guest this season is Sir Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College, University of Oxford. In 2014, Professor Collier received a knighthood for services to promoting research and policy change in Africa.

Sir Paul's research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanisation in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organisational cultures. He has authored numerous books, including The Bottom Billion (Oxford University Press, 2007) which in 2008 won the Lionel Gelber, Arthur Ross and Corine prizes and in May 2009 was the joint winner of the Estoril Global Issues Distinguished Book prize; Wars, Guns and Votes: Democracy in Dangerous Places (Vintage Books, 2009); The Plundered Planet: How to reconcile prosperity with nature (Oxford University Press, 2010); Exodus: How migration is changing our world (Oxford University Press, 2013); and The Future of Capitalism: Facing The New Anxieties (Penguin Books, 2018). His latest book, co-authored with John Kay, is Greed is Dead: Politics After Individualism (Penguin Books, 2020). 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Beyond the Bottom Billion — Paul Collier Dan Banik, Paul Collier 00:58:27 Dan Banik and Paul Collier discuss development traps, whether and how the bottom billion countries have benefited from globalization, the extent to which democracy fosters development, why mainstream economics has largely ignored the concept of sustainable development and the growing popularity of the de-growth movement. Dan Banik and Paul Collier discuss development traps, whether and how the bottom billion countries have benefited from globalization, the extent to which democracy fosters development, why mainstream economics has largely ignored the concept of sustainable development and the growing popularity of the de-growth movement. central african republic, finland, afghanistan, vietnam, niger, natural resource trap, bangladesh, sustainability, democracy, india, zimbabwe, sudan, black rock, south africa, china, economic growth, mozambique, norway, diamonds, britain, malawi, paul kagame, ethiopia, denmark, uganda, autocracy, gro harlem brundtland, urbanization, rwanda, genocide, goldman sachs, tanzania, consumption, nigeria, mdgs, sdgs, ghana, botswana, trap of bad governance, conflict trap, tim besley, sustainable development, tourism, angola, landlocked trap, ashraf ghani, de-growth, migration, francis fukuyama false full 1 3 165a2eae-0b8a-4d68-9cf0-288a6b9ead95 The remarkable expansion of South–South Cooperation — Emma Mawdsley Welcome to the final episode of season 2. We’ve had some great guests this season and the show has attracted thousands of new listeners in large parts of the world. Thank you all for listening and for all the positive and most encouraging feedback that we have received this year.

Our guest this week is Emma Mawdsley, who is a reader in human geography at Newnham College and Director of the Margaret Anstee Centre for Global Studies at the University of Cambridge. She recently received the Royal Geographical Society’s Busk Medal for her exceptional engagements with fieldwork, research and knowledge production about the Global South.

Please follow our Twitter account @GlobalDevPod and share our episodes with your colleagues and friends. We will be back in a couple of months in season 3 of the show with another bunch of great guests. 

Thank you and I wish you all an enjoyable summer.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 30 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Emma Mawdsley) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/emma-mawdsley-svIFr976 Welcome to the final episode of season 2. We’ve had some great guests this season and the show has attracted thousands of new listeners in large parts of the world. Thank you all for listening and for all the positive and most encouraging feedback that we have received this year.

Our guest this week is Emma Mawdsley, who is a reader in human geography at Newnham College and Director of the Margaret Anstee Centre for Global Studies at the University of Cambridge. She recently received the Royal Geographical Society’s Busk Medal for her exceptional engagements with fieldwork, research and knowledge production about the Global South.

Please follow our Twitter account @GlobalDevPod and share our episodes with your colleagues and friends. We will be back in a couple of months in season 3 of the show with another bunch of great guests. 

Thank you and I wish you all an enjoyable summer.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The remarkable expansion of South–South Cooperation — Emma Mawdsley Dan Banik, Emma Mawdsley 00:55:09 Dan Banik and Emma Mawdsley discuss the modalities of South-South Cooperation (SSC), the role of state-owned enterprises and private sector actors, and how we ought to understand the performance of gift-giving by partners in the Global South under the SSC umbrella. Dan Banik and Emma Mawdsley discuss the modalities of South-South Cooperation (SSC), the role of state-owned enterprises and private sector actors, and how we ought to understand the performance of gift-giving by partners in the Global South under the SSC umbrella. south-south cooperation, afghanistan, kenya, development assistance committee (dac), reciprocity, g7, pro savana, xi jinping, structural inequality, senegal, india, bandung, healthcare, france, infrastructure, china, mozambique, india-africa, boris johnson, sovereignty, dfid, sri lanka, brazil, indonesia, pierre bourdieu, state-owned enterprises, marshall sahlins, narendra modi, united states, china-africa, joe biden, gifts, uk, shell, frugal innovation, marcel mauss, netherlands, colombia, ebola, debt, lamu, pwc, haiti false full 24 2 80cc0604-3013-4814-901e-902235718602 Popular mobilization against dams in Myanmar — Kyungmee Kim Many of you may have heard about instances of local communities mobilising against the construction of dams in various parts of the world. But it turns out that not all communities are able to collectively resist dam-building. So, what explains the varying degrees of community resistance against large dams?

Kyungmee Kim tackles this question in a doctoral thesis that she successfully defended recently at Uppsala University in Sweden. She studied popular mobilization against dams in Myanmar and the extent to which political violence influenced identity formation, particularly its pace, direction and implications.

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]]> Wed, 23 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Kyungmee Kim, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kyungmee-kim-gFu19es0 Many of you may have heard about instances of local communities mobilising against the construction of dams in various parts of the world. But it turns out that not all communities are able to collectively resist dam-building. So, what explains the varying degrees of community resistance against large dams?

Kyungmee Kim tackles this question in a doctoral thesis that she successfully defended recently at Uppsala University in Sweden. She studied popular mobilization against dams in Myanmar and the extent to which political violence influenced identity formation, particularly its pace, direction and implications.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Popular mobilization against dams in Myanmar — Kyungmee Kim Kyungmee Kim, Dan Banik 00:54:11 Dan Banik and Kyungmee Kim discuss how “development” is understood by various communities in Myanmar, arguments for and against dam-building, and the strategies adopted by the Kachin in the northern part of the country to successfully resist the construction of the Myitsone dam. Dan Banik and Kyungmee Kim discuss how “development” is understood by various communities in Myanmar, arguments for and against dam-building, and the strategies adopted by the Kachin in the northern part of the country to successfully resist the construction of the Myitsone dam. myitsone dam, thailand, kenya, karen, myanmar, china power investment company, palestine, biodiversity, victimhood, resistance, jawaharlal nehru, india, three gorges, ta’ang, sweli dam, conflict, salween river, environment, irrawaddy river, china, kachin, environmental impact assessment, israel, floods, narmada, civil society, burma, movement entrepreneurs, hpa-an, hpapun, climate change, burmese state, civil resistance, electricity, resource mobilisation theory, sustainable development, dam, lamu, ethnic minorities, buddhism, displacement, mali hka false full 23 2 622caafd-baa0-4fb0-aaf9-6be5208cf1fb Politics of the poor — Indrajit Roy Even though the world is richer today than ever before, a large number of people do not share in those riches, even in democracies. So, what does living in a democracy mean for people who simultaneously confront persistent deprivations and increasing inequalities? Do people living in poverty absorb the universalistic ideas associated with democracy? Or do their precarious lives overwhelm them so much so that they cannot act beyond particularistic concerns? These are the questions that Indrajit Roy tackles in Politics of the Poor: Negotiating Democracy in Contemporary India. 

Indrajit Roy is Senior Lecturer in Global Development Politics at the University of York. 

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]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Indrajit Roy, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/indrajit-roy-uCW6p_vS Even though the world is richer today than ever before, a large number of people do not share in those riches, even in democracies. So, what does living in a democracy mean for people who simultaneously confront persistent deprivations and increasing inequalities? Do people living in poverty absorb the universalistic ideas associated with democracy? Or do their precarious lives overwhelm them so much so that they cannot act beyond particularistic concerns? These are the questions that Indrajit Roy tackles in Politics of the Poor: Negotiating Democracy in Contemporary India. 

Indrajit Roy is Senior Lecturer in Global Development Politics at the University of York. 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Politics of the poor — Indrajit Roy Indrajit Roy, Dan Banik 01:05:53 Dan Banik and Indrajit Roy discuss how poverty should be understood and measured, the poverty-democracy relationship, the scale and extent of poverty in India, and how people living in poverty participate in everyday politics. Dan Banik and Indrajit Roy discuss how poverty should be understood and measured, the poverty-democracy relationship, the scale and extent of poverty in India, and how people living in poverty participate in everyday politics. amartya sen, caste, exclusion, identity, sabina alkire, deprivation, poverty, marginalisation, social protection, clientelism, peter townsend, human development, democracy, india, public works programmes, citizenship, indira gandhi, relative poverty, voting behaviour, social stigma, cultural imperialism, west bengal, poverty measurement, partha chatterjee, colonialism, exploitation, mukulika banerjee, absolute poverty, narendra modi, bihar, middlemen, chantal mouffe, bhimrao ambedkar, oppression, social status, electricity, bjp, inequality false full 22 2 e4f43d33-ffa3-4cf8-9f67-7d88fcfdaf18 Religion and democratic mobilization in Brazil – Amy Erica Smith In a splendid book titled– Religion and Brazilian Democracy: Mobilizing the People of God –  Amy Erica Smith examines the causes and consequences of Brazil’s culture wars – that as Brazilian democracy faces a crisis of legitimacy, political divisions among Catholic, evangelical, and nonreligious citizens have grown. How then have these culture wars affected Brazil’s democracy? And does religious politics either threaten or help to shore up a democracy now facing grave challenges to its legitimacy? Amy Erica argues that the answers to these questions lie not in political parties, but in clergy, that interacts with and sometimes leads congregants and politicians. 

Amy Erica Smith is an associate professor of political science, as well as a Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Professor at Iowa State University. 

Her research examines how ordinary people understand and engage in politics. Although she studies democratic and authoritarian regimes globally, her primary expertise is in Latin America, and particularly Brazil.

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]]> Wed, 9 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Amy Erica Smith, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/amy-erica-smith-43h3aUHS In a splendid book titled– Religion and Brazilian Democracy: Mobilizing the People of God –  Amy Erica Smith examines the causes and consequences of Brazil’s culture wars – that as Brazilian democracy faces a crisis of legitimacy, political divisions among Catholic, evangelical, and nonreligious citizens have grown. How then have these culture wars affected Brazil’s democracy? And does religious politics either threaten or help to shore up a democracy now facing grave challenges to its legitimacy? Amy Erica argues that the answers to these questions lie not in political parties, but in clergy, that interacts with and sometimes leads congregants and politicians. 

Amy Erica Smith is an associate professor of political science, as well as a Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Professor at Iowa State University. 

Her research examines how ordinary people understand and engage in politics. Although she studies democratic and authoritarian regimes globally, her primary expertise is in Latin America, and particularly Brazil.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Religion and democratic mobilization in Brazil – Amy Erica Smith Amy Erica Smith, Dan Banik 00:56:36 Dan Banik and Amy Erica Smith discuss the importance of religion in Brazilian society, the causes of increased societal polarization, and how culture wars in Brazil are shaping the country’s democracy. Dan Banik and Amy Erica Smith discuss the importance of religion in Brazilian society, the causes of increased societal polarization, and how culture wars in Brazil are shaping the country’s democracy. soccer world cup, religion, same-sex marriage, rio de janeiro, democracy, environment, donald trump, military, jair bolsonaro, state capacity, june 2013 protests, gay rights, steven levitsky, malawi, sexuality, civil society, uganda, brazil, amazon rain forest, populism, united states, covid response, gender, political polarization, political culture, culture wars, clergy, bolsa familia, daniel ziblat, christ the redeemer, christ the protector false full 21 2 b200599b-d757-49e7-8ffa-8a0ac1abcbfe "Global Britain": Inspired vision or wishful thinking? — Mark Miller Following Brexit, Britain has expressed a desire to play an important new role in world affairs. The idea of "Global Britain" has thus made a comeback with free trade as its core element. Indeed, Global Britain appears to be a catchy label for the UK’s ambition to look beyond Europe for new commercial opportunities and pathways to global influence. But critics argue that “A positive image of Global Britain must be earned, not declared.” And that the narrative of Global Britain will only be meaningful if and when the ambitious vision is backed up with extra investments. Of particular concern to the global development community has been the recent cuts to the UK’s aid budget, which some argue will adversely affect Britain’s power and global influence. There has also been considerable criticism of the government’s decision to merge the Department for International Development (or DFID) with the Foreign Office.

Mark Miller is the director of the Overseas Development Institute’s  work on development and public finance. His research interests include how states can build the capabilities to effectively manage their public finances and the future of development cooperation in the UK. 

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]]> Wed, 2 Jun 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Mark Miller, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mark-miller-4JEXxNex Following Brexit, Britain has expressed a desire to play an important new role in world affairs. The idea of "Global Britain" has thus made a comeback with free trade as its core element. Indeed, Global Britain appears to be a catchy label for the UK’s ambition to look beyond Europe for new commercial opportunities and pathways to global influence. But critics argue that “A positive image of Global Britain must be earned, not declared.” And that the narrative of Global Britain will only be meaningful if and when the ambitious vision is backed up with extra investments. Of particular concern to the global development community has been the recent cuts to the UK’s aid budget, which some argue will adversely affect Britain’s power and global influence. There has also been considerable criticism of the government’s decision to merge the Department for International Development (or DFID) with the Foreign Office.

Mark Miller is the director of the Overseas Development Institute’s  work on development and public finance. His research interests include how states can build the capabilities to effectively manage their public finances and the future of development cooperation in the UK. 

Twitter: 

Mark Miller, Dan Banik, In Pursuit of Development
 

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]]> "Global Britain": Inspired vision or wishful thinking? — Mark Miller Mark Miller, Dan Banik 00:56:56 Dan Banik and Mark Miller discuss the narrative of "Global Britain", the merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign Office and the impact of aid cuts. Dan Banik and Mark Miller discuss the narrative of "Global Britain", the merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign Office and the impact of aid cuts. soft power, uk-africa summit, g7, gleneagles summit, commonwealth, aid effectiveness, china, public finance, aid, norway, boris johnson, populist leaders, dfid, united kingdom, imf, london, climate change, brexit, cash transfer programmes, global britain, global health false full 20 2 23e2a0a3-bd68-4f74-8f88-8866bba16c55 How does digital technology affect healthcare? — Vincent Duclos There is considerable attention on the pivotal role that digital technology can play in providing better healthcare. The term “digital health” is broad in scope and includes mobile health (mHealth), health information technology, tele-health and telemedicine, virtual care, remote monitoring, and wearable devices. Indeed, for many years, I have been a big fan of wearable devices such as my Fit-bit wristband and am obsessed with monitoring my various stats such as number of steps walked or run every day, the number of stairs climbed and of, course, resting heart rate and the number of calories burned.

According to the WHO, there is a growing consensus in the global health community that the strategic and innovative use of digital and cutting-edge information and communications technologies can prove to be crucial enabling factors towards ensuring the fulfilment of the WHO’s so-called triple billion targets: 1 billion more people can benefit from universal health coverage, be better protected from health emergencies, and that more people can enjoy better health and well-being in general.

But is technology really helping us to receive better healthcare?

One particularly important and ambitious project in this context was launched by India more than a decade ago. The Pan-African E-network (PAN) was the brainchild of India’s former President Dr. Abdul Kalam. It combines India’s competitive advantages and soft power strengths – ICT, education and health expertise – through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. 

The network offers tele-education and tele-medicine services using fibre-optic and satellite networks – a feature that illustrates India’s preference to showcase “frugal innovation”, where low-cost solutions address major developmental challenges. New Delhi has actively promoted this project as a “shining example” of SSC on health and education. Thus, PAN provides a unique opportunity to understand how India is able to “care for Africa at a distance”.

What has been the contribution then of this ambitious global health initiative from the South and how effective have such solutions been in improving healthcare on the African continent? 

Vincent Duclos is a medical anthropologist and a professor at the Department ofSocial and Public Communication at the University of Quebec in Montreal.

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]]> Wed, 26 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Vincent Duclos) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/vincent-duclos-Xd0_UMZz There is considerable attention on the pivotal role that digital technology can play in providing better healthcare. The term “digital health” is broad in scope and includes mobile health (mHealth), health information technology, tele-health and telemedicine, virtual care, remote monitoring, and wearable devices. Indeed, for many years, I have been a big fan of wearable devices such as my Fit-bit wristband and am obsessed with monitoring my various stats such as number of steps walked or run every day, the number of stairs climbed and of, course, resting heart rate and the number of calories burned.

According to the WHO, there is a growing consensus in the global health community that the strategic and innovative use of digital and cutting-edge information and communications technologies can prove to be crucial enabling factors towards ensuring the fulfilment of the WHO’s so-called triple billion targets: 1 billion more people can benefit from universal health coverage, be better protected from health emergencies, and that more people can enjoy better health and well-being in general.

But is technology really helping us to receive better healthcare?

One particularly important and ambitious project in this context was launched by India more than a decade ago. The Pan-African E-network (PAN) was the brainchild of India’s former President Dr. Abdul Kalam. It combines India’s competitive advantages and soft power strengths – ICT, education and health expertise – through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. 

The network offers tele-education and tele-medicine services using fibre-optic and satellite networks – a feature that illustrates India’s preference to showcase “frugal innovation”, where low-cost solutions address major developmental challenges. New Delhi has actively promoted this project as a “shining example” of SSC on health and education. Thus, PAN provides a unique opportunity to understand how India is able to “care for Africa at a distance”.

What has been the contribution then of this ambitious global health initiative from the South and how effective have such solutions been in improving healthcare on the African continent? 

Vincent Duclos is a medical anthropologist and a professor at the Department ofSocial and Public Communication at the University of Quebec in Montreal.

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How does digital technology affect healthcare? — Vincent Duclos Dan Banik, Vincent Duclos 00:58:14 Dan Banik speaks with Vincent Duclos on the notion of “care”, what it means to care from a distance, the role of mHealth in Burkina Faso and the contribution of India’s Pan-African E-network programme in improving health on the continent. Dan Banik speaks with Vincent Duclos on the notion of “care”, what it means to care from a distance, the role of mHealth in Burkina Faso and the contribution of India’s Pan-African E-network programme in improving health on the continent. south-south cooperation, teleeducation, branding india, canada, senegal, godmothers, india, hospital of the world, medical tourism, world bank, fortis hospital, the world's pharmacy, gates foundation, norway, phar, e-health, telemedicine, indian pharmaceutical companies, covid-19, mobile phones, primary healthcare, burkina faso, digital health, abdul kalam, solar power, apollo hospital, world health organization (who), pan-african e-network, global health false full 19 2 02d7079d-aa4f-4248-8adf-11cda697f162 Reimagining development — Hannah Ryder Do current “development” structures work? If not, why? And what solutions are out there that place greater agency in low-income countries to shape these development structures and results?

Hannah Ryder is the CEO of Development Reimagined, an international development consultancy in China, which provides strategic advice and practical support to African, Chinese, and international stakeholders on issues ranging from the Belt and Road Initiative to Africa’s growth markets to green growth and China’s aid and investments. 

Hannah is an economist and former diplomat, and Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington DC. She is also a member of the UAE’s International Advisory Council on the New Economy and sits on the Executive Board of the British Chamber of Commerce in China.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 19 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Hannah Ryder, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hannah-ryder-5110yd77 Do current “development” structures work? If not, why? And what solutions are out there that place greater agency in low-income countries to shape these development structures and results?

Hannah Ryder is the CEO of Development Reimagined, an international development consultancy in China, which provides strategic advice and practical support to African, Chinese, and international stakeholders on issues ranging from the Belt and Road Initiative to Africa’s growth markets to green growth and China’s aid and investments. 

Hannah is an economist and former diplomat, and Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington DC. She is also a member of the UAE’s International Advisory Council on the New Economy and sits on the Executive Board of the British Chamber of Commerce in China.

https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Reimagining development — Hannah Ryder Hannah Ryder, Dan Banik 01:00:20 Dan Banik speaks with Hannah Ryder on how we can reimagine the idea of development, whether the constrained narrative of development on the African continent is changing, state capacity in achieving economic growth and wellbeing, Africa-China relations and how from the Chinese experience of eradicating extreme poverty offers numerous lessons for low-income countries in their fight against poverty. Dan Banik speaks with Hannah Ryder on how we can reimagine the idea of development, whether the constrained narrative of development on the African continent is changing, state capacity in achieving economic growth and wellbeing, Africa-China relations and how from the Chinese experience of eradicating extreme poverty offers numerous lessons for low-income countries in their fight against poverty. branko milanovic, kenya, capacity building, senegal, india, economic reforms, decolonisation, china, undp china, poverty reduction, state capacity, focac, agriculture, belt and road initiative, debt relief, africa-china, malawi, ethiopia, covid-19, united states, zambia, tanzania, pharmaceuticals, special economic zones, ghana, empowerment, atul kohli, united nations, fiscal space, global health false full 18 2 eb3e531e-d5f0-4acc-ba0e-d3d26e6ecf03 Navigating by judgment to achieve development impact — Dan Honig In an excellent book on how aid agencies manage foreign aid projects, Dan Honig argues that tight top-down controls and a focus on target-setting and metrics often lead aid projects astray. 

If one navigates from the top, one may achieve more management control, more oversight, and more standardized behavior. But this may be at the cost of flexibility and adaptability. By contrast, if one empowers those closest to the ground, and focuses on what field agents can see and learn, we may apply so-called “soft information” that will in turn allow for more flexibility. 

Managing large organizations is not easy. And most politicians and bureaucrats struggle to find the right balance between when to control and when to let go. In the book Navigation by Judgment: Why and When Top-Down Control of Foreign Aid Doesn't Work, Dan Honig argues that a misplaced sense of what it means to “succeed” encourages many aid agencies to get the balance wrong.

Dan Honig is an assistant professor of international development at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is currently a visiting fellow at Leiden University’s Institute of Political Science, and a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development. He was previously special assistant, then advisor, to successive Ministers of Finance in Liberia and ran a local nonprofit in East Timor focused on helping post-conflict youth realize the power of their own ideas.

Dan is busy completing his next book on “Mission-Driven Bureaucrats”, which explores the relationship between motivation, management practice, organizational mission, and performance in the public service.   

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 12 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Honig, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/dan-honig-AY4hqUPW In an excellent book on how aid agencies manage foreign aid projects, Dan Honig argues that tight top-down controls and a focus on target-setting and metrics often lead aid projects astray. 

If one navigates from the top, one may achieve more management control, more oversight, and more standardized behavior. But this may be at the cost of flexibility and adaptability. By contrast, if one empowers those closest to the ground, and focuses on what field agents can see and learn, we may apply so-called “soft information” that will in turn allow for more flexibility. 

Managing large organizations is not easy. And most politicians and bureaucrats struggle to find the right balance between when to control and when to let go. In the book Navigation by Judgment: Why and When Top-Down Control of Foreign Aid Doesn't Work, Dan Honig argues that a misplaced sense of what it means to “succeed” encourages many aid agencies to get the balance wrong.

Dan Honig is an assistant professor of international development at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is currently a visiting fellow at Leiden University’s Institute of Political Science, and a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development. He was previously special assistant, then advisor, to successive Ministers of Finance in Liberia and ran a local nonprofit in East Timor focused on helping post-conflict youth realize the power of their own ideas.

Dan is busy completing his next book on “Mission-Driven Bureaucrats”, which explores the relationship between motivation, management practice, organizational mission, and performance in the public service.   

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Navigating by judgment to achieve development impact — Dan Honig Dan Honig, Dan Banik 01:01:12 Dan Banik and Dan Honig discuss the role of ideas and buzzwords in development, how we should measure development impact, and how and why the concept of “navigation by judgement” is a critical managerial tool that can help maximize the positive impact of aid. Dan Banik and Dan Honig discuss the role of ideas and buzzwords in development, how we should measure development impact, and how and why the concept of “navigation by judgement” is a critical managerial tool that can help maximize the positive impact of aid. usaid, jpal, lant pritchett, capacity building, rct, health, norad, jeffrey sachs, what works, f-indicators, south africa, foreign assistance bureau, us state department, steve kerr, norway, malawi, liberia, hiv/aids, discretion, dfid, buzzwords, measuring development impact, united states, quantitative metrics, uk, empowerment, autonomy, building state capability, east timor, results framework, aid effectuvness, accountability false full 17 2 dae2b699-dffa-4c8e-b693-3d901b4eac2b Democracy and crisis response in India — Patralekha Chatterjee India is experiencing a devastating second wave of the pandemic. Indeed, the country appears to be going through one of the darkest moments in its post-independence history with new records broken every day for new cases of Covid-19. There are also growing concerns that even these staggering numbers that have been officially reported are in reality an undercount. And then there is the crippling shortage of life-saving supplies such as medical oxygen.

Critics claim that the Indian government has ignored numerous red flags in recent months and disregarded scientific opinion. Thus, some have argued that Indians are now paying the price of government inaction while others have pointed to the historical neglect by successive ruling parties to invest more in health.

The image of India as a country experiencing rapid economic growth and lifting millions of people out of poverty has of late been replaced by pictures of funeral pyres.

How did it come to this? And how capable is the Indian state at responding to major crises?

Patralekha Chatterjee is an award-winning journalist, columnist, and author, who has written extensively on the role of economic, political, social, cultural, and educational factors in public health in India.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 5 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Patralekha Chatterjee, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/patralekha-chatterjee-VivtKa0P India is experiencing a devastating second wave of the pandemic. Indeed, the country appears to be going through one of the darkest moments in its post-independence history with new records broken every day for new cases of Covid-19. There are also growing concerns that even these staggering numbers that have been officially reported are in reality an undercount. And then there is the crippling shortage of life-saving supplies such as medical oxygen.

Critics claim that the Indian government has ignored numerous red flags in recent months and disregarded scientific opinion. Thus, some have argued that Indians are now paying the price of government inaction while others have pointed to the historical neglect by successive ruling parties to invest more in health.

The image of India as a country experiencing rapid economic growth and lifting millions of people out of poverty has of late been replaced by pictures of funeral pyres.

How did it come to this? And how capable is the Indian state at responding to major crises?

Patralekha Chatterjee is an award-winning journalist, columnist, and author, who has written extensively on the role of economic, political, social, cultural, and educational factors in public health in India.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Democracy and crisis response in India — Patralekha Chatterjee Patralekha Chatterjee, Dan Banik 01:07:46 Dan Banik speaks with Patralekha Chatterjee on political polarization, state planning and response, the challenges faced by people who rely on the informal economy for their livelihoods, and the role of elites in shaping the development discourse in India. Dan Banik speaks with Patralekha Chatterjee on political polarization, state planning and response, the challenges faced by people who rely on the informal economy for their livelihoods, and the role of elites in shaping the development discourse in India. social protection, political freedom, informal economy, democracy, india, media, elites, freedom of speech, hindutva, trust, covid, covid-19, federalism, narendra modi, political polarization, new delhi, medical oxygen, health infrastructure false full 16 2 605bc50e-7f2b-4358-b4ae-51be83b8c760 The globalization of foreign aid — Liam Swiss Why do aid agencies from wealthy donor countries with diverse domestic political and economic contexts arrive at very similar positions on certain foreign aid policies and priorities?

In his book, The Globalization of Foreign Aid: Developing Consensus, Liam Swiss examines how certain ideas and practices influence the work of aid agencies in Canada, the United States and Sweden and how aid agencies end up adopting common policy priorities such as in the fields of gender and security. He argues that the so-called ‘emerging global consensus’ that constitutes the globalization of aid can be explained by both macro-level globalizing influences as well as micro-level social processes that take place within aid agencies.

Liam Swiss is an associate professor at the Department of Sociology at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 28 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Liam Swiss, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/liam-swiss-5YYvTBBQ Why do aid agencies from wealthy donor countries with diverse domestic political and economic contexts arrive at very similar positions on certain foreign aid policies and priorities?

In his book, The Globalization of Foreign Aid: Developing Consensus, Liam Swiss examines how certain ideas and practices influence the work of aid agencies in Canada, the United States and Sweden and how aid agencies end up adopting common policy priorities such as in the fields of gender and security. He argues that the so-called ‘emerging global consensus’ that constitutes the globalization of aid can be explained by both macro-level globalizing influences as well as micro-level social processes that take place within aid agencies.

Liam Swiss is an associate professor at the Department of Sociology at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The globalization of foreign aid — Liam Swiss Liam Swiss, Dan Banik 01:01:16 Dan Banik speaks with Liam Swiss on what motivates wealthy donor countries to provide aid, the influence of international conferences and civil society organizations on the aid policies of donor countries and the role of individual agency, including that of bureaucratic activism and bureaucratic entrepreneurialism. Dan Banik speaks with Liam Swiss on what motivates wealthy donor countries to provide aid, the influence of international conferences and civil society organizations on the aid policies of donor countries and the role of individual agency, including that of bureaucratic activism and bureaucratic entrepreneurialism. swedish sida, south-south cooperation, solidarity, cida, canada, sweden, oxfam, india, china in africa, china, altruism, sdg, paris agenda for aid effectiveness, mdg, uk aid, norway, dfid, civil society, denmark, australia, oda, united states, gender, canadian international development agency false full 15 2 c0c15acb-9ba3-4058-83b6-6124f180874d Nigeria and the inadequacies of the resource curse thesis – Zainab Usman There is considerable academic literature on the resource curse thesis which aims to explain why resource-rich countries have not benefited from their oil and mineral resources. And this resource curse thesis within economics, political science, and sociology has numerous economic, political, social, and environmental dimensions.

But in her work, our guest has often highlighted the inadequacies of the “resource curse” thesis particularly in explaining dissatisfaction with the pace of economic development in her own country – Nigeria.

Zainab Usman is a senior fellow and Director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She has previously worked as a Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank and is co-author of the book, The Future of Work in Africa: Harnessing the Potential of Digital Technologies for All. She also contributed to World Bank’s flagship report  –  Rethinking Power Sector Reforms in Developing Countries. Her forthcoming book, Economic Diversification in Nigeria: The Politics of Building a Post-Oil Economy, is set to be published later this year.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 21 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Zainab Usman, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/zainab-usman-vpBArxMp There is considerable academic literature on the resource curse thesis which aims to explain why resource-rich countries have not benefited from their oil and mineral resources. And this resource curse thesis within economics, political science, and sociology has numerous economic, political, social, and environmental dimensions.

But in her work, our guest has often highlighted the inadequacies of the “resource curse” thesis particularly in explaining dissatisfaction with the pace of economic development in her own country – Nigeria.

Zainab Usman is a senior fellow and Director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She has previously worked as a Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank and is co-author of the book, The Future of Work in Africa: Harnessing the Potential of Digital Technologies for All. She also contributed to World Bank’s flagship report  –  Rethinking Power Sector Reforms in Developing Countries. Her forthcoming book, Economic Diversification in Nigeria: The Politics of Building a Post-Oil Economy, is set to be published later this year.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Nigeria and the inadequacies of the resource curse thesis – Zainab Usman Zainab Usman, Dan Banik 01:03:15 Dan Banik speaks with Zainab Usman on the politics of development in Nigeria, what African countries ought to prioritise on their path toward digital transformation and the types of reforms required to address the continent’s growing need for electricity. Dan Banik speaks with Zainab Usman on the politics of development in Nigeria, what African countries ought to prioritise on their path toward digital transformation and the types of reforms required to address the continent’s growing need for electricity. digital revolution, dutch disease, hydroelectricity, kenya, resource curse, india, south sudan, sudan, world bank, china, corruption, norway, coal, malawi, morocco, sovereign wealth fund of norway, tanzania, power sector reforms, nigeria, electricity, ghana, solar power, olusegun obasanjo, angola, political settlements false full 14 2 053bc173-6690-4938-ac1f-fc8939493292 Can we domesticate the state or will it domesticate us? — James C. Scott With many path-breaking books, James C. Scott has for long been a key figure in Southeast Asian Studies and in the comparative study of agrarian societies, peasant politics and resistance studies.  His hugely influential scholarship crosses disciplines, shaping political science, anthropology, and history.

In this conversation, we focus on a selection of Prof. Scott's books, including Seeing Like a State, which is a magisterial critique of top-down social planning, The Art of Not Being Governed, which highlights the crucial functions of “places of refuge from the state”, and his latest, Against the Grain – which provides a deep history of the earliest states. He is currently writing a new book on the Irrawaddy River – in which he argues that engineering and damming show how humans work, violate Nature’s traffic and how humans shape land.

James C. Scott is the Sterling Professor of Political Science and professor of anthropology at Yale University where he also co-directs the Agrarian Studies Program. His research concerns political economy, comparative agrarian societies, theories of resistance, peasant politics, revolution, Southeast Asia, theories of class relations, and anarchism. He is the recipient of the 2020 Albert O. Hirschman Prize, the Social Science Research Council’s highest honour, in recognition of his wide-ranging and influential scholarship.

Jim encourages you to support the fight for democracy in Myanmar by donating to www.mutualaidmyanmar.org

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 14 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (James Scott, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/james-scott-feHrKMOf With many path-breaking books, James C. Scott has for long been a key figure in Southeast Asian Studies and in the comparative study of agrarian societies, peasant politics and resistance studies.  His hugely influential scholarship crosses disciplines, shaping political science, anthropology, and history.

In this conversation, we focus on a selection of Prof. Scott's books, including Seeing Like a State, which is a magisterial critique of top-down social planning, The Art of Not Being Governed, which highlights the crucial functions of “places of refuge from the state”, and his latest, Against the Grain – which provides a deep history of the earliest states. He is currently writing a new book on the Irrawaddy River – in which he argues that engineering and damming show how humans work, violate Nature’s traffic and how humans shape land.

James C. Scott is the Sterling Professor of Political Science and professor of anthropology at Yale University where he also co-directs the Agrarian Studies Program. His research concerns political economy, comparative agrarian societies, theories of resistance, peasant politics, revolution, Southeast Asia, theories of class relations, and anarchism. He is the recipient of the 2020 Albert O. Hirschman Prize, the Social Science Research Council’s highest honour, in recognition of his wide-ranging and influential scholarship.

Jim encourages you to support the fight for democracy in Myanmar by donating to www.mutualaidmyanmar.org

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Can we domesticate the state or will it domesticate us? — James C. Scott James Scott, Dan Banik 01:07:30 Dan Banik speaks with James C. Scott on how states must be distinguished from civilizations, the role of the state in economic development, why people flee from the state, the necessary conditions for the development of early states and why these states broke up, and the fight to restore democracy in Myanmar. Dan Banik speaks with James C. Scott on how states must be distinguished from civilizations, the role of the state in economic development, why people flee from the state, the necessary conditions for the development of early states and why these states broke up, and the fight to restore democracy in Myanmar. international society of geologists, thailand, high modernism, vietnam, slavery, myanmar, danish welfare state, epidemics, sweden, hunters and gatherers, mesopotamia, general min aung hlaing, soviet union, napoleonic state, modernization theory, france, china, russia, institutional capacity, anthropocene, norway, subsistence rights, hong kong, southeast asia, great leap forward, denmark, taxation, celtic settlements, american civil rights movement, burma, french revolution, population, colonialism, thomas hobbes, rational choice institutionalism, tanzania, stephen krasner, malaysia, leviathan, roman empire, francis fukuyama false full 13 2 f0026d66-1f3d-4198-856e-089095cbea6c Population and development: Risks and opportunities — Lauren Johnston An article in The Economist magazine in September 2018 argued that high birth rates is one of the main culprits for pervasive poverty on the African continent. The article, in particular, cited the example of Tanzania, where the then President John Magufuli did not apparently see the point with birth control, having announced in 2016 that women could throw away their contraceptives as state schools will be free. President Magufuli subsequently claimed that a major consequence of widespread contraception is a shrinking labour force, which in turn is bad for development. But others, including the Gates Foundation, have pointed to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, which are projected to witness massive increases in their populations in the next few decades. And such rapid population growth can potentially pose major challenges for government policies aimed at promoting the well-being of citizens. 

So, what is the link between population and development and are there some lessons that the world can learn from China’s attempts at controlling population growth in recent decades?

Lauren Johnston is a research associate at SOAS China Institute, and currently a World Bank consultant for a population ageing and China research project. She holds a PhD in Economics from Peking University and is widely published on topics relating to China’s economy with respect to demographics and economic ties with Africa. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 7 Apr 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Lauren Johnston, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/lauren-johnston-ALQhSlhF An article in The Economist magazine in September 2018 argued that high birth rates is one of the main culprits for pervasive poverty on the African continent. The article, in particular, cited the example of Tanzania, where the then President John Magufuli did not apparently see the point with birth control, having announced in 2016 that women could throw away their contraceptives as state schools will be free. President Magufuli subsequently claimed that a major consequence of widespread contraception is a shrinking labour force, which in turn is bad for development. But others, including the Gates Foundation, have pointed to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, which are projected to witness massive increases in their populations in the next few decades. And such rapid population growth can potentially pose major challenges for government policies aimed at promoting the well-being of citizens. 

So, what is the link between population and development and are there some lessons that the world can learn from China’s attempts at controlling population growth in recent decades?

Lauren Johnston is a research associate at SOAS China Institute, and currently a World Bank consultant for a population ageing and China research project. She holds a PhD in Economics from Peking University and is widely published on topics relating to China’s economy with respect to demographics and economic ties with Africa. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Population and development: Risks and opportunities — Lauren Johnston Lauren Johnston, Dan Banik 00:57:26 Dan Banik speaks with Lauren Johnston on the links between population, economic growth and development, East Asian experiences of getting rich before getting old, China’s one-child policy and whether there are some lessons from China for African countries with younger populations. Dan Banik speaks with Lauren Johnston on the links between population, economic growth and development, East Asian experiences of getting rich before getting old, China’s one-child policy and whether there are some lessons from China for African countries with younger populations. central african republic, congo, taiwan, japan, singapore, demography transition strategy, mauritius, niger, mao zedong, india, thomas malthus, south korea, world bank, china, population ageing, economic growth, birth control, poverty reduction, norway, family planning, total fertility rate (tfr), hong kong, demographic dividend, morocco, great leap forward, democratic republic of congo, chad, food security, john magufuli, famine, climate change, premature ageing, tanzania, nigeria, ‘longer later fewer’, one-child policy, cameroon, immigration policy, angola, pension schemes, deng xiaoping false full 12 2 b21b3df1-b6d2-4f1c-a503-5b3dee5d1572 Imperialism and the developing world — Atul Kohli Western imperialism has fundamentally shaped the developing world. In particular, Great Britain and the United States – the dominant capitalist powers of the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively, have played a major role in this historical process. But why did they pursue imperialism? And what effects did such imperial practices have on the developing world? These are the key questions that Atul Kohli examines in his brilliant new book, Imperialism and the Developing World: How Britain and the U.S. Shaped the Global Periphery (Oxford University Press, 2020). Kohli meticulously examines both the causes and consequences of modern imperialism. He finds that the impact of imperialism on the developing world has been primarily negative. Indeed, the key argument in the book is that there is an inverse relationship between imperialism and development, i.e., the less control a state has over its own affairs, the less likely it is that the people of the state will experience steady and inclusive economic progress.

Atul Kohli is the David K.E. Bruce Professor of International Affairs at Princeton University and one of the world’s leading experts in comparative political economy with a focus on developing countries.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 31 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Atul Kohli) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/atul-kohli-QhQx_T6L Western imperialism has fundamentally shaped the developing world. In particular, Great Britain and the United States – the dominant capitalist powers of the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively, have played a major role in this historical process. But why did they pursue imperialism? And what effects did such imperial practices have on the developing world? These are the key questions that Atul Kohli examines in his brilliant new book, Imperialism and the Developing World: How Britain and the U.S. Shaped the Global Periphery (Oxford University Press, 2020). Kohli meticulously examines both the causes and consequences of modern imperialism. He finds that the impact of imperialism on the developing world has been primarily negative. Indeed, the key argument in the book is that there is an inverse relationship between imperialism and development, i.e., the less control a state has over its own affairs, the less likely it is that the people of the state will experience steady and inclusive economic progress.

Atul Kohli is the David K.E. Bruce Professor of International Affairs at Princeton University and one of the world’s leading experts in comparative political economy with a focus on developing countries.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Imperialism and the developing world — Atul Kohli Dan Banik, Atul Kohli 01:02:58 Dan Banik speaks with Atul Kohli on why powerful states imperialize, the importance of sovereignty in the pursuit of development, the impact of China’s rise, and the future of Indian democracy. Dan Banik speaks with Atul Kohli on why powerful states imperialize, the importance of sovereignty in the pursuit of development, the impact of China’s rise, and the future of Indian democracy. development, sub-saharan africa, united fruit company, freedom house, royal niger company, new scramble for africa, warren hastings, afghanistan, vietnam, opium wars, caribbean, japan, princeton university, woodrow wilson, chile, iran, egypt, democracy, india, lord clive, south korea, hindu nationalism, teller amendment, china, george bush, central america, state capacity, famine codes, sovereignty, argentina, sri lanka, indonesia, philippines, self-determination, cuba, colonialism, united states, iraq, effective states, famine, pratap bhanu mehta, guatemala, nigeria, state building, spain, great britain, washington consensus, bjp, v-dem, ashoka university, british imperial history, imperialism, east india company, george goldie, nation building false full 11 2 1d85f894-a8c0-47c0-8bbc-771771ea0e27 Summit diplomacy and African agency — Folashadé Soulé Several countries are vying for the African continent’s attention. While there has been considerable attention on China’s and India’s motives and interests, Russia, Germany, France, the UK, Turkey, Japan, South Korea and Middle Eastern countries are all trying to increase their footprint on the continent. 

An important first step for many of these countries is to organize a summit – a major gathering of leaders and other high-level officials to discuss how African countries can further strengthen trade and diplomatic relations with this one country hosting the summit. The goal of these events is basically to promote the idea of achieving win-win outcomes for all involved parties. 

This growth in so-called Africa plus 1 summit diplomacy has generated renewed interest in better understanding the growing competition among major world powers on the continent. But in trying to explain this growing interest in strengthening relations with African countries, there is often a tendency to downplay the role and influence of African countries in setting the agenda of these high-profile events, and how African leaders articulate their needs and interests. 

My guest this week argues that we really need to better understand the motives behind the increased engagement in ‘Africa + 1’ summitry by African politicians and bureaucrats.Indeed, rather than viewing these individuals as passive participants, we must recognize the numerous ways in which such summits and other high-level platforms that involve the continent, offer opportunities for African leaders to express and exert agency in both symbolic and substantial ways.

Dr Folashadé Soulé is a Senior Research Associate at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She studies agency in Africa’s international relations and the politics of South-South cooperation. She is also the initiator of the Africa-China negotiation workshop series, which brings together African negotiators and senior policymakers to exchange and build better negotiation practices when dealing with China. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 24 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Folashade Soulé-Kohndou) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/folashade-soule-poJRZpCW Several countries are vying for the African continent’s attention. While there has been considerable attention on China’s and India’s motives and interests, Russia, Germany, France, the UK, Turkey, Japan, South Korea and Middle Eastern countries are all trying to increase their footprint on the continent. 

An important first step for many of these countries is to organize a summit – a major gathering of leaders and other high-level officials to discuss how African countries can further strengthen trade and diplomatic relations with this one country hosting the summit. The goal of these events is basically to promote the idea of achieving win-win outcomes for all involved parties. 

This growth in so-called Africa plus 1 summit diplomacy has generated renewed interest in better understanding the growing competition among major world powers on the continent. But in trying to explain this growing interest in strengthening relations with African countries, there is often a tendency to downplay the role and influence of African countries in setting the agenda of these high-profile events, and how African leaders articulate their needs and interests. 

My guest this week argues that we really need to better understand the motives behind the increased engagement in ‘Africa + 1’ summitry by African politicians and bureaucrats.Indeed, rather than viewing these individuals as passive participants, we must recognize the numerous ways in which such summits and other high-level platforms that involve the continent, offer opportunities for African leaders to express and exert agency in both symbolic and substantial ways.

Dr Folashadé Soulé is a Senior Research Associate at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She studies agency in Africa’s international relations and the politics of South-South cooperation. She is also the initiator of the Africa-China negotiation workshop series, which brings together African negotiators and senior policymakers to exchange and build better negotiation practices when dealing with China. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Summit diplomacy and African agency — Folashadé Soulé Dan Banik, Folashade Soulé-Kohndou 01:03:34 Dan Banik speaks with Folashadé Soulé on why some high-level summits are more attractive to African leaders than others, the characteristic features of South-South Cooperation that may help policymakers claim back economic policy space and how African policymakers can negotiate better deals with China. Dan Banik speaks with Folashadé Soulé on why some high-level summits are more attractive to African leaders than others, the characteristic features of South-South Cooperation that may help policymakers claim back economic policy space and how African policymakers can negotiate better deals with China. south-south cooperation, uk-africa summit, china-africa summit, russia-africa summit, kenya, japan, togo, senegal, egypt, india, south korea, guinea, france, infrastructure, chinese exim bank, south africa, china, russia, benin, turkey, focac, paul kagame, european union, ethiopia, non-aligned movement, morocco, negotiations, rwanda, gabon, united states, africa+1 summit, ghana, cameroon, uk, policy space, bretton woods institutions, mali false full 10 2 ddb3ffd2-d2e9-4609-b789-82c5abf9155d India-Africa relations — Renu Modi While a considerable amount of world attention is focused on China’s commanding presence on the African continent and the impact of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, India’s activities in Africa have received limited attention. This is indeed surprising because India has an over 2000-year presence on the continent and India-Africa relations have witnessed a major upsurge in recent years.

In its relations with African countries, India frequently highlights the economic and philanthropic contributions of the Indian diaspora, Indo-African partnership in the post-colonial period, and solidarity with and support for the Non-Aligned Movement and the fight against racism. It also often highlights Mahatma Gandhi’s role in fighting oppression in South Africa and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s active international lobbying efforts for African independence.

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in 2018, New Delhi signed numerous bilateral agreements and outlined ten guiding principles for a renewed engagement with African countries. New Delhi has also, in recent years, stepped up its diplomatic presence and outreach in Africa by announcing new missions and is prioritizing the training of its foreign services personnel in French and Portuguese. 

India’s diverse and deep historical footprint in Africa has been somewhat different to that of other powers and only in recent decades has the country moved from idealism to pragmatism and the explicit pursuit of commercial interests.

Renu Modi is a Professor at the University of Mumbai and Director of the University’s Centre for African Studies. 

Dan Banik and In Pursuit of Development on Twitter

 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 17 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Renu Modi, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/renu-modi-7dgsWlqg While a considerable amount of world attention is focused on China’s commanding presence on the African continent and the impact of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, India’s activities in Africa have received limited attention. This is indeed surprising because India has an over 2000-year presence on the continent and India-Africa relations have witnessed a major upsurge in recent years.

In its relations with African countries, India frequently highlights the economic and philanthropic contributions of the Indian diaspora, Indo-African partnership in the post-colonial period, and solidarity with and support for the Non-Aligned Movement and the fight against racism. It also often highlights Mahatma Gandhi’s role in fighting oppression in South Africa and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s active international lobbying efforts for African independence.

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in 2018, New Delhi signed numerous bilateral agreements and outlined ten guiding principles for a renewed engagement with African countries. New Delhi has also, in recent years, stepped up its diplomatic presence and outreach in Africa by announcing new missions and is prioritizing the training of its foreign services personnel in French and Portuguese. 

India’s diverse and deep historical footprint in Africa has been somewhat different to that of other powers and only in recent decades has the country moved from idealism to pragmatism and the explicit pursuit of commercial interests.

Renu Modi is a Professor at the University of Mumbai and Director of the University’s Centre for African Studies. 

Dan Banik and In Pursuit of Development on Twitter

 

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]]> India-Africa relations — Renu Modi Renu Modi, Dan Banik 01:07:45 Dan Banik speaks with Renu Modi on India’s version of South-South Cooperation, the role and contribution of the Indian diaspora and the impact of Indian activities on health and food security on the African continent. Dan Banik speaks with Renu Modi on India’s version of South-South Cooperation, the role and contribution of the Indian diaspora and the impact of Indian activities on health and food security on the African continent. soft power, digital revolution, vaccine maitri, south-south cooperation, kenya, development aid, pharmaceutical industry, capacity building, senegal, health, india, serum institute, mahatma gandhi, infrastructure, south africa, china, agriculture, tele-education, malawi, vaccine distribution, tele-medicine, e-health, indian diaspora, food security, narendra modi, tanzania, ghana, india-africa forum summits, pan-african e-network false full 9 2 2d5c95e9-209d-44e2-a87a-6c74fd936950 Corruption and political settlements — Mushtaq Khan One of the dominant explanations for elusive development in many parts of the world is the negative role played by corruption in the development process. And many national and local governments as well as international aid agencies have spent considerable time and resources trying to come up with plans to combat the corruption menace. But anti-corruption policy has often been difficult to implement and many well-intentioned efforts have had limited impact. 

Despite the challenges associated with researching the phenomenon, corruption has attracted considerable academic interest over the years. And one of the leading thinkers on anti-corruption, governance and economic development is my guest this week. Mushtaq Khan is a professor of economics at SOAS, University of London where he directs the Anti-Corruption Research Consortium (ACE).

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Mushtaq Khan, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mushtaq-khan-3XPXxyYl One of the dominant explanations for elusive development in many parts of the world is the negative role played by corruption in the development process. And many national and local governments as well as international aid agencies have spent considerable time and resources trying to come up with plans to combat the corruption menace. But anti-corruption policy has often been difficult to implement and many well-intentioned efforts have had limited impact. 

Despite the challenges associated with researching the phenomenon, corruption has attracted considerable academic interest over the years. And one of the leading thinkers on anti-corruption, governance and economic development is my guest this week. Mushtaq Khan is a professor of economics at SOAS, University of London where he directs the Anti-Corruption Research Consortium (ACE).

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Corruption and political settlements — Mushtaq Khan Mushtaq Khan, Dan Banik 01:10:49 Dan Banik speaks with Mushtaq Khan on whether definitions of corruption matter, the relationship between corruption and economic performance, and the impact of efforts to combat corruption in Bangladesh. Dan Banik speaks with Mushtaq Khan on whether definitions of corruption matter, the relationship between corruption and economic performance, and the impact of efforts to combat corruption in Bangladesh. padma bridge, rent-seeking behavior, bangladesh, india, south korea, world bank, china, garment industry, corruption, yuen yuen ang, university of london, profit-sharing corruption, theft, skills training, nepotism, samuel huntington, climate change, fraud, nigeria, textile industry, political settlements, bribe, soas false full 8 2 a8def682-8aba-4f5e-ba1e-f3a97f9675af The impact of the sustainable development concept — Frank Biermann Since its inception in the international development discourse in the late 1980s, sustainable development has often been celebrated for its rhetorical appeal to political correctness. But is it a useful tool for global development?

The idea of “sustainable development” has not only acquired new layers of meaning over the years but has in many ways witnessed a rejuvenation since 2015 following the adoption by world leaders of the 2030 Agenda and its accompanying 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs – grouped under overarching themes of people, planet, dignity, prosperity, justice and partnership – have been widely praised for a strong articulation of an environmental dimension, in addition to breaking new ground with global goals on inequality, economic growth, energy, and peace. 

Despite being imperfect and highly ambitious, the SDGs are the result of a comprehensive participatory process, unparalleled in the history of global development. Indeed, while its predecessor – the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – focused exclusively on low-income countries, the SDGs encompass a much broader agenda that applies to all countries. 

By closely linking “sustainability” with “development” through the principles of “universality”, “integration” and “leave no one behind”, the 2030 Agenda has been much celebrated in activist, business and policy circles as a means to stimulate a radical shift in world affairs. But the SDGs have also been criticized for their unrealistic ambitions and lack of focus. 

The world was already off-track in achieving many of the SDGs before Covid struck. And now there are major concerns over the extent to which these ambitious global goals can be achieved in the next 9 years. 

Frank Biermann is a professor of Global Sustainability Governance at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. Frank is a leading scholar of global institutions and organizations in the sustainability domain. In addition to being a prolific writer, he pioneered the ‘earth system’ governance paradigm in 2005 and was the founder and first chair (2008-2018) of the Earth System Governance Project, a leading global transdisciplinary research network of sustainability scholars.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 3 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Frank Biermann) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/frank-biermann-UIzATA5G Since its inception in the international development discourse in the late 1980s, sustainable development has often been celebrated for its rhetorical appeal to political correctness. But is it a useful tool for global development?

The idea of “sustainable development” has not only acquired new layers of meaning over the years but has in many ways witnessed a rejuvenation since 2015 following the adoption by world leaders of the 2030 Agenda and its accompanying 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs – grouped under overarching themes of people, planet, dignity, prosperity, justice and partnership – have been widely praised for a strong articulation of an environmental dimension, in addition to breaking new ground with global goals on inequality, economic growth, energy, and peace. 

Despite being imperfect and highly ambitious, the SDGs are the result of a comprehensive participatory process, unparalleled in the history of global development. Indeed, while its predecessor – the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – focused exclusively on low-income countries, the SDGs encompass a much broader agenda that applies to all countries. 

By closely linking “sustainability” with “development” through the principles of “universality”, “integration” and “leave no one behind”, the 2030 Agenda has been much celebrated in activist, business and policy circles as a means to stimulate a radical shift in world affairs. But the SDGs have also been criticized for their unrealistic ambitions and lack of focus. 

The world was already off-track in achieving many of the SDGs before Covid struck. And now there are major concerns over the extent to which these ambitious global goals can be achieved in the next 9 years. 

Frank Biermann is a professor of Global Sustainability Governance at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. Frank is a leading scholar of global institutions and organizations in the sustainability domain. In addition to being a prolific writer, he pioneered the ‘earth system’ governance paradigm in 2005 and was the founder and first chair (2008-2018) of the Earth System Governance Project, a leading global transdisciplinary research network of sustainability scholars.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The impact of the sustainable development concept — Frank Biermann Dan Banik, Frank Biermann 01:05:18 Dan Banik speaks with Frank Biermann on the novelty of the SDGs, goal setting as a global governance strategy, political interest and enthusiasm for the sustainable development concept and what constitutes earth system governance. Dan Banik speaks with Frank Biermann on the novelty of the SDGs, goal setting as a global governance strategy, political interest and enthusiasm for the sustainable development concept and what constitutes earth system governance. summit diplomacy, high level political forum, hunger, environmental policy, environmentalism, 2030 agenda, brundtland commission, sustainability, degrowth movement, covid vaccine, institutional reform, european union, our common future, un reforms, gro harlem brundtland, earth system governance, rio earth summit, goalsetting, covid-19, sdg 10, un convention on climate change, climate change, 1972 stockholm conference, mdgs, sdgs, inequality, sustainable development, sdg 13, global governance, utrecht university, business and the sdgs false full 7 2 2ce0432d-0250-4ef7-900c-590a8c552ad8 The future of aid — Jonathan Glennie International public finance, that is required to address global challenges in the decades to come, is woefully inadequate. And rather than aid, which offers an obsolete approach, we should be talking about joint investments – or as my guest this week puts it, Global Public Investment (GPI).

In his recent book, The Future of Aid: Global Public Investment, Jonathan Glennie urges us to move away from the patronizing and outdated aid narrative. 

For starters, he points to the ambitious SDGs and the need for more money to achieve these goals in the years ahead. Domestic resources, he argues, is insufficient to address the challenges the world currently faces and will face in the years ahead. What we must do, he argues, is to turn around the donor-recipient relationship and encourage even the poorest countries to contribute 0.7 % of their GNI to international development. This would in turn require a transformational governance structure where everyone sits around the table – a structure that mitigates the fact that some countries have more money and contribute more than others.

Jonathan Glennie is a writer and campaigner on human rights, international cooperation, sustainable development and poverty. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Jonathan Glennie, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/jonathan-glennie-6UrTsfbc International public finance, that is required to address global challenges in the decades to come, is woefully inadequate. And rather than aid, which offers an obsolete approach, we should be talking about joint investments – or as my guest this week puts it, Global Public Investment (GPI).

In his recent book, The Future of Aid: Global Public Investment, Jonathan Glennie urges us to move away from the patronizing and outdated aid narrative. 

For starters, he points to the ambitious SDGs and the need for more money to achieve these goals in the years ahead. Domestic resources, he argues, is insufficient to address the challenges the world currently faces and will face in the years ahead. What we must do, he argues, is to turn around the donor-recipient relationship and encourage even the poorest countries to contribute 0.7 % of their GNI to international development. This would in turn require a transformational governance structure where everyone sits around the table – a structure that mitigates the fact that some countries have more money and contribute more than others.

Jonathan Glennie is a writer and campaigner on human rights, international cooperation, sustainable development and poverty. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The future of aid — Jonathan Glennie Jonathan Glennie, Dan Banik 01:02:16 Dan Banik speaks with Jonathan Glennie on whether "aid" has reached its expiry date and the characteristic features of Global Public Investment (GPI) for sustainable development. Dan Banik speaks with Jonathan Glennie on whether "aid" has reached its expiry date and the characteristic features of Global Public Investment (GPI) for sustainable development. south-south cooperation, exclusion, vietnam, power, sweden, norad, india, poland, south africa, china, vaccine diplomacy, aid, norway, european union, denmark, oda, bolivia, united states, nigeria, mdgs, sdgs, ghana, spain, uk, united nations, sustainable development, netherlands, colombia, uruguay false full 6 2 828dbaca-c002-4a77-aeef-24a29a86e4c8 Vaccine nationalism and vaccine equity — Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée I was recently made aware of the fact that 10 wealthy countries have monopolized 75% of all vaccinations delivered worldwide. This has led the United Nations to sharply criticize the world’s wealthy countries for hogging Covid vaccines. In light of growing vaccine nationalism, many voices have for long been calling for global sharing of vaccines. But it turns out 130 countries have not received a single dose of a Covid vaccine. Thus, we are at a critical moment when vaccine equity appears to be the biggest moral test before the global community.

Indeed, numerous recent opinion pieces in the media have highlighted how vaccine nationalism – driven by power and competition between states aimed at protecting the national interest – has several negative consequences for low-income countries. A few days ago, Kenya petitioned the UN Security Council to urge wealthy countries not to hoard surplus Covid-19 vaccine supplies, adding its voice to calls for global production to be shared more equally.

Without equal access to vaccines, public-health experts have warned that the pandemic could continue to live on residually for years on end, resulting in more deaths and further economic collapse. When the virus remains endemic somewhere, it will continue to pose a threat everywhere.

But there are also some promising initiatives currently underway. One of these is the COVAX Initiative – the drive to ensure that vaccines reach low-income countries – which the World Health Organization and countries like Norway have been promoting as the fastest way to end the pandemic. But how effective has it been thus far? And are countries being generous in allocating resources to this Initiative?

To discuss vaccine nationalism, the merits of the COVAX Initiative and vaccine diplomacy being carried out by China and India, I am joined by Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée, who is working on a PhD in political science and is based at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Over the years, he has worked extensively on global health governance and global cooperation to manage dangerous disease outbreaks such as Ebola. He has been particularly active in the media of late in pointing out the dangers of vaccine nationalism.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 20 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/vaccine-nationalism-vNeuEPng I was recently made aware of the fact that 10 wealthy countries have monopolized 75% of all vaccinations delivered worldwide. This has led the United Nations to sharply criticize the world’s wealthy countries for hogging Covid vaccines. In light of growing vaccine nationalism, many voices have for long been calling for global sharing of vaccines. But it turns out 130 countries have not received a single dose of a Covid vaccine. Thus, we are at a critical moment when vaccine equity appears to be the biggest moral test before the global community.

Indeed, numerous recent opinion pieces in the media have highlighted how vaccine nationalism – driven by power and competition between states aimed at protecting the national interest – has several negative consequences for low-income countries. A few days ago, Kenya petitioned the UN Security Council to urge wealthy countries not to hoard surplus Covid-19 vaccine supplies, adding its voice to calls for global production to be shared more equally.

Without equal access to vaccines, public-health experts have warned that the pandemic could continue to live on residually for years on end, resulting in more deaths and further economic collapse. When the virus remains endemic somewhere, it will continue to pose a threat everywhere.

But there are also some promising initiatives currently underway. One of these is the COVAX Initiative – the drive to ensure that vaccines reach low-income countries – which the World Health Organization and countries like Norway have been promoting as the fastest way to end the pandemic. But how effective has it been thus far? And are countries being generous in allocating resources to this Initiative?

To discuss vaccine nationalism, the merits of the COVAX Initiative and vaccine diplomacy being carried out by China and India, I am joined by Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée, who is working on a PhD in political science and is based at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Over the years, he has worked extensively on global health governance and global cooperation to manage dangerous disease outbreaks such as Ebola. He has been particularly active in the media of late in pointing out the dangers of vaccine nationalism.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Vaccine nationalism and vaccine equity — Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée, Dan Banik 00:30:08 Dan Banik speaks with Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée on vaccine nationalism, vaccine diplomacy and the merits of the COVAX Initiative. Dan Banik speaks with Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée on vaccine nationalism, vaccine diplomacy and the merits of the COVAX Initiative. who, eu, kenya, pharmaceutical industry, india, vaccine equity, covax, china, un security council, norway, vaccine protectionism, united states, vaccine nationalism, united nations false bonus 2 fc2d9bcf-6e02-4f93-8f3c-762c9c91da29 Knowledge production and network-building in China’s foreign relations — Lina Benabdallah Within international relations theory and foreign policy circles, there is considerable interest in understanding China’s rise to power. In an exciting new book, my guest argues that China’s various types of encounters with countries in the Global South are very different from the behaviour and investment strategies of the US and European countries. 

In Shaping the future of power: Knowledge Production and network-building in China-Africa Relations, Lina Benabdallah explores the integrated roles of social relations, knowledge production and power in China’s foreign relations. 

She argues that it is simply not enough to look at the amount of loans, aid and foreign direct investments originating from China. While these material factors are important, we mustn’t ignore the investments made in people-to-people relations and human resource development in China-Africa relations. Indeed, relations and relationality are central to China’s foreign policy and diplomatic conduct. 

In the book, Lina examines how China deploys social capital and relational productive power on the African continent through knowledge production via human resource development and professionalization programs. Chinese investments in human resource development, she argues, expand Beijing’s network of connections with military officers, civil servants, journalists and regular citizens. They also act as spaces for expert knowledge production, and norm diffusion.

Lina Benabdallah is an assistant professor of politics and international affairs at Wake Forest University in the United States. We discussed how China brands its model of development in Africa, the broad categories of knowledge production and network building activities, and whether African countries have much say in how these relations are conducted.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Lina Benabdallah) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/lina-benabdallah-kLKT0nd3 Within international relations theory and foreign policy circles, there is considerable interest in understanding China’s rise to power. In an exciting new book, my guest argues that China’s various types of encounters with countries in the Global South are very different from the behaviour and investment strategies of the US and European countries. 

In Shaping the future of power: Knowledge Production and network-building in China-Africa Relations, Lina Benabdallah explores the integrated roles of social relations, knowledge production and power in China’s foreign relations. 

She argues that it is simply not enough to look at the amount of loans, aid and foreign direct investments originating from China. While these material factors are important, we mustn’t ignore the investments made in people-to-people relations and human resource development in China-Africa relations. Indeed, relations and relationality are central to China’s foreign policy and diplomatic conduct. 

In the book, Lina examines how China deploys social capital and relational productive power on the African continent through knowledge production via human resource development and professionalization programs. Chinese investments in human resource development, she argues, expand Beijing’s network of connections with military officers, civil servants, journalists and regular citizens. They also act as spaces for expert knowledge production, and norm diffusion.

Lina Benabdallah is an assistant professor of politics and international affairs at Wake Forest University in the United States. We discussed how China brands its model of development in Africa, the broad categories of knowledge production and network building activities, and whether African countries have much say in how these relations are conducted.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Knowledge production and network-building in China’s foreign relations — Lina Benabdallah Dan Banik, Lina Benabdallah 01:00:04 Dan Banik speaks with Lina Benabdallah on how China brands its model of development, the types of knowledge production and network building activities it undertakes, and whether African countries have much say in how China-Africa relations are conducted. Dan Banik speaks with Lina Benabdallah on how China brands its model of development, the types of knowledge production and network building activities it undertakes, and whether African countries have much say in how China-Africa relations are conducted. soft power, wto, kenya, taiwan, standard gauge railway, student scholarships, algeria, xi jinping, agricultural demonstration centres, south sudan, guanxi, china, china-africa relations, focac, south china sea, malawi, shenzhen, ethiopia, workshops, knowledge production, non-interference, united states, zambia, confucius institutes, social relations, djibouti, mali false full 5 2 daba4635-905b-4d67-ac1b-f945d5329844 How to distribute a Covid-19 vaccine ethically — Aksel Braanen Sterri As Covid vaccines become available, health officials, policymakers, philanthropic organizations and people like you and me are being confronted with numerous ethical challenges and moral dilemmas. Who should get the vaccines first and how long should others wait? What about the inequality of access to vaccines between countries?

Some of us may agree that rich countries have a moral responsibility to subsidize vaccination programs around the world. But how best can this be achieved? And what types of principles such as fairness, equity, effectiveness and reciprocity should we apply?

To discuss these issues, I am joined by Aksel Braanen Sterri, a Norwegian political scientist and philosopher who has recently argued that Norway should donate all its vaccines to low-income countries, and that Norway should be at the back of the vaccine queue rather than being in front. He also claims that helping these more needy countries ought to be viewed as an investment in our common future rather than an act of charity. 

Aksel recently completed a PhD in philosophy and teaches applied ethics at the University of Oslo. In addition to being a postdoctoral fellow, he writes a column in an influential Norwegian daily and is a regular contributor to the Norwegian public debate on a wide range of social and political issues.

We discussed the role of philosophers in addressing current global challenges, the various proposals currently doing the rounds on how best the world can distribute Covid vaccines, why Norway and other rich countries ought to subsidise or donate vaccines to more needy countries and groups and what constitutes vaccine justice.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 13 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Aksel Braanen Sterri, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/aksel-sterri-87zZ0Ths As Covid vaccines become available, health officials, policymakers, philanthropic organizations and people like you and me are being confronted with numerous ethical challenges and moral dilemmas. Who should get the vaccines first and how long should others wait? What about the inequality of access to vaccines between countries?

Some of us may agree that rich countries have a moral responsibility to subsidize vaccination programs around the world. But how best can this be achieved? And what types of principles such as fairness, equity, effectiveness and reciprocity should we apply?

To discuss these issues, I am joined by Aksel Braanen Sterri, a Norwegian political scientist and philosopher who has recently argued that Norway should donate all its vaccines to low-income countries, and that Norway should be at the back of the vaccine queue rather than being in front. He also claims that helping these more needy countries ought to be viewed as an investment in our common future rather than an act of charity. 

Aksel recently completed a PhD in philosophy and teaches applied ethics at the University of Oslo. In addition to being a postdoctoral fellow, he writes a column in an influential Norwegian daily and is a regular contributor to the Norwegian public debate on a wide range of social and political issues.

We discussed the role of philosophers in addressing current global challenges, the various proposals currently doing the rounds on how best the world can distribute Covid vaccines, why Norway and other rich countries ought to subsidise or donate vaccines to more needy countries and groups and what constitutes vaccine justice.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How to distribute a Covid-19 vaccine ethically — Aksel Braanen Sterri Aksel Braanen Sterri, Dan Banik 00:36:30 Dan Banik speaks with Aksel Braanen Sterri on vaccine justice and why Norway and other rich countries ought to donate their share of vaccines to more needy countries. Dan Banik speaks with Aksel Braanen Sterri on vaccine justice and why Norway and other rich countries ought to donate their share of vaccines to more needy countries. peter singer, foreign aid, reciprocity, equity, consequentialism, covax, garrett hardin, norway, world hunger, united kingdom, covid-19, united states, effective altruism, vaccine justice, lifeboat ethics, vaccine nationalism, moral responsbility, fairness false bonus 2 3f0998c3-a07a-4a9c-a21c-586ef0f8c45e How India became the "pharmacy of the world" — Rory Horner One of the many ways in which India has expanded its influence in global affairs relates to pharmaceutical products. The Indian pharmaceutical sector has enthusiastically highlighted its ability to develop Triple A technology (affordable, available, adaptable). By encouraging research hubs and offering a steady supply of affordable drugs to many countries, including the United States, India has rapidly moved from being a pharmacy for low-income countries to becoming the “pharmacy of the world”. 

The country’s rapidly growing economy has been a major beneficiary of the astonishing rise of the domestic pharmaceutical industry. In becoming a powerhouse on low-cost generic drugs, India contributes actively to meeting global demands for vaccines, Over the Counter (OTC) medicines and patented drugs.

An important factor that has contributed to enhancing the reputation and profitability of Indian pharmaceutical companies abroad has been the government’s tough policy on patents, which has enabled Indian firms to manufacture generic versions of drugs that are much more expensive in countries where they were originally developed. 

But Indian companies also face numerous challenges in the export market. There is a growing demand to reduce costs even further. And several countries in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia are trying to protect and promote their domestic industries by introducing new regulations that make Indian imports more expensive. There are also concerns that India has become increasingly dependent on imports from China for so-called “active pharmaceutical ingredients” required for making both advanced and essential medicines.

To discuss India’s huge and thriving pharmaceutical industry and the country’s ability to supply affordable vaccines and generic drugs to low-income countries, I am joined by Rory Horner. He is a Senior Lecturer in Globalisation and Political Economy in the Global Development Institute at the University of Manchester. We began by discussing the role and impact of the pharmaceutical industry in global development. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Rory Horner) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/rory-horner-vJ9ygHDb One of the many ways in which India has expanded its influence in global affairs relates to pharmaceutical products. The Indian pharmaceutical sector has enthusiastically highlighted its ability to develop Triple A technology (affordable, available, adaptable). By encouraging research hubs and offering a steady supply of affordable drugs to many countries, including the United States, India has rapidly moved from being a pharmacy for low-income countries to becoming the “pharmacy of the world”. 

The country’s rapidly growing economy has been a major beneficiary of the astonishing rise of the domestic pharmaceutical industry. In becoming a powerhouse on low-cost generic drugs, India contributes actively to meeting global demands for vaccines, Over the Counter (OTC) medicines and patented drugs.

An important factor that has contributed to enhancing the reputation and profitability of Indian pharmaceutical companies abroad has been the government’s tough policy on patents, which has enabled Indian firms to manufacture generic versions of drugs that are much more expensive in countries where they were originally developed. 

But Indian companies also face numerous challenges in the export market. There is a growing demand to reduce costs even further. And several countries in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia are trying to protect and promote their domestic industries by introducing new regulations that make Indian imports more expensive. There are also concerns that India has become increasingly dependent on imports from China for so-called “active pharmaceutical ingredients” required for making both advanced and essential medicines.

To discuss India’s huge and thriving pharmaceutical industry and the country’s ability to supply affordable vaccines and generic drugs to low-income countries, I am joined by Rory Horner. He is a Senior Lecturer in Globalisation and Political Economy in the Global Development Institute at the University of Manchester. We began by discussing the role and impact of the pharmaceutical industry in global development. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How India became the "pharmacy of the world" — Rory Horner Dan Banik, Rory Horner 00:53:37 Dan Banik speaks with Rory Horner on the role and impact of the pharmaceutical industry in global development and the ability of India's huge and thriving pharmaceutical industry to supply affordable drugs and vaccines to low-income countries. Dan Banik speaks with Rory Horner on the role and impact of the pharmaceutical industry in global development and the ability of India's huge and thriving pharmaceutical industry to supply affordable drugs and vaccines to low-income countries. soft power, south-south cooperation, covid-19 vaccines, intellectual property rights, hyderabad, peter evans, gary gereffi, african union, india, medical tourism, donald trump, dependency theory, south africa, china, vaccine diplomacy, world trade organization, economic and political weekly, generic medicines, dr reddy’s laboratories, active pharmaceutical ingredients, vaccine nationalism, trips agreement, patents false full 4 2 88708fbe-119d-4a92-b296-6e4d8644d727 Political violence and development — Patricia Justino People living in areas prone to, or affected by, conflict tend to suffer from many types of deprivation. Some scholars argue that conflict is an important driver of severe food crises and famines, and that undernutrition worsens in situations of prolonged conflicts and in countries and regions with weak institutional capacity. In recent years, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Ethiopia are just some of the examples that have been used in the literature to illustrate the close linkages between social and political unrest on the one hand and poverty and hunger on the other.

But is there a clear-cut relationship between poverty and violent conflict? There appear to be numerous drivers of violence. These often include political, economic, social and envi­ronmental issues. While socio-eco­nomic inequalities can be a major cause of violence, other causes could include human rights abuses, perceived injustice, systemic corruption, and disagreements over the distribution of natural resources and who gets to benefit from such resources. 

To discuss some of these issues, I am joined by Patricia Justino who is a development economist and a leading expert on political violence and development. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Households in Conflict Network and is currently a Senior Research Fellow at UNU-WIDER and Professorial Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in Brighton, UK.

We discussed the relationship between poverty and violent conflict, the work of the World Food Programme which received the Nobel Peace Prize last year, and the political economy of war zones. We also discussed how the state or armed groups behave in predatory or conciliatory ways towards local populations, how civilians respond to these strategies, and how reports on political violence are produced and disseminated on social media. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Tue, 2 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Patricia Justino) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/patricia-justino-sf7vHqWe People living in areas prone to, or affected by, conflict tend to suffer from many types of deprivation. Some scholars argue that conflict is an important driver of severe food crises and famines, and that undernutrition worsens in situations of prolonged conflicts and in countries and regions with weak institutional capacity. In recent years, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Ethiopia are just some of the examples that have been used in the literature to illustrate the close linkages between social and political unrest on the one hand and poverty and hunger on the other.

But is there a clear-cut relationship between poverty and violent conflict? There appear to be numerous drivers of violence. These often include political, economic, social and envi­ronmental issues. While socio-eco­nomic inequalities can be a major cause of violence, other causes could include human rights abuses, perceived injustice, systemic corruption, and disagreements over the distribution of natural resources and who gets to benefit from such resources. 

To discuss some of these issues, I am joined by Patricia Justino who is a development economist and a leading expert on political violence and development. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Households in Conflict Network and is currently a Senior Research Fellow at UNU-WIDER and Professorial Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in Brighton, UK.

We discussed the relationship between poverty and violent conflict, the work of the World Food Programme which received the Nobel Peace Prize last year, and the political economy of war zones. We also discussed how the state or armed groups behave in predatory or conciliatory ways towards local populations, how civilians respond to these strategies, and how reports on political violence are produced and disseminated on social media. 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Political violence and development — Patricia Justino Dan Banik, Patricia Justino 00:55:27 Dan Banik speaks with Patricia Justino on the relationship between poverty and violent conflict, the political economy of war zones, and how reports on political violence are produced and disseminated on social media. Dan Banik speaks with Patricia Justino on the relationship between poverty and violent conflict, the political economy of war zones, and how reports on political violence are produced and disseminated on social media. burundi, social media, kenya, civil war, twitter, households in conflict network, world food program, journal of peace research, farc, nobel peace prize, tigray, sri lanka, war zones, ltte, rwanda, food security, colombia, darfur, cash transfers false full 3 2 51aef6c1-5613-4ac6-9bf0-2fdc2cb0274f Gro Harlem Brundtland on sustainable development, global responses to COVID-19 and the role of the WHO Our guest this week is Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former prime minister of Norway and former head of the World Health Organization. 

Gro has had an illustrious career in Norway and abroad. In addition to becoming the first female head of the Norwegian Labor party, she became the first female prime minister of Norway in February 1981. And during her second stint as Prime Minister in 1986, her cabinet made world news headlines when she appointed 8 female ministers in a cabinet of 18. 

In addition to being widely regarded as the most influential Norwegian politician of all time, Gro is also widely known for having chaired the World Commission on Environment and Development, popularly referred to as the Brundtland Commission. The Commission’s influential 1987 report, Our Common Future, popularized and defined the term “sustainable development”. 

She is also known for her work as Director General of the World Health Organization between 1998 and 2003, during which time she and the WHO coordinated a rapid worldwide response to stem outbreaks of SARS.

We discussed the world response to Covid, multilateralism and the role of UN agencies such as the WHO and the current status of the sustainable development discourse. 

A full transcript of our conversation is available.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Tue, 26 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Gro Harlem Brundtland) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gro-harlem-brundtland-W6R8QBNa Our guest this week is Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former prime minister of Norway and former head of the World Health Organization. 

Gro has had an illustrious career in Norway and abroad. In addition to becoming the first female head of the Norwegian Labor party, she became the first female prime minister of Norway in February 1981. And during her second stint as Prime Minister in 1986, her cabinet made world news headlines when she appointed 8 female ministers in a cabinet of 18. 

In addition to being widely regarded as the most influential Norwegian politician of all time, Gro is also widely known for having chaired the World Commission on Environment and Development, popularly referred to as the Brundtland Commission. The Commission’s influential 1987 report, Our Common Future, popularized and defined the term “sustainable development”. 

She is also known for her work as Director General of the World Health Organization between 1998 and 2003, during which time she and the WHO coordinated a rapid worldwide response to stem outbreaks of SARS.

We discussed the world response to Covid, multilateralism and the role of UN agencies such as the WHO and the current status of the sustainable development discourse. 

A full transcript of our conversation is available.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Gro Harlem Brundtland on sustainable development, global responses to COVID-19 and the role of the WHO Dan Banik, Gro Harlem Brundtland 00:46:25 Dan Banik speaks with Gro Harlem Brundtland on global responses to Covid-19, multilateralism and the role of UN agencies such as the WHO, and the current status of the sustainable development agenda. Dan Banik speaks with Gro Harlem Brundtland on global responses to Covid-19, multilateralism and the role of UN agencies such as the WHO, and the current status of the sustainable development agenda. who, italy, public health, sweden, donald trump, sars, china, world commission on environment and development, united nations reforms, norway, our common future, covid-19, united states, sdgs, spain, sustainable development, international health regulations, multilateralism false full 2 2 00882bb9-3d39-4a11-b102-33a04110f4f3 Political development and political decay — Francis Fukuyama Welcome to season 2 of the show!

Our first guest this season is Francis Fukuyama, one of the most influential political thinkers of our time and someone who has written extensively on international politics and issues of development. He is a senior fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies(FSI) and the director of the institute’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL),. 

This conversation was recorded in mid-December 2020 at the height of the controversies surrounding the US presidential election and President Trump’s refusal to acknowledge defeat. And while a new president will shortly be sworn in on the 20th of January, deep political divisions remain. It is therefore particularly useful and timely to revisit Fukuyama’s major two-volume work on the origins of political order and political decay. In these two fascinating books published in 2011 and 2014, he provides an account of how societies develop strong, impersonal, and accountable political institutions.

We also discussed his first book, The End of History and the Last Man (1992) and his latest, Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018).

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Francis Fukuyama, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/francis-fukuyama-a0TLphf2 Welcome to season 2 of the show!

Our first guest this season is Francis Fukuyama, one of the most influential political thinkers of our time and someone who has written extensively on international politics and issues of development. He is a senior fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies(FSI) and the director of the institute’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL),. 

This conversation was recorded in mid-December 2020 at the height of the controversies surrounding the US presidential election and President Trump’s refusal to acknowledge defeat. And while a new president will shortly be sworn in on the 20th of January, deep political divisions remain. It is therefore particularly useful and timely to revisit Fukuyama’s major two-volume work on the origins of political order and political decay. In these two fascinating books published in 2011 and 2014, he provides an account of how societies develop strong, impersonal, and accountable political institutions.

We also discussed his first book, The End of History and the Last Man (1992) and his latest, Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018).

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Political development and political decay — Francis Fukuyama Francis Fukuyama, Dan Banik 00:57:58 Dan Banik speaks with Francis Fukuyama on the dysfunction in U.S. politics, state building, democracy and development, and the rise of China. Dan Banik speaks with Francis Fukuyama on the dysfunction in U.S. politics, state building, democracy and development, and the rise of China. soft power, south-south cooperation, elite capture, hungary, end of history, modern state, democracy, india, peru, donald trump, poland, infrastructure, china, paris climate accords, china model, state capacity, corruption, turkey, democratic recession, argentina, political decay, united kingdom, samuel huntington, populism, bolivia, united states, identity politics, world health organization, joe biden, clash of civilizations, state building, bureaucracy, service delivery, global governance, multilateralism, leadership, nation building false full 1 2 e5f52b74-5ea4-4b14-be5b-0b6345baea1f Simmering political tensions and civil war in Ethiopia — Kjetil Tronvoll The focus of this final episode of season 1 is Ethiopia, where the ongoing conflict between the federal government in Addis and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front that controls the Tigray region, is making daily news headlines.

Ever since becoming the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2018, Abiy Ahmed has undertaken several bold reforms. He has also appointed women in key official positions and freed political prisoners. His efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular his efforts to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea resulted in him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. 

But there have also been critical voices within the country that have warned against an over-reliance on charisma and announcing major initiatives without adequate preparation and anticipation of potential consequences. Thus, despite the frenetic pace of change the country has witnessed since 2018, many Ethiopians have remained worried over growing income inequality, high levels of youth unemployment, and simmering tensions and factional battles within the ruling coalition. 

Ethiopia has been one of Africa’s fastest growing economies for the past decade and a half and there has been considerable talk of the country’s rise as potentially the only true “developmental state” in Africa. In addition to rapid economic growth, signature development projects such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have given rise to comparisons with East Asian successes such as South Korea and Taiwan. A country that typically made world headlines for abject poverty and sensational famines, is now considered to be one of the most promising economies on the continent. Ethiopia is also a major contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, which has strengthened its identity as an important security provider externally while at the same time guaranteeing peace and stability for international investors within the country. 

But the country has also continued to face major obstacles such as its conflict with Egypt over water-sharing agreements, the viability of democratic reforms, and the future of its federal political setup. 

And now there are widespread fears that a civil war will not only spread and exacerbate ethnic tensions within the country but also destabilise the Horn of Africa. 

My guest on the show today is Kjetil Tronvoll, who is a well-known Ethiopia expert and is a professor of Peace and Conflict studies at Bjorknes University College in Norway.

He has undertaken long-term fieldwork in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Zanzibar, in addition to shorter field studies many countries on the African continent. In addition to publishing extensively on human rights, transitional justice, elections and peace, reconciliation and conflict, Kjetil has served as an advisor to political reconciliation processes and international peace meditating initiatives. He has also participated in election observer missions in several African countries. 

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Kjetil Tronvoll) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kjetil-tronvoll-ZdcBJbQs The focus of this final episode of season 1 is Ethiopia, where the ongoing conflict between the federal government in Addis and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front that controls the Tigray region, is making daily news headlines.

Ever since becoming the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2018, Abiy Ahmed has undertaken several bold reforms. He has also appointed women in key official positions and freed political prisoners. His efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular his efforts to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea resulted in him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. 

But there have also been critical voices within the country that have warned against an over-reliance on charisma and announcing major initiatives without adequate preparation and anticipation of potential consequences. Thus, despite the frenetic pace of change the country has witnessed since 2018, many Ethiopians have remained worried over growing income inequality, high levels of youth unemployment, and simmering tensions and factional battles within the ruling coalition. 

Ethiopia has been one of Africa’s fastest growing economies for the past decade and a half and there has been considerable talk of the country’s rise as potentially the only true “developmental state” in Africa. In addition to rapid economic growth, signature development projects such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have given rise to comparisons with East Asian successes such as South Korea and Taiwan. A country that typically made world headlines for abject poverty and sensational famines, is now considered to be one of the most promising economies on the continent. Ethiopia is also a major contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, which has strengthened its identity as an important security provider externally while at the same time guaranteeing peace and stability for international investors within the country. 

But the country has also continued to face major obstacles such as its conflict with Egypt over water-sharing agreements, the viability of democratic reforms, and the future of its federal political setup. 

And now there are widespread fears that a civil war will not only spread and exacerbate ethnic tensions within the country but also destabilise the Horn of Africa. 

My guest on the show today is Kjetil Tronvoll, who is a well-known Ethiopia expert and is a professor of Peace and Conflict studies at Bjorknes University College in Norway.

He has undertaken long-term fieldwork in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Zanzibar, in addition to shorter field studies many countries on the African continent. In addition to publishing extensively on human rights, transitional justice, elections and peace, reconciliation and conflict, Kjetil has served as an advisor to political reconciliation processes and international peace meditating initiatives. He has also participated in election observer missions in several African countries. 

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Simmering political tensions and civil war in Ethiopia — Kjetil Tronvoll Dan Banik, Kjetil Tronvoll 01:06:37 Dan Banik speaks with Kjetil Tronvoll on political unrest and development in Ethiopia. Dan Banik speaks with Kjetil Tronvoll on political unrest and development in Ethiopia. meles zenawi, elections, civil war, african union, amhara, grand ethiopian renaissance dam, isaias afwerki, oromo democratic party, tigray, ethiopia, prosperity party, oromia, abiy ahmed, developmental state, medemer, hailemariam desalegn, ethiopian people’s revolutionary democratic front (eprdf), eritrea, tigrayan people’s liberation front (tplf), nobel peace prize 2019, derg false full 28 1 a3d5d2b0-1972-4e4b-9798-ac224bb7a56d Economic boom, poverty reduction and corruption in China — Yuen Yuen Ang China has not only achieved impressive economic growth in recent decades, but has also managed to lift hundreds of millions people out of poverty. How was this possible? What role did Chinese institutions, leaders and bureaucrats play in achieving this impressive result? And how and why China has managed to grow so fast for so long despite pervasive corruption?

Yuen Yuen Ang is a professor of political science and an expert on China at the University of Michigan. 

She has written two award-winning books.

In her first book, How China Escaped the Poverty Trap (2016), she explains how policymakers in China were able to design national reform packages and were thus able to create an adaptive environment around the bureaucracy. Local governments also played a key role in achieving poverty reduction. Yuen argues that China’s rise was not the result of top-down control, but rather of so-called “directed improvisation” within a single-party regime.

Yuen's most recent book is China’s Gilded Age: the Paradox of Economic Boom & Vast Corruption (2020), where she challenges the conventional wisdom that rich countries became rich by first eradicating corruption. She argues that dominant type of corruption in China is not petty bribery or outright looting but access money – that is elite exchanges of power and wealth. 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 11 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Yuen Yuen Ang) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/yuen-yuen-ang-DffcGTUz China has not only achieved impressive economic growth in recent decades, but has also managed to lift hundreds of millions people out of poverty. How was this possible? What role did Chinese institutions, leaders and bureaucrats play in achieving this impressive result? And how and why China has managed to grow so fast for so long despite pervasive corruption?

Yuen Yuen Ang is a professor of political science and an expert on China at the University of Michigan. 

She has written two award-winning books.

In her first book, How China Escaped the Poverty Trap (2016), she explains how policymakers in China were able to design national reform packages and were thus able to create an adaptive environment around the bureaucracy. Local governments also played a key role in achieving poverty reduction. Yuen argues that China’s rise was not the result of top-down control, but rather of so-called “directed improvisation” within a single-party regime.

Yuen's most recent book is China’s Gilded Age: the Paradox of Economic Boom & Vast Corruption (2020), where she challenges the conventional wisdom that rich countries became rich by first eradicating corruption. She argues that dominant type of corruption in China is not petty bribery or outright looting but access money – that is elite exchanges of power and wealth. 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Economic boom, poverty reduction and corruption in China — Yuen Yuen Ang Dan Banik, Yuen Yuen Ang 01:02:08 Dan Banik speaks with Yuen Yuen Ang on how China achieved impressive economic growth and poverty reduction. Dan Banik speaks with Yuen Yuen Ang on how China achieved impressive economic growth and poverty reduction. weberian bureaucracies, japan, profit-sharing, singapore, india, war on corruption, speed money, bribery, south korea, crony capitalism, china, economic growth, poverty reduction, corruption, theft, developmental state, bureaucracy, public administration, reforms, the chinese bureaucracy, access money, directed improvisation false full 27 1 5d29df25-839c-4d4a-8df8-cb1cb9660732 The impact of democracy on economic growth — Carl Henrik Knutsen Some of the most interesting debates on development include the role of democracy in promoting economic growth and then distributing the benefits of growth to achieve poverty reduction. Indeed, some of the questions that have attracted considerably scholarly attention in recent decades include the following: Are certain regimes better able and equipped than others to achieve economic growth? Does democracy work for the poor? 

Despite considerable research on the topic, the results of the democracy-growth relationship are not always very clear. But there does appear to be stronger linkages between democracy and certain types of development outcomes, including literacy and infant mortality.

Guest: Carl Henrik Knutsen is a professor of political science at the University of Oslo. He has for many years studied the democracy-growth linkage and has published extensively on this subject. In a recent piece called the “Business case for democracy”, he argues that democracy works as a safety-net for avoiding the worst possible economic outcomes. And in relation to economic growth, he argues that autocracies have more variation — over countries and across time. 

Resources:

Follow Carl Henrik Knutsen on Twitter
Follow Dan Banik and In Pursuit of Development on Twitter

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 4 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Carl Henrik Knutsen) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/carl-henrik-knutsen-fiwiUH01 Some of the most interesting debates on development include the role of democracy in promoting economic growth and then distributing the benefits of growth to achieve poverty reduction. Indeed, some of the questions that have attracted considerably scholarly attention in recent decades include the following: Are certain regimes better able and equipped than others to achieve economic growth? Does democracy work for the poor? 

Despite considerable research on the topic, the results of the democracy-growth relationship are not always very clear. But there does appear to be stronger linkages between democracy and certain types of development outcomes, including literacy and infant mortality.

Guest: Carl Henrik Knutsen is a professor of political science at the University of Oslo. He has for many years studied the democracy-growth linkage and has published extensively on this subject. In a recent piece called the “Business case for democracy”, he argues that democracy works as a safety-net for avoiding the worst possible economic outcomes. And in relation to economic growth, he argues that autocracies have more variation — over countries and across time. 

Resources:

Follow Carl Henrik Knutsen on Twitter
Follow Dan Banik and In Pursuit of Development on Twitter

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> The impact of democracy on economic growth — Carl Henrik Knutsen Dan Banik, Carl Henrik Knutsen 00:55:48 Dan Banik speaks with Carl Henrik Knutsen on the relationship between democracy and economic growth. Dan Banik speaks with Carl Henrik Knutsen on the relationship between democracy and economic growth. infant mortality rates, amartya sen, elections, singapore, autocracies, fiscal policy, human development, democracy, south korea, china, economic growth, poverty reduction, electoral democracy, ethiopia, distributive policies, statistical modelling choices, literacy, rwanda, middle-income countries, inequality, pro-poor policies, institutional development, leadership, data quality false full 26 1 69ab9fa1-5fba-4488-93a6-1d8ce491326c Global inequality and the future of capitalism — Branko Milanovic Income inequality has received considerable attention in recent years. Very few would have predicted that a very thick academic book on wealth and income inequality in Europe and the United States since the 18th century would go on to become an international bestseller. I am of course referring to Capital in the Twenty-First Century– the book published by the French economist Thomas Piketty in 2013. 

Income inequality was rising in many countries before the pandemic, and recent reports suggest that the Covid crisis is widening inequalities globally. Indeed, the global economy, according to the International Monetary Fund, is expected to contract 4.4 percent cent in 2020. This is bad news for the world’s poor, whose numbers are expected to sharply increase. But Covid has also made the world’s richest even richer. A recent analysis by UBS concludes that the world’s billionaires have grown wealthier in 2020 compared with 2019. And this is not just in the United States or Germany but also in Brazil and China. Thus, the pandemic will most likely deepen inequalities of various kinds.

To discuss how global income inequality looks like today, I am joined by Branko Milanovic, one of the world’s most well-known scholars on inequality. He is a visiting presidential professor at The Graduate Center at the City University of New York, and a senior scholar at the University’s Stone Center on Socio-economic Inequality. 

Professor Milanovic has published extensively on income inequality, in individual countries and globally, including in preindustrial societies. For almost two decades, he served as the lead economist in the World Bank’s Research Department.

We discussed income inequality within specific countries and whether the gains of the emerging global middle class in Asia are responsible for the losses of the lower middle class of the rich world. We also spoke about Branko’s latest book, Capitalism Alone: The Future of the System That Rules the World (2019), in which he argues that for the first time in human history, the globe is dominated by one economic system – capitalism. So, what are the prospects for a fairer world now that capitalism is the only game in town?

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Branko Milanovic) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/branko-milanovic-1oV9X3Ly Income inequality has received considerable attention in recent years. Very few would have predicted that a very thick academic book on wealth and income inequality in Europe and the United States since the 18th century would go on to become an international bestseller. I am of course referring to Capital in the Twenty-First Century– the book published by the French economist Thomas Piketty in 2013. 

Income inequality was rising in many countries before the pandemic, and recent reports suggest that the Covid crisis is widening inequalities globally. Indeed, the global economy, according to the International Monetary Fund, is expected to contract 4.4 percent cent in 2020. This is bad news for the world’s poor, whose numbers are expected to sharply increase. But Covid has also made the world’s richest even richer. A recent analysis by UBS concludes that the world’s billionaires have grown wealthier in 2020 compared with 2019. And this is not just in the United States or Germany but also in Brazil and China. Thus, the pandemic will most likely deepen inequalities of various kinds.

To discuss how global income inequality looks like today, I am joined by Branko Milanovic, one of the world’s most well-known scholars on inequality. He is a visiting presidential professor at The Graduate Center at the City University of New York, and a senior scholar at the University’s Stone Center on Socio-economic Inequality. 

Professor Milanovic has published extensively on income inequality, in individual countries and globally, including in preindustrial societies. For almost two decades, he served as the lead economist in the World Bank’s Research Department.

We discussed income inequality within specific countries and whether the gains of the emerging global middle class in Asia are responsible for the losses of the lower middle class of the rich world. We also spoke about Branko’s latest book, Capitalism Alone: The Future of the System That Rules the World (2019), in which he argues that for the first time in human history, the globe is dominated by one economic system – capitalism. So, what are the prospects for a fairer world now that capitalism is the only game in town?

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> Global inequality and the future of capitalism — Branko Milanovic Dan Banik, Branko Milanovic 01:04:53 Dan Banik speaks with Branko Milanovic on the future of capitalism and income inequality between nations as well as within nations. Dan Banik speaks with Branko Milanovic on the future of capitalism and income inequality between nations as well as within nations. john rawls, equity, simon kuznets, universal basic income, education, citizenship rent, rule of law, democracy, india, capitalism, world bank, china, corruption, yuen yuen ang, belt and road initiative, norway, kuznets waves, wealth tax, covid, united states, political capitalism, welfare state, thomas piketty, inequality, migration, liberal meritocratic capitalism false full 25 1 3218ed96-1d65-47f1-aae3-a8f3e079b246 China-Africa relations — Eric Olander This show has been regularly discussing Beijing’s support for sustainable development initiatives, its provision of aid, technical expertise and finance to developing counties under the South-South Cooperation umbrella, and the numerous infrastructure projects that China is undertaking in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

A common goal in several of the episodes in this season of the podcast has been to nuance the understanding of China’s recent activities, better understand its motives and reflect on its future strategies and actions. Much of the recent focus in Western media reports on China has focused on the damage that Covid has done to Beijing’s reputation abroad. There have also been growing concerns on how Beijing will react to certain countries defaulting on the huge loans that it has provided for infrastructure construction. But not everyone shares such concerns. And indeed there are numerous voices that have highlighted Beijing’s support for multilateral institutions and its ability to finance and undertake major development projects that the West has long neglected. 

Guest: Eric Olander is the co-founder of the China Africa project, an independent multimedia organization that explores China’s engagement with Africa. He is a journalist with over three decades of experience reporting, producing and managing newsrooms for some of the world’s leading media organizations including CNN, and the BBC World Service. Eric speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has a Master’s degree in International Public Affairs with a focus on Chinese foreign policy from the University of Hong Kong. He also hosts a very popular weekly China in Africa podcast.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 21 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Eric Olander, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/eric-olander-_oP36p4t This show has been regularly discussing Beijing’s support for sustainable development initiatives, its provision of aid, technical expertise and finance to developing counties under the South-South Cooperation umbrella, and the numerous infrastructure projects that China is undertaking in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

A common goal in several of the episodes in this season of the podcast has been to nuance the understanding of China’s recent activities, better understand its motives and reflect on its future strategies and actions. Much of the recent focus in Western media reports on China has focused on the damage that Covid has done to Beijing’s reputation abroad. There have also been growing concerns on how Beijing will react to certain countries defaulting on the huge loans that it has provided for infrastructure construction. But not everyone shares such concerns. And indeed there are numerous voices that have highlighted Beijing’s support for multilateral institutions and its ability to finance and undertake major development projects that the West has long neglected. 

Guest: Eric Olander is the co-founder of the China Africa project, an independent multimedia organization that explores China’s engagement with Africa. He is a journalist with over three decades of experience reporting, producing and managing newsrooms for some of the world’s leading media organizations including CNN, and the BBC World Service. Eric speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has a Master’s degree in International Public Affairs with a focus on Chinese foreign policy from the University of Hong Kong. He also hosts a very popular weekly China in Africa podcast.

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> China-Africa relations — Eric Olander Eric Olander, Dan Banik 01:02:32 Dan Banik speaks with Eric Olander on China’s global image, the politics of a Chinese Covid vaccine, and the benefits and challenges associated with the ambitious Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya. Dan Banik speaks with Eric Olander on China’s global image, the politics of a Chinese Covid vaccine, and the benefits and challenges associated with the ambitious Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya. racism, pew survey, soft power, debt trap diplomacy, kenya, vietnam, standard gauge railway, pharmaceutical industry, xi jinping, india, covid vaccine, donald trump, infrastructure, china, european union, australia, clean energy, guangzhou, united states, world health organization, solar power, united nations false full 24 1 858f8ade-fe55-4a2c-a398-a216fca415a4 Food insecurity and the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 — Ida Rudolfsen The Nobel Peace Prize this year was awarded to the World Food Program (WFP). In its announcement, the Norwegian Nobel committee emphasized that “providing assistance to increase food security not only prevents hunger, but can also help to improve prospects for stability and peace”.

The WPF indeed appears to be a worthy winner of this prestigious award. It is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, and currently assists over 100 million people in 88 countries. It is also the frontline UN agency responding to emergencies caused by conflict, climate shocks, pandemics and other disasters. And currently it is involved in addressing ongoing emergencies in 20 countries or regions, the majority of these emergencies have been fuelled by conflict. It has also in recent months warned the international community that acute hunger in the 88 countries in which it operates could reach 270 million people by the end of the year — an 82 percent increase on 2019.

For many years, world hunger was on the decline. More food was being produced around the world and access was gradually improving. But since 2014, the number of undernourished people or people facing chronic food deprivation, has been on the rise. 

Latest estimates from the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN suggest that 9.7 percent of the world population (or slightly less than 750 million people) was exposed to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019. Indeed, in all regions of the world except Northern America and Europe, the prevalence of severe food insecurity has increased from 2014 to 2019. But even this is only a part of the story, because an additional 16 percent of the world population, or more than 1.25 billion people, experience food insecurity at moderate levels. And this group, which is moderately food insecure, does not have regular access to nutritious and sufficient food, even if they are not necessarily suffering from hunger. 

Some countries, such as Yemen, are on the edge of famine and Covid is making hunger even more acute in large parts of the world. So, the scale of the problem of world hunger is enormous, which makes this year’s Nobel Peace Prize even more relevant and timely.

According to several studies, conflict is an important driver of severe food crisis and famines, and undernutrition is particularly a major problem in situations of prolonged conflicts and in countries and regions with weak institutional capacity.

Guest: Ida Rudolfsen is a PhD student at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University. She is also affiliated with the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO). 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 17 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ida Rudolfsen, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/nobel-peace-prize-2020-E7Nm_52L The Nobel Peace Prize this year was awarded to the World Food Program (WFP). In its announcement, the Norwegian Nobel committee emphasized that “providing assistance to increase food security not only prevents hunger, but can also help to improve prospects for stability and peace”.

The WPF indeed appears to be a worthy winner of this prestigious award. It is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, and currently assists over 100 million people in 88 countries. It is also the frontline UN agency responding to emergencies caused by conflict, climate shocks, pandemics and other disasters. And currently it is involved in addressing ongoing emergencies in 20 countries or regions, the majority of these emergencies have been fuelled by conflict. It has also in recent months warned the international community that acute hunger in the 88 countries in which it operates could reach 270 million people by the end of the year — an 82 percent increase on 2019.

For many years, world hunger was on the decline. More food was being produced around the world and access was gradually improving. But since 2014, the number of undernourished people or people facing chronic food deprivation, has been on the rise. 

Latest estimates from the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN suggest that 9.7 percent of the world population (or slightly less than 750 million people) was exposed to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019. Indeed, in all regions of the world except Northern America and Europe, the prevalence of severe food insecurity has increased from 2014 to 2019. But even this is only a part of the story, because an additional 16 percent of the world population, or more than 1.25 billion people, experience food insecurity at moderate levels. And this group, which is moderately food insecure, does not have regular access to nutritious and sufficient food, even if they are not necessarily suffering from hunger. 

Some countries, such as Yemen, are on the edge of famine and Covid is making hunger even more acute in large parts of the world. So, the scale of the problem of world hunger is enormous, which makes this year’s Nobel Peace Prize even more relevant and timely.

According to several studies, conflict is an important driver of severe food crisis and famines, and undernutrition is particularly a major problem in situations of prolonged conflicts and in countries and regions with weak institutional capacity.

Guest: Ida Rudolfsen is a PhD student at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University. She is also affiliated with the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO). 

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Food insecurity and the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 — Ida Rudolfsen Ida Rudolfsen, Dan Banik 00:34:43 Dan Banik and Ida Rudolfsen discuss the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the World Food Program and the relationship between food insecurity and conflict. Dan Banik and Ida Rudolfsen discuss the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the World Food Program and the relationship between food insecurity and conflict. food access, violent conflict, south sudan, world food program, humanitarian assistance, somalia, food insecurity, armed conflict, world hunger, nobel peace prize 2020, cash for work, famine, yemen, food and agricultural organization, food utilization, food for work, cash transfers, food availability, social unrest false bonus 1 b3a6555f-0753-4c00-8609-d8f94f6b5a85 Why democracy will prevail in the contest against authoritarian alternatives — Larry Diamond In his recent book – ll Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency (Penguin 2019) – Larry Diamond analyzes the challenges confronting liberal democracy in the United States and around the world at this potential “hinge in history”. The book outlines an agenda for strengthening and defending democracy at home in the US as well as abroad. 

Larry Diamond  is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University. He is also a professor by courtesy of Political Science and Sociology at Stanford. 

Professor Diamond has made numerous contributions to topics such as democratic development and regime change; U.S. foreign policy affecting democracy abroad; comparative trends in the quality and stability of democracy in developing countries and post-communist states; and public opinion in new democracies.

In addition to serving as advisor to numerous governmental and international organizations throughout his glittering career, Prof. Diamond is also the founding co-editor of the hugely influential Journal of Democracy .

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 14 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Larry Diamond, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/larry-diamond-d1MK54ON In his recent book – ll Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency (Penguin 2019) – Larry Diamond analyzes the challenges confronting liberal democracy in the United States and around the world at this potential “hinge in history”. The book outlines an agenda for strengthening and defending democracy at home in the US as well as abroad. 

Larry Diamond  is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University. He is also a professor by courtesy of Political Science and Sociology at Stanford. 

Professor Diamond has made numerous contributions to topics such as democratic development and regime change; U.S. foreign policy affecting democracy abroad; comparative trends in the quality and stability of democracy in developing countries and post-communist states; and public opinion in new democracies.

In addition to serving as advisor to numerous governmental and international organizations throughout his glittering career, Prof. Diamond is also the founding co-editor of the hugely influential Journal of Democracy .

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Why democracy will prevail in the contest against authoritarian alternatives — Larry Diamond Larry Diamond, Dan Banik 00:57:54 Dan Banik speaks with Larry Diamond on the relationship between freedom and democracy and how democracies promote economic development. Dan Banik speaks with Larry Diamond on the relationship between freedom and democracy and how democracies promote economic development. us foreign policy, democracy and poverty, taiwan, singapore, income inequality, globalization, democracy, india, china, freedom, james fishkin, afrobarometer, democracy as a universal value, china model, democratic recession, steven levitsky, deliberative polling, how democracies die, american democracy, robert dahl, rwanda, dankwart rustow, liberal democracy, cultural relativism, botswana, leadership, stanford university, daniel ziblat false full 23 1 45cfde61-529a-429a-a6e7-5b280da52bc4 What the West does not understand about China — Liu Baocheng Much of the discourse in the Western media in recent months has highlighted the rising tensions between the United States and China and the growing assertiveness of Chinese diplomats on social media and in other international forums, where they have passionately defended their country’s response to the Covid outbreak. 

There has also been a growing interest in trying to decode how Beijing is reconfiguring its aid and investment policies and how and to what extent it will offer debt relief to developing countries. There are numerous media reports questioning the real motives behind Beijing’s attempts to further strengthen diplomatic ties with countries in all corners of the world and push the narrative that as the good brother, friend and partner, China is concerned with upholding the principle of building itself up while also supporting other countries at the same time.

And then there is all of this talk about a potential Covid vaccine, which when developed by the Chinese, could potentially be made available for free or at a subsidized price to countries that Beijing considers its friends.

But the perspectives of Chinese scholars and commentators on these matters do not receive the kind of attention they deserve. 

Liu Baocheng is a professor at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and Director of the University’s Center for International Business Ethics. I have collaborated with Prof. Liu for the past few years on a project that explored corporate strategies to promote sustainable development in China. Prof. Liu frequently appears as a news commentator on CCTV International.

Twitter: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod

Website: https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Sat, 10 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Liu Baocheng) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/liu-baocheng-QSJzfm0p Much of the discourse in the Western media in recent months has highlighted the rising tensions between the United States and China and the growing assertiveness of Chinese diplomats on social media and in other international forums, where they have passionately defended their country’s response to the Covid outbreak. 

There has also been a growing interest in trying to decode how Beijing is reconfiguring its aid and investment policies and how and to what extent it will offer debt relief to developing countries. There are numerous media reports questioning the real motives behind Beijing’s attempts to further strengthen diplomatic ties with countries in all corners of the world and push the narrative that as the good brother, friend and partner, China is concerned with upholding the principle of building itself up while also supporting other countries at the same time.

And then there is all of this talk about a potential Covid vaccine, which when developed by the Chinese, could potentially be made available for free or at a subsidized price to countries that Beijing considers its friends.

But the perspectives of Chinese scholars and commentators on these matters do not receive the kind of attention they deserve. 

Liu Baocheng is a professor at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and Director of the University’s Center for International Business Ethics. I have collaborated with Prof. Liu for the past few years on a project that explored corporate strategies to promote sustainable development in China. Prof. Liu frequently appears as a news commentator on CCTV International.

Twitter: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod

Website: https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/

 

 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> What the West does not understand about China — Liu Baocheng Dan Banik, Liu Baocheng 00:51:02 Dan Banik speaks with Liu Baocheng on the impact of Covid on the Chinese economy and Beijing's reputation abroad. Dan Banik speaks with Liu Baocheng on the impact of Covid on the Chinese economy and Beijing's reputation abroad. chinese aid, wolf warrior diplomacy, president xi jinping, china, vaccine diplomacy, state capacity, belt and road initiative, debt relief, china in the un, covid, vaccines, vaccine collaboration, world health organization, multilateralism false bonus 1 17994650-a992-49c2-8b1b-3ca8752dece2 China’s Belt and Road Initiative and infrastructure development in Africa — Gyude Moore A couple of months ago, Liberia’s former minister of public works, Gyude Moore argued in a popular Tweet that Western critiques of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will ring hollow in the absence of viable and state-led alternatives from the West. He claimed that the West can easily match, if not exceed China's BRI if it wanted to. But he also wondered whether the West wants to do this. He remains unconvinced because he thinks the West is satisfied with "virtue signalling when it comes to Africa’s prosperity". And so he went on to argue that it should not come as a surprise when African governments do their best to avoid being drawn into any rivalry between the United States and China and prefer to rather maintain a broad coalition of partners. But most importantly, he pointed out, “If China has built more infrastructure in Africa in two decades than the West has in centuries, China is also our friend".

In addition to previously serving as Liberia’s minister of public works (2014-2018) with oversight over the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure, Gyude Moore has also been the deputy chief of staff to former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He is currently a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 7 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Gyude Moore, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gyude-moore-MJf7I1or A couple of months ago, Liberia’s former minister of public works, Gyude Moore argued in a popular Tweet that Western critiques of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will ring hollow in the absence of viable and state-led alternatives from the West. He claimed that the West can easily match, if not exceed China's BRI if it wanted to. But he also wondered whether the West wants to do this. He remains unconvinced because he thinks the West is satisfied with "virtue signalling when it comes to Africa’s prosperity". And so he went on to argue that it should not come as a surprise when African governments do their best to avoid being drawn into any rivalry between the United States and China and prefer to rather maintain a broad coalition of partners. But most importantly, he pointed out, “If China has built more infrastructure in Africa in two decades than the West has in centuries, China is also our friend".

In addition to previously serving as Liberia’s minister of public works (2014-2018) with oversight over the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure, Gyude Moore has also been the deputy chief of staff to former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He is currently a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> China’s Belt and Road Initiative and infrastructure development in Africa — Gyude Moore Gyude Moore, Dan Banik 01:02:12 Dan Banik speaks with Gyude Moore, Liberia's former minister of public works, on a range of issues including Ebola response and infrastructure development on the African continent. Dan Banik speaks with Gyude Moore, Liberia's former minister of public works, on a range of issues including Ebola response and infrastructure development on the African continent. chinese loans, togo, ellen johnson sirleaf, democracy, infrastructure, south africa, china, health systems, curfew, belt and road initiative, european union, liberia, prosper africa program, covid, lockdowns, united states, tanzania, private sector, nigeria, ebola, human rights, african continental free trade agreement false full 21 1 24d104a4-6efe-4fd3-bb99-c9ea8c38eac8 Dam diplomacy and water sharing agreements in the Nile basin — Ashok Swain The growing tensions between the Nile Basin countries – Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan – over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has made news headlines in recent months. 

Egypt and Ethiopia have for many years been at loggerheads over Ethiopia’s plan to dam the Nile River and this conflict has resulted in steadily deteriorating relations between some of Africa’s biggest countries. Numerous attempts to negotiate a deal have failed and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the smooth flow of the Nile are at stake.

In 2011, Ethiopia began construction of the GERD, a $4.6 billion hydroelectric project, on the headwaters of the Blue Nile, near the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. For Ethiopia, the dam offers an opportunity to finally take advantage of the world’s longest river in stimulating economic growth and generate much-needed electricity for itself as well as for its neighbours. 

But the construction of this dam has resulted in a highly polarized discourse.

Some have argued that GERD, in addition to its obvious benefits for Ethiopia, could even foster new and productive forms of regional cooperation. But others worry over Ethiopia’s growing muscle and its motives, and its commitment to respect water-sharing agreements at the cost of other countries that depend on the Nile. 

In addition to the Nile river basin conflict, we also discuss in this episode the longstanding water sharing agreements and disputes between India and Bangladesh and the impact of India’s construction of the Farakka Barrage on the Ganges river in the 1970s. Are there certain lessons from this dispute that could explain the current dispute in the Nile basin?

Guest: Ashok Swain is a professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is also the UNESCO Chair of International Water Cooperation and the Director of Uppsala University’s Research School of International Water Cooperation.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 30 Sep 2020 06:00:14 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ashok Swain) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ashok-swain-pXf5xd7A The growing tensions between the Nile Basin countries – Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan – over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has made news headlines in recent months. 

Egypt and Ethiopia have for many years been at loggerheads over Ethiopia’s plan to dam the Nile River and this conflict has resulted in steadily deteriorating relations between some of Africa’s biggest countries. Numerous attempts to negotiate a deal have failed and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the smooth flow of the Nile are at stake.

In 2011, Ethiopia began construction of the GERD, a $4.6 billion hydroelectric project, on the headwaters of the Blue Nile, near the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. For Ethiopia, the dam offers an opportunity to finally take advantage of the world’s longest river in stimulating economic growth and generate much-needed electricity for itself as well as for its neighbours. 

But the construction of this dam has resulted in a highly polarized discourse.

Some have argued that GERD, in addition to its obvious benefits for Ethiopia, could even foster new and productive forms of regional cooperation. But others worry over Ethiopia’s growing muscle and its motives, and its commitment to respect water-sharing agreements at the cost of other countries that depend on the Nile. 

In addition to the Nile river basin conflict, we also discuss in this episode the longstanding water sharing agreements and disputes between India and Bangladesh and the impact of India’s construction of the Farakka Barrage on the Ganges river in the 1970s. Are there certain lessons from this dispute that could explain the current dispute in the Nile basin?

Guest: Ashok Swain is a professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is also the UNESCO Chair of International Water Cooperation and the Director of Uppsala University’s Research School of International Water Cooperation.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Dam diplomacy and water sharing agreements in the Nile basin — Ashok Swain Ashok Swain 01:01:50 Dan Banik speaks with Ashok Swain on the relationship between climate change and water security and the growing tensions between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan over the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Dan Banik speaks with Ashok Swain on the relationship between climate change and water security and the growing tensions between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan over the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. blue nile, water sharing agreements, bangladesh, egypt, climate refugees, india, pakistan, water insecurity, global public good, sudan, world bank, population growth, agriculture, floods, dam diplomacy, ethiopia, renewable resources, water war, climate change, teesta river, electricity, climate migrants, farakka barrage, sustainable development, nile basin initiative, nile basin, water conflict false full 20 1 9c4bfbf2-abf2-4198-a3e9-88c6b52f6224 Legislative development in Africa — Ken Ochieng' Opalo Studying the role of institutions and their evolution often helps us better understand political and economic development in countries all over the world. And one such key institution is the legislature, which plays a critical role in democratic consolidation by providing a stable system of horizontal accountability. Legislatures craft legislation, pass laws, exercise oversight of the executive branch and thereby provide the institutional mechanism which allows societies to perform representative governance on a daily basis. Individual legislators articulate competing interests and try to influence the policymaking process. They also perform an important function – that of constituency service, i.e. they may regularly visit their constituencies and meet their constituents and address local needs and may even be involved in providing various types of public goods to their constituents through development projects. 

The extent of legislative capacity and power, of course, varies greatly from country to country. In some countries, the legislature remains relatively weak despite multiparty politics, regular elections and even when ruling parties lose elections. But in other countries, the legislature has functioned effectively as a check on the executive branch of government as well as provided important contributions to the policymaking and policy implementation processes. 

But legislatures and legislative capacity in developing countries have not received the kind of scholarly attention that they deserve. This is indeed surprising. 

In his brilliant book, Legislative Development in Africa: Politics and Postcolonial Legacies, published in 2019 by Cambridge University Press, Ken explores how the adaptation of inherited colonial legislative institutional forms and practices continue to structure and influence contemporary politics and policy outcomes in Africa. He contrasts the records of legislative performance and discusses why the legislatures in some emerging democracies have enhanced their capacity and power while those in others have not. Ken finds that the introduction of competitive multiparty electoral institutions strengthened the Kenyan legislature but not the Zambian one. He also examines how and under what conditions democratic legislatures emerge in countries that have had strong autocratic foundations. Ken’s book thus makes a strong case for strengthening legislatures in emerging democracies. He argues that attempts to strengthen legislatures in emerging democracies should not just be limited to technical assistance and organizational capacity building but also include the political empowerment of legislators. 

Ken Ochieng’ Opalo is an Assistant Professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His research interests include legislative politics, subnational administration and local government, electoral politics, and the political economy of development in Africa.  Ken’s current research projects include studies of the politics of service provision and accountability under devolved government in Kenya, education sector reforms in Tanzania, inter-state relations in Africa, and executive-legislative relations in Kenya. His works have been published in the British Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Democracy, the Journal of Eastern African Studies, and Governance. He is a member of EGAP (Evidence in Governance and Politics), gui2de (Georgetown University Initiative on Innovation, Development, and Evaluation) and a non-resident fellow at Brookings Institution and the Center for Global Development. His research has been funded by the Luminate Group, the Susan Ford Dorsey Fellowship, and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID). Ken earned his BA from Yale University and PhD from Stanford University. 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 23 Sep 2020 06:00:07 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Ken Opalo) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ken-opalo-3evndaS9 Studying the role of institutions and their evolution often helps us better understand political and economic development in countries all over the world. And one such key institution is the legislature, which plays a critical role in democratic consolidation by providing a stable system of horizontal accountability. Legislatures craft legislation, pass laws, exercise oversight of the executive branch and thereby provide the institutional mechanism which allows societies to perform representative governance on a daily basis. Individual legislators articulate competing interests and try to influence the policymaking process. They also perform an important function – that of constituency service, i.e. they may regularly visit their constituencies and meet their constituents and address local needs and may even be involved in providing various types of public goods to their constituents through development projects. 

The extent of legislative capacity and power, of course, varies greatly from country to country. In some countries, the legislature remains relatively weak despite multiparty politics, regular elections and even when ruling parties lose elections. But in other countries, the legislature has functioned effectively as a check on the executive branch of government as well as provided important contributions to the policymaking and policy implementation processes. 

But legislatures and legislative capacity in developing countries have not received the kind of scholarly attention that they deserve. This is indeed surprising. 

In his brilliant book, Legislative Development in Africa: Politics and Postcolonial Legacies, published in 2019 by Cambridge University Press, Ken explores how the adaptation of inherited colonial legislative institutional forms and practices continue to structure and influence contemporary politics and policy outcomes in Africa. He contrasts the records of legislative performance and discusses why the legislatures in some emerging democracies have enhanced their capacity and power while those in others have not. Ken finds that the introduction of competitive multiparty electoral institutions strengthened the Kenyan legislature but not the Zambian one. He also examines how and under what conditions democratic legislatures emerge in countries that have had strong autocratic foundations. Ken’s book thus makes a strong case for strengthening legislatures in emerging democracies. He argues that attempts to strengthen legislatures in emerging democracies should not just be limited to technical assistance and organizational capacity building but also include the political empowerment of legislators. 

Ken Ochieng’ Opalo is an Assistant Professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His research interests include legislative politics, subnational administration and local government, electoral politics, and the political economy of development in Africa.  Ken’s current research projects include studies of the politics of service provision and accountability under devolved government in Kenya, education sector reforms in Tanzania, inter-state relations in Africa, and executive-legislative relations in Kenya. His works have been published in the British Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Democracy, the Journal of Eastern African Studies, and Governance. He is a member of EGAP (Evidence in Governance and Politics), gui2de (Georgetown University Initiative on Innovation, Development, and Evaluation) and a non-resident fellow at Brookings Institution and the Center for Global Development. His research has been funded by the Luminate Group, the Susan Ford Dorsey Fellowship, and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID). Ken earned his BA from Yale University and PhD from Stanford University. 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Legislative development in Africa — Ken Ochieng' Opalo Ken Opalo 01:03:46 Dan Banik speaks with Ken Ochieng' Opalo on legislative capacity and legislative development in Africa. Dan Banik speaks with Ken Ochieng' Opalo on legislative capacity and legislative development in Africa. legislature, kenya, elections, daniel arap moi, georgetown university, mauritius, electoral systems, recycled politicians, south africa, colonial administration, kenyan parliament, multiparty politics, malawi, kenneth kaunda, parliament, zambia, governance, democratic consolidation, emerging democracies, colonial legislatures, jomo kenyatta, accountability, legislative capacity false full 19 1 b2dcb9f4-7807-4243-94fd-45cf27beffe7 Why AIDS interventions in Africa often fail — Kim Yi Dionne As the international community addresses numerous development challenges, we must often pause, reflect, and ask: Do good intentions lead to good results? If so, when? And how? There are innumerable development agendas and a multitude of stakeholders involved in saving lives as well as promoting long-term development in many developing countries. What really is the impact of their activities? Are such activities well-coordinated? How effectively can external actors make a meaningful contribution to alleviating local problems? And most importantly, whose priorities do such interventions address, and to what extent are the so-called “beneficiaries” consulted? 

Guest: Kim Yi Dionne, associate professor of political science, University of California, Riverside. Dr. Dionne also edits The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 16 Sep 2020 06:00:23 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Kim Yi Dionne) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kim-yi-dionne-AhdnY05S As the international community addresses numerous development challenges, we must often pause, reflect, and ask: Do good intentions lead to good results? If so, when? And how? There are innumerable development agendas and a multitude of stakeholders involved in saving lives as well as promoting long-term development in many developing countries. What really is the impact of their activities? Are such activities well-coordinated? How effectively can external actors make a meaningful contribution to alleviating local problems? And most importantly, whose priorities do such interventions address, and to what extent are the so-called “beneficiaries” consulted? 

Guest: Kim Yi Dionne, associate professor of political science, University of California, Riverside. Dr. Dionne also edits The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Why AIDS interventions in Africa often fail — Kim Yi Dionne Dan Banik, Kim Yi Dionne 01:04:46 Dan Banik speaks with Kim Yi Dionne, who in a recent book argues that misaligned priorities along the global chain of actors can create multiple opportunities for failure. Dan Banik speaks with Kim Yi Dionne, who in a recent book argues that misaligned priorities along the global chain of actors can create multiple opportunities for failure. local knowledge, village headmen, foreign aid, public health, aids, the global fund to fight aids tuberculosis and malaria (global fund), us president’s emergency plan for aids relief (pepfar), hiv, world bank, humanitarian crisis, mozambique, corruption, social stigma, malawi, traditional authorities, uganda, kenneth kaunda, yoweri museveni, united states, zambia, famine, tanzania, world health organization (who), thabo mbeki, hiv exceptionalism, adia benton false full 18 1 4730ad8b-5300-43c0-8c00-6e88f8296f3a India’s development and the political economy of growth — Kunal Sen With the phenomenal growth of its economy in recent years and its longstanding democratic record, India — the world's largest democracy — has emerged as a major global power. Not only has democracy survived in India, but in recent decades the country has also established itself as a beacon of hope for other developing countries striving to achieve a similar combination of democracy, development, and the rule of law. 

India’s management of the COVID pandemic, however, has made news headlines in recent weeks not just because of the massive spike in COVID cases but also because the country’s GDP plunged by 23.9 per cent in the period April – June 2020 – the biggest contraction of any major Asian country. And then there are rising tensions with China. As India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi put it recently, India is fighting on many fronts.

But some of India’s problems began in a pre-COVID era. There were signs that economic growth was slowing and unemployment was on the rise. 

Guest: Professor Kunal Sen, Director of UNU-WIDER and professor of development economics at the Global Development Institute at the University of Manchester.

Topics discussed:

  • The state of development economics research today
  • How is COVID is deepening global inequality?
  • India's economic growth trajectory since 1991
  • Role of India's informal sector
  • Taxation policy in, and fiscal capacity of, developing countries

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 9 Sep 2020 06:00:26 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Kunal Sen) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kunal-sen-wH6hGApj With the phenomenal growth of its economy in recent years and its longstanding democratic record, India — the world's largest democracy — has emerged as a major global power. Not only has democracy survived in India, but in recent decades the country has also established itself as a beacon of hope for other developing countries striving to achieve a similar combination of democracy, development, and the rule of law. 

India’s management of the COVID pandemic, however, has made news headlines in recent weeks not just because of the massive spike in COVID cases but also because the country’s GDP plunged by 23.9 per cent in the period April – June 2020 – the biggest contraction of any major Asian country. And then there are rising tensions with China. As India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi put it recently, India is fighting on many fronts.

But some of India’s problems began in a pre-COVID era. There were signs that economic growth was slowing and unemployment was on the rise. 

Guest: Professor Kunal Sen, Director of UNU-WIDER and professor of development economics at the Global Development Institute at the University of Manchester.

Topics discussed:

  • The state of development economics research today
  • How is COVID is deepening global inequality?
  • India's economic growth trajectory since 1991
  • Role of India's informal sector
  • Taxation policy in, and fiscal capacity of, developing countries

Resources:

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> India’s development and the political economy of growth — Kunal Sen Dan Banik, Kunal Sen 01:02:17 Dan Banik speaks with Kunal Sen on India’s economic growth since 1991 and its impact on development, informality, inequality and poverty reduction Dan Banik speaks with Kunal Sen on India’s economic growth since 1991 and its impact on development, informality, inequality and poverty reduction deals, finland, political settlement, amartya sen, protectionism, institutions, public sector reforms, income inequality, job creation, gender gap, fiscal capacity, india, jobs, monetisation policy, economic growth, poverty reduction, norway, martin ravallion, taxation, digital divide, vaccines, unemployment, covid-19, narendra modi, labor laws, private sector, informal sector, unu-wider, development economics false full 17 1 169a3ccc-7547-459f-97fc-5cf3e30c1475 Globalization, the Nordic model and the economics of belonging — Martin Sandbu Martin Sandbu has an exciting new book, The Economics of Belonging: A Radical Plan to Win Back the Left Behind and Achieve Prosperity for All  (Princeton University Press).

Martin argues that the western social order has rested on three crucial pillars. First, political principles centered on individual rights, equality before the law, robust and independent institutions and regular, free and meaningful elections. 

The second pillar consists of a social market economy, that is a capitalist system in which prosperity is broadly shared. And the third pillar is economic and political openness to the outside world for the joint realization of this social order.

Much of the political debate in recent years, especially in the United States and in parts of Europe, has questioned the purpose and value of this western economic and political order that has been in place since 1945. This has been in part been fueled by widening income inequality, growing political polarization, and the rise of populist leaders. Some have also blamed globalization for such discontentment. 

But Martin argues that it is not globalization that is to blame for many of our current problems, but rather technological change and flawed domestic policies that have made it difficult for some groups in society to particulate fully and justly in the economy. The real problem, he writes, is that “The western social order no longer fulfills its promise of an economy that provides a good place for everyone."

Martin Sandbu is the European Economics Commentator for the Financial Times. He also writes Free Lunch, the FT's weekly newsletter on the global economic policy debate.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 2 Sep 2020 06:00:02 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Martin Sandbu) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/martin-sandbu-xicEj3Mw Martin Sandbu has an exciting new book, The Economics of Belonging: A Radical Plan to Win Back the Left Behind and Achieve Prosperity for All  (Princeton University Press).

Martin argues that the western social order has rested on three crucial pillars. First, political principles centered on individual rights, equality before the law, robust and independent institutions and regular, free and meaningful elections. 

The second pillar consists of a social market economy, that is a capitalist system in which prosperity is broadly shared. And the third pillar is economic and political openness to the outside world for the joint realization of this social order.

Much of the political debate in recent years, especially in the United States and in parts of Europe, has questioned the purpose and value of this western economic and political order that has been in place since 1945. This has been in part been fueled by widening income inequality, growing political polarization, and the rise of populist leaders. Some have also blamed globalization for such discontentment. 

But Martin argues that it is not globalization that is to blame for many of our current problems, but rather technological change and flawed domestic policies that have made it difficult for some groups in society to particulate fully and justly in the economy. The real problem, he writes, is that “The western social order no longer fulfills its promise of an economy that provides a good place for everyone."

Martin Sandbu is the European Economics Commentator for the Financial Times. He also writes Free Lunch, the FT's weekly newsletter on the global economic policy debate.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Globalization, the Nordic model and the economics of belonging — Martin Sandbu Dan Banik, Martin Sandbu 00:57:34 Dan Banik speaks with Martin Sandbu on why the western social order no longer fulfills its promise of an economy that provides a good place for everyone. Dan Banik speaks with Martin Sandbu on why the western social order no longer fulfills its promise of an economy that provides a good place for everyone. finland, income inequality, universal basic income, social market economy, globalization, informal economy, india, western social order, donald trump, china, hyperglobalization, norway, germany, carbon tax, wealth tax, social exclusion, trade, employment, deglobalization, financial globalization, welfare state, climate change, liberal democracy, brexit, car wash, nordic model, deregulation, multilateralism, eu-china relations, migration, dani rodrik, corporate tax false full 16 1 7af72162-4421-4517-b32b-a503b8d3be93 The historic court ruling in Malawi annulling the 2019 presidential elections — Edge Kanyongolo In a landmark ruling in February of this year, Malawi’s High Court concluded that the country’s president Peter Mutharika was “not duly elected”. The Court thus annulled the May 2019 elections in Malawi citing massive irregularities. It ordered new elections within five months and concluded that the Malawi Electoral Commission had failed to carry out its responsibilities according to the constitution and electoral law. 

The lengthy, meticulously detailed, and unanimous ruling by the five judges has attracted widespread international acclaim. The court ruling followed numerous protests organized throughout the country after the May 2019 elections. 

Edge Kanyongolo is an Associate professor at the Department of Law at Chancellor College, University of Malawi. 

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 26 Aug 2020 06:00:07 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Edge Kanyongolo, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/edge-kanyongolo-malawi-y4aBmBkK In a landmark ruling in February of this year, Malawi’s High Court concluded that the country’s president Peter Mutharika was “not duly elected”. The Court thus annulled the May 2019 elections in Malawi citing massive irregularities. It ordered new elections within five months and concluded that the Malawi Electoral Commission had failed to carry out its responsibilities according to the constitution and electoral law. 

The lengthy, meticulously detailed, and unanimous ruling by the five judges has attracted widespread international acclaim. The court ruling followed numerous protests organized throughout the country after the May 2019 elections. 

Edge Kanyongolo is an Associate professor at the Department of Law at Chancellor College, University of Malawi. 

Resources:

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The historic court ruling in Malawi annulling the 2019 presidential elections — Edge Kanyongolo Edge Kanyongolo, Dan Banik 00:53:09 Dan Banik speaks with Edge Kanyongolo on the wider implications of the High Court's landmark ruling in February 2020 that annulled the 2019 presidential elections in Malawi. Dan Banik speaks with Edge Kanyongolo on the wider implications of the High Court's landmark ruling in February 2020 that annulled the 2019 presidential elections in Malawi. coalition politics, political legitimacy, malawi parliament, social media, kenya, election monitoring, peter mutharika, judicial independence, democratic progress party (dpp), judicialization of politics, lazarus chakwera, malawi elections, election observers, african democracy, electoral system, chancellor college, bakili muluzi, corruption, mass demonstrations, election irregularities, malawi electoral commission, malawi, good governance, saulos chilima, university of malawi, judicial activism, constitutional law, malawi high court, african judiciary, malawi supreme court, youth activism, first-past-the-post system, african elections, malawi elections 2019, democratic consolidation, election quality, united democratic front (udf), malawi constitution, trust in judiciary false full 15 1 b28dab9b-8f27-498b-ab54-28d5c72b58d8 The need to politicize development economics — Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven's research focuses on the role of finance in development, structural features of underdevelopment, the political economy of development (including the role of international institutions), and critically assessing the economics field.

Dr. Kvangraven is currently an Assistant Professor in International Development at the University of York’s Department of Politics. She is the founder and editor of  Developing Economics and founder and steering group member of Diversifying and Decolonising Economics (D-Econ).

Resources

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 19 Aug 2020 06:00:02 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ingrid-harvold-kvangraven-obBQV78X Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven's research focuses on the role of finance in development, structural features of underdevelopment, the political economy of development (including the role of international institutions), and critically assessing the economics field.

Dr. Kvangraven is currently an Assistant Professor in International Development at the University of York’s Department of Politics. She is the founder and editor of  Developing Economics and founder and steering group member of Diversifying and Decolonising Economics (D-Econ).

Resources

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The need to politicize development economics — Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven Dan Banik, Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven 00:57:07 Dan Banik speaks with Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven on the state of development economics as a discipline, the limitations of Randomized Control Trials, and why mainstream economists have difficulty understanding racialized inequalities. Dan Banik speaks with Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven on the state of development economics as a discipline, the limitations of Randomized Control Trials, and why mainstream economists have difficulty understanding racialized inequalities. racism, randomised control trials, heterodox economics, private sector finance, naila kabeer, world bank poverty definition, south korea, world bank, dependency theory, china, esther duflo, finance for development, abhijit banerjee, world poverty, sanjay reddy, colonialism, sdgs, ghana, inequality, united nations, sustainable development, multilateralism, black lives matter false full 14 1 d987f9cc-9114-4f68-8748-ac6135c4b0f5 Pakistan's healthcare system and its recent success in fighting Covid — Usman Mushtaq As the Covid pandemic continues to dominate world headlines, there is growing interest in better understanding how some low and middle-income countries have achieved considerable success in responding to this global crisis. Vietnam is one such country that has been successful in combating Covid. Another is Cuba. And the state of Kerala in India has also received much praise for its handling of the pandemic. But for the past few weeks a rather unlikely, success story has emerged. It is that of Pakistan, which has been branded as a bright spot, having achieved remarkable progress despite numerous predictions, including one study from June, which had warned of millions of infections and at least a hundred thousand deaths. But Pakistan appears to have, at least for the time being, defied these odds and the Covid curve appears to be flattening. And although experts say it is too early to claim victory over the virus, Pakistan’s somewhat unheralded achievement merits closer attention, especially given the long history of its dysfunctional and fragmented healthcare system.

Dr Usman Mushtaq is a Norwegian-Pakistani medical doctor who for the past year or so has been working as an advisor for Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. It was Dr Zafar Mirza, until recently Pakistan’s Minister of Health, who  asked Dr Mushtaq to join his team in Pakistan. 

Dr Mushtaq is a member of the Board of Trustees of EAT Foundation and has previously been a member of the EAT Advisory Board and Director of Policy and Global Strategy for EAT. He is also a member of the Norwegian Labour Party. 

Questions, comments and suggestions: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 12 Aug 2020 06:00:19 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Usman Mushtaq, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/usman-mushtaq-t2EzsdV4 As the Covid pandemic continues to dominate world headlines, there is growing interest in better understanding how some low and middle-income countries have achieved considerable success in responding to this global crisis. Vietnam is one such country that has been successful in combating Covid. Another is Cuba. And the state of Kerala in India has also received much praise for its handling of the pandemic. But for the past few weeks a rather unlikely, success story has emerged. It is that of Pakistan, which has been branded as a bright spot, having achieved remarkable progress despite numerous predictions, including one study from June, which had warned of millions of infections and at least a hundred thousand deaths. But Pakistan appears to have, at least for the time being, defied these odds and the Covid curve appears to be flattening. And although experts say it is too early to claim victory over the virus, Pakistan’s somewhat unheralded achievement merits closer attention, especially given the long history of its dysfunctional and fragmented healthcare system.

Dr Usman Mushtaq is a Norwegian-Pakistani medical doctor who for the past year or so has been working as an advisor for Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. It was Dr Zafar Mirza, until recently Pakistan’s Minister of Health, who  asked Dr Mushtaq to join his team in Pakistan. 

Dr Mushtaq is a member of the Board of Trustees of EAT Foundation and has previously been a member of the EAT Advisory Board and Director of Policy and Global Strategy for EAT. He is also a member of the Norwegian Labour Party. 

Questions, comments and suggestions: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Pakistan's healthcare system and its recent success in fighting Covid — Usman Mushtaq Usman Mushtaq, Dan Banik 00:58:32 Dan Banik speaks with Usman Mushtaq on Pakistan's unheralded achievement in flattening the Covid curve in recent weeks and the wider implications of the pandemic on the country's healthcare system. Dan Banik speaks with Usman Mushtaq on Pakistan's unheralded achievement in flattening the Covid curve in recent weeks and the wider implications of the pandemic on the country's healthcare system. health budget, cricket, remdesivir, social media, rumours, fake news, pakistan, healthcare, khyber pakhtunkhwa, policymaking, lifestyle diseases, sehat sahulat program, zafar mirza, health insurance, norway, social stigma, imran khan, covid, sdg3, vaccines, lockdowns, oslo, smart lockdowns, behavioural change, sdgs, infodemic, global governance, global health false full 13 1 f35ec624-f12b-4a76-83ba-66b419fecf77 How Black Lives Matter is also a reckoning for foreign aid and international NGOs — Degan Ali Many have highlighted the need for equity and justice in the field of foreign aid and humanitarian assistance. Local civil society organizations (CSOs) or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are the frontline workers, risking their lives to access areas that well-funded international NGOs or even UN agencies cannot access. However, critics of the current system claim that the local NGO is often the sub-contractor and not a real partner that is allowed to contribute to the design of the project. If something goes wrong in the process, that local NGO is blacklisted, not the UN agency or the international NGO that received the funding. 

There are also other concerns. For example, the local NGO rarely receives a decent overhead rate or adequate funds to cover operational expenses. Local NGO staff are also often poached by multilateral institutions and international NGOs. All of this, some claim, results in a serious and systematic erosion of capacity in the Global South. And local knowledge and organizational capacity are often undervalued.

Degan Ali has for long spoken out against systematic racism – the systemic structure of power, money, and decision-making that goes into the design of the international humanitarian and aid architectures. She has campaigned for a more just and dignified aid system that allows recipient countries to take back power. In a recent op-ed, she argued that “Talking about racism is not enough” and that “We can’t afford another 50 years of apathy in the international system.”

Degan Ali is the Executive Director of Adeso, an organization that has been a leader globally and in Somalia for its work on cash transfers and environmental justice. She has been a passionate advocate at the global level on the mainstreaming of cash as the primary response mechanism to humanitarian crises

Resources

Questions, comments and suggestions: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 5 Aug 2020 06:00:11 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Degan Ali) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/degan-ali-GdxZR_7Y Many have highlighted the need for equity and justice in the field of foreign aid and humanitarian assistance. Local civil society organizations (CSOs) or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are the frontline workers, risking their lives to access areas that well-funded international NGOs or even UN agencies cannot access. However, critics of the current system claim that the local NGO is often the sub-contractor and not a real partner that is allowed to contribute to the design of the project. If something goes wrong in the process, that local NGO is blacklisted, not the UN agency or the international NGO that received the funding. 

There are also other concerns. For example, the local NGO rarely receives a decent overhead rate or adequate funds to cover operational expenses. Local NGO staff are also often poached by multilateral institutions and international NGOs. All of this, some claim, results in a serious and systematic erosion of capacity in the Global South. And local knowledge and organizational capacity are often undervalued.

Degan Ali has for long spoken out against systematic racism – the systemic structure of power, money, and decision-making that goes into the design of the international humanitarian and aid architectures. She has campaigned for a more just and dignified aid system that allows recipient countries to take back power. In a recent op-ed, she argued that “Talking about racism is not enough” and that “We can’t afford another 50 years of apathy in the international system.”

Degan Ali is the Executive Director of Adeso, an organization that has been a leader globally and in Somalia for its work on cash transfers and environmental justice. She has been a passionate advocate at the global level on the mainstreaming of cash as the primary response mechanism to humanitarian crises

Resources

Questions, comments and suggestions: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How Black Lives Matter is also a reckoning for foreign aid and international NGOs — Degan Ali Degan Ali 01:06:26 Dan Banik speaks with Degan Ali on global governance and the politics of aid and humanitarian response. Dan Banik speaks with Degan Ali on global governance and the politics of aid and humanitarian response. nordic countries, network for empowered aid response, south-south cooperation, solidarity, kenya, foreign aid, northern ngos, usaid, asean, humanitarian aid, norad, democracy, economic justice, world bank, world humanitarian summit, china, altruism, ingos, organizational capacity, tax evasion, corruption, somalia, norway, paul kagame, syria, foreign policy, good governance, dfid, un reforms, national interest, war economy, rwanda, ngos, human rights approach, imf, iraq, kibera, uk, un sanctions, united nations, global governance, cash transfers false full 12 1 2d646a2b-99d7-4019-ad27-b65428db09ee How is India handling the pandemic? A conversation with Tathagata Satpathy Although India faces numerous challenges – a huge population, rising unemployment, growing environmental vulnerabilities – there is general agreement that, despite many odds, democracy has not only survived but is now firmly entrenched in the social and political fabric of the country. 

In recent months, however, the country has been rocked by nationwide protests following the enactment of the Citizen Amendment Act in December 2019. 

And then Covid struck. 

On the 24th of March, Prime Minister Modi announced that the country was going into a three-week lockdown. The sheer scale of this nationwide lockdown affecting 1.3 billion people, was unprecedented. 

In subsequently extending the lockdown beyond the initial 3 weeks, the Prime Minister noted: “India didn’t wait for the problem to escalate. Instead, as soon as the problem appeared, we tried to stop it by making swift decisions. I can’t imagine what the situation would have been had such quick decisions not been taken”.

In the initial weeks and months, the lockdown appeared to be working well but once it was gradually lifted, there was a surge in Covid cases. 

And many within India remain worried that the country’s healthcare system may not be able to tackle a crisis of such magnitude. 

But there is also growing evidence of how India has radically stepped up its Covid-testing capacity. And last year, an ambitious new health insurance plan was launched – the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which aims to provide free health coverage to large groups in the country, 

Joining me to discuss India’s Covid response, health insurance policies, center-state relations in the country’s federal set-up, the role of political parties in promoting development and reducing poverty, and much much more is Mr. Tathagata Sathpathy. 

Tathagata Satpathy served four terms as Member of Parliament, representing the Dhenkanal constituency of the state of Orissa (also known as Odisha). Until recently, he was a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) political party and was the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha – the lower house of the Indian parliament. In addition to being a politician, Mr. Satpathy is the owner and editor of the daily Odia newspaper, Dharitri, and the English daily, Orissa Post. 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 29 Jul 2020 06:00:08 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (DAN BANIK) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/tathagata-satpathy-GBT5TvjW Although India faces numerous challenges – a huge population, rising unemployment, growing environmental vulnerabilities – there is general agreement that, despite many odds, democracy has not only survived but is now firmly entrenched in the social and political fabric of the country. 

In recent months, however, the country has been rocked by nationwide protests following the enactment of the Citizen Amendment Act in December 2019. 

And then Covid struck. 

On the 24th of March, Prime Minister Modi announced that the country was going into a three-week lockdown. The sheer scale of this nationwide lockdown affecting 1.3 billion people, was unprecedented. 

In subsequently extending the lockdown beyond the initial 3 weeks, the Prime Minister noted: “India didn’t wait for the problem to escalate. Instead, as soon as the problem appeared, we tried to stop it by making swift decisions. I can’t imagine what the situation would have been had such quick decisions not been taken”.

In the initial weeks and months, the lockdown appeared to be working well but once it was gradually lifted, there was a surge in Covid cases. 

And many within India remain worried that the country’s healthcare system may not be able to tackle a crisis of such magnitude. 

But there is also growing evidence of how India has radically stepped up its Covid-testing capacity. And last year, an ambitious new health insurance plan was launched – the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which aims to provide free health coverage to large groups in the country, 

Joining me to discuss India’s Covid response, health insurance policies, center-state relations in the country’s federal set-up, the role of political parties in promoting development and reducing poverty, and much much more is Mr. Tathagata Sathpathy. 

Tathagata Satpathy served four terms as Member of Parliament, representing the Dhenkanal constituency of the state of Orissa (also known as Odisha). Until recently, he was a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) political party and was the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha – the lower house of the Indian parliament. In addition to being a politician, Mr. Satpathy is the owner and editor of the daily Odia newspaper, Dharitri, and the English daily, Orissa Post. 

 

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> How is India handling the pandemic? A conversation with Tathagata Satpathy DAN BANIK 01:33:02 Dan Banik speaks with Tathagata Satpathy on India’s Covid response, center-state relations, and the role of political parties in promoting development and reducing poverty. Dan Banik speaks with Tathagata Satpathy on India’s Covid response, center-state relations, and the role of political parties in promoting development and reducing poverty. indian middle class, bharatiya janata party, tamil nadu, odisha, religious beliefs, karnataka, poverty, indian economy, orissa, member of parliament, kolkata, biju janata dal, clean water, de-monetization, indian national congress party, lockdown, informal economy, democracy, india, media, healthcare, indian politics, indian schools, china, administrative capacity, kalahandi, orissa legislative assembly, freedom of speech, technology, health insurance, indian legislators, hinduism, goa, digital education, aadhaar, rural migrants, assam, naveen patnaik, unemployment, covid-19, indian agriculture, federalism, food security, protests, narendra modi, environmental politics, lok sabha, mumbai, caste system, new delhi, manmohan singh, regional parties, policy formulation, pandemic, parliamentary debates, uttar pradesh, indian administrative service false full 11 1 a8ef6079-8fb4-4e33-b4ab-293818d9ebb8 The relevance of foreign aid — Bård Vegar Solhjell For decades, the mantra of globalization supported increased foreign aid to, and trade with, low-income countries. The proclaimed goal was to reduce poverty and promote economic growth and development. But aid policies have increasingly become both complex and fragmented. Some argue that there is an unprecedented international policy overload when it comes to aid and development. Indeed, some even claim that we are witnessing aid fatigue. Many traditional donors are also revisiting the role and impact of aid. 

In a world which was already struggling to cope with numerous crises even before the Covid pandemic struck – inadequate finance, food insecurity, climate change – the pattern and flow of aid to low-income countries in the near future is potentially going to change in fundamental ways. 

Bård Vegar Solhjell is Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). He has substantial political experience having served as a member of Parliament and Party Secretary for the Socialist left Party in Norway and subsequently also as Norway’s Minister of Education and Minister of Environment. He was also CEO of WWF Norway.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 22 Jul 2020 12:19:53 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Bård Vegar Solhjell, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bard-vegar-solhjell-on-the-relevance-of-foreign-aid-wbGdH8uf For decades, the mantra of globalization supported increased foreign aid to, and trade with, low-income countries. The proclaimed goal was to reduce poverty and promote economic growth and development. But aid policies have increasingly become both complex and fragmented. Some argue that there is an unprecedented international policy overload when it comes to aid and development. Indeed, some even claim that we are witnessing aid fatigue. Many traditional donors are also revisiting the role and impact of aid. 

In a world which was already struggling to cope with numerous crises even before the Covid pandemic struck – inadequate finance, food insecurity, climate change – the pattern and flow of aid to low-income countries in the near future is potentially going to change in fundamental ways. 

Bård Vegar Solhjell is Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). He has substantial political experience having served as a member of Parliament and Party Secretary for the Socialist left Party in Norway and subsequently also as Norway’s Minister of Education and Minister of Environment. He was also CEO of WWF Norway.

Resources

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The relevance of foreign aid — Bård Vegar Solhjell Bård Vegar Solhjell, Dan Banik 01:25:36 Dan Banik speaks with Bård Vegar Solhjell on the moral, economic, and political foundations of aid and whether it is still relevant in today’s world. Dan Banik speaks with Bård Vegar Solhjell on the moral, economic, and political foundations of aid and whether it is still relevant in today’s world. soft power, south-south cooperation, michael ignatieff, uk-africa summit, china-africa summit, russia-africa summit, 2030 agenda, southern ngos, india-africa summit, global public goods, brundtland commission, weather journalism, aid agency reforms, education, globalization, norad, aid effectiveness, india, robert gates, bilateral cooperation, multilateral cooperation, policymaking, world bank, what works, barack obama, china, aid and national interest, russia, siberia, aid, undp, development assistance, norway, germany, low-income countries, foreign policy, dfid, denmark, united kingdom, global warming, gro harlem brundtland, covid, united states, knowledge for development, climate change, private sector, sdgs, the national interest, nordic model, united nations, sustainable development, netherlands, development finance, development cooperation, political ideology, global health, partnerships false full 10 1 48fbacce-e237-40fa-9194-b0261cc8f40d Chinese aid and South-South Cooperation — Marina Rudyak China is on everyone’s mind these days. It is not just related to the origins of Covid. There is considerable global attention on Beijing’s tense relations with Washington, Ottawa, New Delhi, Tokyo, and even many European capitals. But China wields great influence in large parts of the world, including in low and medium incomes countries, through its investments and aid. And in recent years, Beijing has steadily expanded its global influence through its signature foreign policy project – The Belt and Road Initiative – which is a long-term plan to undertake a series of large investments in roads, bridges, gas pipelines, railways, ports and power plants in over 70 countries. 

Joining me today to discuss the role and impact of China’s aid and investments around the world is Marina Rudyak.

Marina is an assistant lecturer at the Institute of Chinese Studies at Heidelberg University in Germany. She studied Modern and Classical Chinese Studies and Public Law at Heidelberg University and Shanghai International Studies University. In her recently completed Ph.D. dissertation, Marina focuses on Chinese foreign aid policies and Beijing’s evolving role in international development.

Before re-joining Heidelberg University in 2014, Marina was a policy advisor with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Beijing where she managed a multi-country project on regional economic cooperation. 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 8 Jul 2020 06:00:09 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Marina Rudyak) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/chinese-aid-and-south-south-cooperation-m3TPHQ_U China is on everyone’s mind these days. It is not just related to the origins of Covid. There is considerable global attention on Beijing’s tense relations with Washington, Ottawa, New Delhi, Tokyo, and even many European capitals. But China wields great influence in large parts of the world, including in low and medium incomes countries, through its investments and aid. And in recent years, Beijing has steadily expanded its global influence through its signature foreign policy project – The Belt and Road Initiative – which is a long-term plan to undertake a series of large investments in roads, bridges, gas pipelines, railways, ports and power plants in over 70 countries. 

Joining me today to discuss the role and impact of China’s aid and investments around the world is Marina Rudyak.

Marina is an assistant lecturer at the Institute of Chinese Studies at Heidelberg University in Germany. She studied Modern and Classical Chinese Studies and Public Law at Heidelberg University and Shanghai International Studies University. In her recently completed Ph.D. dissertation, Marina focuses on Chinese foreign aid policies and Beijing’s evolving role in international development.

Before re-joining Heidelberg University in 2014, Marina was a policy advisor with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Beijing where she managed a multi-country project on regional economic cooperation. 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Chinese aid and South-South Cooperation — Marina Rudyak Dan Banik, Marina Rudyak 01:01:04 A discussion with Marina Rudyak on the role and impact of Chinese aid to Africa, the Belt and Road Initiative, and South-South Cooperation. A discussion with Marina Rudyak on the role and impact of Chinese aid to Africa, the Belt and Road Initiative, and South-South Cooperation. china-us relations, south-south cooperation, china exim bank, foreign aid, gift theory, taiwan, reciprocity, japan, concessional loan, loan repayment, mao zedong, xi jinping, senegal, development diplomacy, charity, jawaharlal nehru, india, bandung, infrastructure, china, china-africa relations, official development assistance, german development cooperation, belt and road initiative, malawi, trade, huawei, china international development cooperation agency, cultural revolution, non-interference, heidelberg university, aid principles, aid conditionality, africa, united nations, marcel mauss, development assistance committee, kirgistan, bri, deng xiaoping, knowledge transfer, oecd false full 9 1 8442fe1e-e71f-40f4-b0de-92a347aef5bc State capacity in Latin America — Benedicte Bull There have been numerous news reports in recent weeks pointing to how Covid will damage Latin America more severely than many other world regions. Several commentators and scholars have argued that the pandemic will wipe out several decades of social progress, pushing millions back into poverty. To discuss economic growth and poverty and inequality reduction in Latin America both before and after Covid, in addition to key political trends in the region, I am joined by my colleague Benedicte Bull. 

Benedicte Bull is a professor of political science and head of the Norwegian Latin America Research Network (NorLARNet) at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Her research has focused on the relationship between politics, state building and development, and how international relations influence the possibilities for establishing good institutions that can produce positive societal change.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 1 Jul 2020 06:00:13 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik, Benedicte Bull) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/state-capacity-in-latin-america-b908jh4Z There have been numerous news reports in recent weeks pointing to how Covid will damage Latin America more severely than many other world regions. Several commentators and scholars have argued that the pandemic will wipe out several decades of social progress, pushing millions back into poverty. To discuss economic growth and poverty and inequality reduction in Latin America both before and after Covid, in addition to key political trends in the region, I am joined by my colleague Benedicte Bull. 

Benedicte Bull is a professor of political science and head of the Norwegian Latin America Research Network (NorLARNet) at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Her research has focused on the relationship between politics, state building and development, and how international relations influence the possibilities for establishing good institutions that can produce positive societal change.

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> State capacity in Latin America — Benedicte Bull Dan Banik, Benedicte Bull 01:05:08 In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Professor Benedicte Bull on Covid response and the politics of poverty and inequality reduction in Latin America. In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Professor Benedicte Bull on Covid response and the politics of poverty and inequality reduction in Latin America. venezuela, minority rights, state legitimacy, paraguay, income inequality, chile, pink tide, democracy, ecuador, peru, labour, china, state capacity, argentina, brazil, lgbtq, feminist movement, covid-19, populism, imf, abortion, costa rica, hugo chávez, mexico, informal sector, inequality, brics, fiscal space, uruguay false full 8 1 8b1e8bb9-211e-4db8-b475-92d02f97bc46 Erik Solheim on sustainable development Our world is facing considerable challenges, not just in relation to the Covid crisis, but also in terms of our desire to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and address the adverse impacts caused by climate disruption.

Despite such challenges, we cannot underestimate the numerous developmental successes that the world has witnessed in recent decades. In relation to health, prosperity, safety, peace, and happiness, humanity is much better off today than ever before in history. And although such achievements have not been equally replicated in all arenas (e.g. the environment), this should deter us from asking what “success” means in practice, and how such ideas can be mobilized by national governments and the international community in pursuit of sustainable development.

To discuss the relationship between development and the environment, the need to change consumer behavior and the future role of China, India, aid and the United Nations in a post-Covid world is my guest this week – Erik Solheim – a veteran Norwegian diplomat, who has previously served as the leader of Norway’s Socialist Left Party (1987-1997) and was Norway’s Minister for International Development and Minister of Environment (2005-2012). He  also served as Chair of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) (2013-2016) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (2016-2018). 

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Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2020 06:00:16 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Erik Solheim, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/erik-solheim-on-sustainable-development-All_66nE Our world is facing considerable challenges, not just in relation to the Covid crisis, but also in terms of our desire to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and address the adverse impacts caused by climate disruption.

Despite such challenges, we cannot underestimate the numerous developmental successes that the world has witnessed in recent decades. In relation to health, prosperity, safety, peace, and happiness, humanity is much better off today than ever before in history. And although such achievements have not been equally replicated in all arenas (e.g. the environment), this should deter us from asking what “success” means in practice, and how such ideas can be mobilized by national governments and the international community in pursuit of sustainable development.

To discuss the relationship between development and the environment, the need to change consumer behavior and the future role of China, India, aid and the United Nations in a post-Covid world is my guest this week – Erik Solheim – a veteran Norwegian diplomat, who has previously served as the leader of Norway’s Socialist Left Party (1987-1997) and was Norway’s Minister for International Development and Minister of Environment (2005-2012). He  also served as Chair of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) (2013-2016) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (2016-2018). 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Erik Solheim on sustainable development Erik Solheim, Dan Banik 01:20:21 In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Erik Solheim, former Norwegian Minister for International Development, Minister of Environment, and former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Erik Solheim, former Norwegian Minister for International Development, Minister of Environment, and former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). kenya, plastic pollution, foreign aid, taiwan, poverty, plastic, singapore, innovation, india, south korea, environment, south africa, china, development assistance, belt and road initiative, norway, malawi, climate, covid-19, private sector, sdgs, ghana, united nations, sustainable development, development finance, oecd false full 7 1 dce6f0ce-88d8-4018-9bfc-8294b2d9a5f3 Democracy, development and Covid response in Africa — Boniface Dulani Malawi is my second home. Every year, for the past fifteen years, I have made numerous trips from Norway to this beautiful country in Southern Africa to conduct research and to teach at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College. During this time, I have been privileged to strike up many friendships with Malawians from all walks of life. I miss my friends. With borders closed all over the world, I worry that I may not be able to return to this beautiful country for a very long time. 

My initial interest in Malawi was spurred by two Masters students of political science at the University of Oslo who were studying health policy and local perceptions of the impact of democracy in Malawi in 2004-2005. While supervising these students, I began to learn about a country that did not normally elicit much international attention. The more I read, the more intrigued I became. The narrative then, as is also often the case now, was of Malawi struggling to achieve economic growth and address poverty reduction while undergoing democratic consolidation. The social science literature on Malawi then was limited. And the few good books that offered nuanced analyses explaining Malawi’s underdevelopment highlighted a dysfunctional political system, pervasive corruption, and the general lack of trust in democratic institutions. Hence, many questioned the added value of democracy and whether hard fought democratic freedoms have provided citizens with improved livelihoods. 

Many of these issues remain as relevant today as they were fifteen years ago. I have tried to decode the “Malawi paradox” – i.e. despite peace, political stability and consistent support for democracy, most Malawians have not witnessed radical improvement in their living standards and the country continues to perform poorly on most development indicators. And high levels of corruption, administrative inefficiency and political inaction and the lack of foresightedness continue to dominate the development landscape. Malawi lags behind its neighbours, and hence the international development discourse is frequently characterised by the perception that “there are developing countries, and then there is Malawi”. Such statements imply a sense of hopelessness about the country’s development trajectory. 

We address many of these issues in a book that I edited with Professor Blessings Chinsinga in 2016 entitled Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi: The Democratic Dividend (open access). In this book, we concluded that democracy does not necessarily always foster or guarantee development when the desire to win the support of the electorate results in the adoption of populist policies. Indeed, although the overarching policy goals of the various governments in Malawi since 1994 have been poverty alleviation, the empirical evidence suggests that the impact of democracy on poverty reduction and socio-economic development has been negligible. Will the upcoming elections usher in a new age for Malawi? Only time will tell. 

My guest in this episode is Dr. Boniface Dulani, who studied at York and Sussex universities in the UK and has a doctorate in political science from Michigan State University in the United States. He is the Director of Survey at Afrobarometer – a non-partisan, pan-African research institution conducting public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, the economy and society in over 30 countries on the African continent. Dr. Dulani is senior lecturer at the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at Chancellor College, University of Malawi.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2020 11:21:33 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Boniface Dulani, Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/democracy-development-and-covid-response-in-africa-sH_hZmfF Malawi is my second home. Every year, for the past fifteen years, I have made numerous trips from Norway to this beautiful country in Southern Africa to conduct research and to teach at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College. During this time, I have been privileged to strike up many friendships with Malawians from all walks of life. I miss my friends. With borders closed all over the world, I worry that I may not be able to return to this beautiful country for a very long time. 

My initial interest in Malawi was spurred by two Masters students of political science at the University of Oslo who were studying health policy and local perceptions of the impact of democracy in Malawi in 2004-2005. While supervising these students, I began to learn about a country that did not normally elicit much international attention. The more I read, the more intrigued I became. The narrative then, as is also often the case now, was of Malawi struggling to achieve economic growth and address poverty reduction while undergoing democratic consolidation. The social science literature on Malawi then was limited. And the few good books that offered nuanced analyses explaining Malawi’s underdevelopment highlighted a dysfunctional political system, pervasive corruption, and the general lack of trust in democratic institutions. Hence, many questioned the added value of democracy and whether hard fought democratic freedoms have provided citizens with improved livelihoods. 

Many of these issues remain as relevant today as they were fifteen years ago. I have tried to decode the “Malawi paradox” – i.e. despite peace, political stability and consistent support for democracy, most Malawians have not witnessed radical improvement in their living standards and the country continues to perform poorly on most development indicators. And high levels of corruption, administrative inefficiency and political inaction and the lack of foresightedness continue to dominate the development landscape. Malawi lags behind its neighbours, and hence the international development discourse is frequently characterised by the perception that “there are developing countries, and then there is Malawi”. Such statements imply a sense of hopelessness about the country’s development trajectory. 

We address many of these issues in a book that I edited with Professor Blessings Chinsinga in 2016 entitled Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi: The Democratic Dividend (open access). In this book, we concluded that democracy does not necessarily always foster or guarantee development when the desire to win the support of the electorate results in the adoption of populist policies. Indeed, although the overarching policy goals of the various governments in Malawi since 1994 have been poverty alleviation, the empirical evidence suggests that the impact of democracy on poverty reduction and socio-economic development has been negligible. Will the upcoming elections usher in a new age for Malawi? Only time will tell. 

My guest in this episode is Dr. Boniface Dulani, who studied at York and Sussex universities in the UK and has a doctorate in political science from Michigan State University in the United States. He is the Director of Survey at Afrobarometer – a non-partisan, pan-African research institution conducting public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, the economy and society in over 30 countries on the African continent. Dr. Dulani is senior lecturer at the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at Chancellor College, University of Malawi.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Democracy, development and Covid response in Africa — Boniface Dulani Boniface Dulani, Dan Banik 01:19:18 How are African democracies performing in relation to economic development? And how is one of the world’s poorest countries coping with Covid? In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Dr. Boniface Dulani from the University of Malawi on a range of topics – from the politics of poverty and the recent landmark judgments by the judiciary to the much-anticipated elections in Malawi next week. How are African democracies performing in relation to economic development? And how is one of the world’s poorest countries coping with Covid? In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Dr. Boniface Dulani from the University of Malawi on a range of topics – from the politics of poverty and the recent landmark judgments by the judiciary to the much-anticipated elections in Malawi next week. development, burundi, elections, peter mutharika, state legitimacy, poverty, madagascar, chancellor college malawi, democracy, media, south africa, afrobarometer, lesotho, corruption, government of malawi, malawi, civil society, uganda, university of malawi, covid, governance, tanzania, ghana false full 6 1 951d5551-60c1-4a10-937b-eaec12c2d1e9 The population question Much of Africa is experiencing high birth rates and certain countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria are projected to witness massive increases in their populations in the next few decades. An explosive growth in population will in turn pose major challenges for government policies aimed at promoting development and well-being of citizens. Are governments reluctant to talk about birth control. If so, why? And what can policymakers learn from the Indian and Chinese experiences? The current discourse on birth control is polarized. Some scholars argue that despite its adverse impacts on the climate, the population question is largely neglected by the climate community. Others highlight the importance of better protecting reproductive rights, improved access to contraceptives, strengthening gender equality, improved educational opportunities and increasing the living standards of the world’s poorest people. Still others believe that people in rich countries should reduce their consumption levels in order to protect the environment.

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2020 05:38:17 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/the-population-question-oQUctz_M Much of Africa is experiencing high birth rates and certain countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria are projected to witness massive increases in their populations in the next few decades. An explosive growth in population will in turn pose major challenges for government policies aimed at promoting development and well-being of citizens. Are governments reluctant to talk about birth control. If so, why? And what can policymakers learn from the Indian and Chinese experiences? The current discourse on birth control is polarized. Some scholars argue that despite its adverse impacts on the climate, the population question is largely neglected by the climate community. Others highlight the importance of better protecting reproductive rights, improved access to contraceptives, strengthening gender equality, improved educational opportunities and increasing the living standards of the world’s poorest people. Still others believe that people in rich countries should reduce their consumption levels in order to protect the environment.

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> The population question Dan Banik 00:30:16 Is a fast-growing world population the reason for continued poverty and increased environmental problems in many parts of the world? In this episode, I discuss whether population control is really the "elephant in the room" as some claim it to be. Is a fast-growing world population the reason for continued poverty and increased environmental problems in many parts of the world? In this episode, I discuss whether population control is really the "elephant in the room" as some claim it to be. amartya sen, population bomb, peter singer, kenya, hunger, 2030 agenda, malaria, demography, human development, bangladesh, hiv, population control, india, conflict, thomas malthus, sudan, green revolution, china, garrett hardin, pollution, ipcc, family planning, malawi, arve hansen, ethiopia, gender imbalance, democratic republic of congo, birth rate, covid, john bongaarts, james lovelock, sterilization, overcrowding, future fab, mahbub ul haq, john magufuli, climate change, tanzania, carrying capacity, consumption, nigeria, lifeboat ethics, sdgs, one-child policy, neo-malthusian, emissions, brian o’neill, the economist, intergovernmental panel on climate change, paul ehrlich false full 5 1 e99e14f0-2267-4eb1-a04e-7af689eb43d9 Dreaming of electricity In this episode, I begin by discussing India's achievements in improving access to electricity before providing a brief overview of electricity access at the global level. I then go on to identify some of the major challenges that hundreds of millions of people on the African continent face in trying to access electricity. Most countries on the continent are struggling to promote clean and renewal forms of energy, but there are certain exceptions, such as Rwanda and Ethiopia. And then there are countries like Kenya and Malawi who have pinned their hopes on highly polluting coal-fired power plants. What type of strategy should policymakers in these countries pursue to generate clean energy and increase access to electricity, especially in rural areas? 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2020 05:38:04 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/dreaming-of-electricity-kLdNtPQr In this episode, I begin by discussing India's achievements in improving access to electricity before providing a brief overview of electricity access at the global level. I then go on to identify some of the major challenges that hundreds of millions of people on the African continent face in trying to access electricity. Most countries on the continent are struggling to promote clean and renewal forms of energy, but there are certain exceptions, such as Rwanda and Ethiopia. And then there are countries like Kenya and Malawi who have pinned their hopes on highly polluting coal-fired power plants. What type of strategy should policymakers in these countries pursue to generate clean energy and increase access to electricity, especially in rural areas? 

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Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Dreaming of electricity Dan Banik 00:27:02 Over 570 million people living in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to lack access to electricity. And the problem is particularly acute in rural areas. Why is this so? And what types of strategies should policymakers on the African continent pursue? Over 570 million people living in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to lack access to electricity. And the problem is particularly acute in rural areas. Why is this so? And what types of strategies should policymakers on the African continent pursue? burundi, sub-saharan africa, afghanistan, kenya, renewal energy, sdg7, myanmar, coal-fired power plants, amphan, sustainable development goals, kolkata, hydropower, niger, bangladesh, grand ethiopian renaissance dam, india, calcutta, world bank, cambodia, china, loadshedding, norway, coal, malawi, ethiopia, lamu archipelago, african development bank, democratic republic of congo, west bengal, chad, rwanda, united states, sdgs, electricity, united nations, power cut, oecd false full 4 1 b15feb1e-3190-493c-8011-82bee602d861 Crises and leadership Covid-19 has confronted leaders with a crisis that they probably never expected in their lifetime. With the growing demand for, and resistance against, strict quarantines and national lockdowns, which entail severe restrictions on the freedom of movement and assembly of citizens, democracies as well as non-democracies around the world are being tested. There is also growing frustration, especially among the youth in Africa on the inability of the current political system to provide them with better representation and a stronger say in how their countries are governed. Many of Africa’s leaders are also accused of not adequately adapting to the demands of the global economy and largely ignoring the adverse impacts of climate change within their borders. A crisis tends to get citizens to rally around their leaders and their governments. But good leaders are not just effective during crises, they are also effective in non-crisis times. 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2020 05:37:46 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/crises-and-leadership-7RPaHPXh Covid-19 has confronted leaders with a crisis that they probably never expected in their lifetime. With the growing demand for, and resistance against, strict quarantines and national lockdowns, which entail severe restrictions on the freedom of movement and assembly of citizens, democracies as well as non-democracies around the world are being tested. There is also growing frustration, especially among the youth in Africa on the inability of the current political system to provide them with better representation and a stronger say in how their countries are governed. Many of Africa’s leaders are also accused of not adequately adapting to the demands of the global economy and largely ignoring the adverse impacts of climate change within their borders. A crisis tends to get citizens to rally around their leaders and their governments. But good leaders are not just effective during crises, they are also effective in non-crisis times. 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Crises and leadership Dan Banik 00:27:07 What characterizes a successful leader? How can leaders respond effectively during a crisis? And what type of leadership is best suited for the promotion of socio-economic development in low-income countries? What characterizes a successful leader? How can leaders respond effectively during a crisis? And what type of leadership is best suited for the promotion of socio-economic development in low-income countries? finland, culture and leadership, managerial capacity, charisma, sanna marin, peter mutharika, taiwan, sweden, quarantine, jacinda ardern, lockdown, zimbabwe, south africa, transactional leadership, new zealand, robert mugabe, norway, paul biya, germany, malawi, paul kagame, ethiopia, angela merkel, covid, abiy ahmed, transformational leadership, rwanda, john magufuli, tanzania, tsai ing-wen, cyril ramaphosa, cameroon, erna solberg false full 3 1 e66c4199-b544-4c1f-8203-d4a8bdb13610 China in a post-Covid world In this episode, I discuss why China’s role and influence will continue to expand in a post Covid-19 world. In the initial months of the crisis in early 2020, the main narrative coming from China was very much inward-looking in that Beijing was projecting for its citizens as well as to the world that it could control the outbreak and that no other country would be able to perform better on this matter that it was already doing. Gradually, however, the narrative began to shift to one where Beijing has pursued a more aggressive public relations campaign. A key question is: Who will risk discontinuing their already deep ties with, and dependency on, China? While the United States is gradually withdrawing from the international arena, China appears well-placed to reap the benefits of its development diplomacy, the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and the growing global interest in sustainable development which appeals to a growing number of countries around the world. 

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Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2020 05:37:25 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/china-in-a-post-covid-world-si86a32U In this episode, I discuss why China’s role and influence will continue to expand in a post Covid-19 world. In the initial months of the crisis in early 2020, the main narrative coming from China was very much inward-looking in that Beijing was projecting for its citizens as well as to the world that it could control the outbreak and that no other country would be able to perform better on this matter that it was already doing. Gradually, however, the narrative began to shift to one where Beijing has pursued a more aggressive public relations campaign. A key question is: Who will risk discontinuing their already deep ties with, and dependency on, China? While the United States is gradually withdrawing from the international arena, China appears well-placed to reap the benefits of its development diplomacy, the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and the growing global interest in sustainable development which appeals to a growing number of countries around the world. 

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.banik.official

Please send me your questions, comments and suggestions by e-mail: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

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]]> China in a post-Covid world Dan Banik 00:36:31 China’s influence in global affairs has been growing for the past couple of decades. But the global crisis caused by the coronavirus has damaged its international reputation. Will China be able to bounce back? In this episode, I discuss 3 sets of factors that may enable China to continue to exercise considerable global influence in a post-Covid era. China’s influence in global affairs has been growing for the past couple of decades. But the global crisis caused by the coronavirus has damaged its international reputation. Will China be able to bounce back? In this episode, I discuss 3 sets of factors that may enable China to continue to exercise considerable global influence in a post-Covid era. development aid, sustainable development goals, mask diplomacy, china, multilateral institutions, belt and road initiative, hong kong, us-china relations, australia, covid-19, world health organization, sdgs, global governance false full 2 1 7bdea2cd-96ac-4a0f-affe-7b2b7b3d85ef Introducing: In Pursuit of Development Hi everyone, I’m Dan Banik. And welcome to the In Pursuit of Development podcast. 

I am a professor of political science at the University of Oslo, where I also direct the Oslo SDG Initiative on Sustainable Development. For the past couple of decades, I have been conducting research on the politics of poverty. Some of the countries I have been studying include China, India, Malawi, Kenya and Rwanda. So, if you are interested in democracy, poverty eradication, and climate change, this is your go-to podcast for a deeper understanding of the politics of global development.

Many recent global discussions have highlighted the double challenge facing our world: to eradicate hunger and poverty and to stabilize the global climate before it is too late. 

We are also being constantly warned that as the negative impacts of climate change will only worsen soon, we must redouble our focus and energy in promoting a sustainable development agenda. Many thus urge us to transform our policies and practices related to economic growth, food and agriculture, and our everyday consumption patterns. But how can we achieve such ambitious transformations, and what are the main challenges ahead? In each episode, I will discuss the experiences of developing and “emerging economies” in Africa, Asia and Latin America. While some episodes or seasons will feature monologues, in others I will interview politicians, civil servants, activists, media personalities and fellow academics on a range of issues such as governance, corruption, foreign aid, gender equality, policies on healthcare, education, agriculture, food, and energy, in addition to economic growth and inequality, and climate change.

While I will examine major global challenges and highlight various “problems”, I will also highlight “solutions” and “what works” on the ground. 

This podcast will thus enable you to examine development interventions critically. It will also help you better understand how “promising” policies, programs, and practices can be deployed in a range of international contexts.

Follow me on: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danbanik

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.banik.official

Please send me your questions, comments and suggestions by e-mail: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2020 02:56:00 +0000 danbanik@uio.no (Dan Banik) https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/introducing-in-pursuit-of-development-knNGPrZ3 Hi everyone, I’m Dan Banik. And welcome to the In Pursuit of Development podcast. 

I am a professor of political science at the University of Oslo, where I also direct the Oslo SDG Initiative on Sustainable Development. For the past couple of decades, I have been conducting research on the politics of poverty. Some of the countries I have been studying include China, India, Malawi, Kenya and Rwanda. So, if you are interested in democracy, poverty eradication, and climate change, this is your go-to podcast for a deeper understanding of the politics of global development.

Many recent global discussions have highlighted the double challenge facing our world: to eradicate hunger and poverty and to stabilize the global climate before it is too late. 

We are also being constantly warned that as the negative impacts of climate change will only worsen soon, we must redouble our focus and energy in promoting a sustainable development agenda. Many thus urge us to transform our policies and practices related to economic growth, food and agriculture, and our everyday consumption patterns. But how can we achieve such ambitious transformations, and what are the main challenges ahead? In each episode, I will discuss the experiences of developing and “emerging economies” in Africa, Asia and Latin America. While some episodes or seasons will feature monologues, in others I will interview politicians, civil servants, activists, media personalities and fellow academics on a range of issues such as governance, corruption, foreign aid, gender equality, policies on healthcare, education, agriculture, food, and energy, in addition to economic growth and inequality, and climate change.

While I will examine major global challenges and highlight various “problems”, I will also highlight “solutions” and “what works” on the ground. 

This podcast will thus enable you to examine development interventions critically. It will also help you better understand how “promising” policies, programs, and practices can be deployed in a range of international contexts.

Follow me on: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danbanik

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.banik.official

Please send me your questions, comments and suggestions by e-mail: InPursuitOfDevelopment@gmail.com

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, 

Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo

 

Subscribe:

Apple Spotify YouTube

https://globaldevpod.substack.com/

]]> Introducing: In Pursuit of Development Dan Banik 00:03:09 Dan Banik introduces the "In Pursuit of Development" podcast Dan Banik introduces the "In Pursuit of Development" podcast democracy, what works, poverty reduction, politics, sustainable development, global governance, global development false full 1 1