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Ideas in Development

Ideas in Development
Artificial Intelligence
Africa
India
Economic Growth
Vietnam
Africa Urban Lab
Rwanda
Economic Development
Precision Development
Growth Policy
Cities
Adalat AI
Youth Impact
Costa Rica
Infrastructure
Industrial Revolution
Poverty Reduction
Governance and Policy
Doi Moi Reforms
Peru

Conversations on the forces shaping economic development.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes21Founded4 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceSocial SciencesEducation

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Artwork for Ideas in Development

Latest Episodes

What does a perfect city look like in a low- or middle-income country – and how do you get there?

In the closing episode of our cities series, Ed Glaeser joins Kurtis Lockhart and Oliver Hanney for a wide-ranging conversation on what makes cities wo... more

Are African cities a powder keg of restless youth – or the most promising place to build prosperity, peaceful politics and shared civic life?

Leonard Wantchekon joins Ideas in Development to argue that African cities should be seen as a youth opport... more

How does organised crime take over a city – and can mayors act before it does?

Chris Blattman, economist and political scientist at the University of Chicago, joins Oliver Hanney and Kurtis Lockhart on the Ideas in Development cities series to expla... more

Broken land markets are holding back cities across Africa. But not in Rwanda, which was able to register over 10 million land parcels, and issue over 7 million title deeds, in under five years. How did they do it, and what can other countries learn? more

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Recent Guests

Leonard Wantchekon
James Madison Professor of Political Economy at Princeton University, founder and president of the African School of Economics
Princeton University; African School of Economics
Episode: S3 Ep6: Cities of opportunity, not powder kegs
Chris Blattman
Economist, political scientist, professor at University of Chicago
University of Chicago
Episode: S3 Ep5: How crime takes over cities
Thierry Hoza Ngoga
Leading implementer of Rwanda's land regularization program
Rwanda land reform program / advisor to governments in Sub-Saharan Africa
Episode: S3 Ep4: Why was Rwanda’s land reform so successful?
Kecia Rust
Executive Director and Founder of the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa
Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa
Episode: S3 Ep3: YIMBY goes global? How to build more houses in Africa
Astrid Haas
Fellow and lecturer at the Africa Urban Lab
Africa Urban Lab
Episode: S3 Ep2: How can African cities pay for stuff?
Kurtis Lockhart
Founder and executive director of the Africa Urban Lab
Africa Urban Lab (AUL)
Episode: S3 Ep1: Why cities matter
Umar Saif
Tech entrepreneur and former government minister; Punjab digitization and IT minister; running an AI company
Government of Pakistan / Doocam GovTech (contextual)
Episode: S2 Ep8: What tech ministers get wrong about AI
Raghuram Rajan
Professor at the University of Chicago and former governor of the Reserve Bank of India
University of Chicago; Reserve Bank of India
Episode: S2 Ep7: India, AI, and the future of service-led growth
Josh Lerner
Professor at Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Episode: S2 Ep6: How does technology diffuse?

Hosts

Oliver Hany
Managing editor at VoxDev; host of the show; frequent contributor on development policy and urban topics.
Oliver Hanney
Managing editor at VoxDev; co-host focusing on urban development and policy.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 7 ratings
  • my thoughts

    Exciting stuff, can’t wait!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mrgeneralbean
    France4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Strong on African urban issues with grounded case studies.
Thoughtful take on development policy; great guest matches.
Polishes complex topics into actionable ideas.
Practical insights, not just theory.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S3 Ep6: Cities of opportunity, not powder kegs
Q: What practical steps can cities take to foster civic engagement beyond voting?
Introduce deliberative institutions, town-hall style forums, and participatory democracy that persist between elections, empowering communities to influence decisions and strengthen trust in governance.
S3 Ep6: Cities of opportunity, not powder kegs
Q: What are the drivers behind youth protests in places like Kenya, and how should governments respond?
Protests arise from a history of political violence and insufficient dialogue; solutions require deliberate investment in peaceful protest, institutional dialogue, and governance reforms that engage youth rather than repress them.
S3 Ep6: Cities of opportunity, not powder kegs
Q: To what extent do you see cities as a youth problem in the African context?
On the contrary, cities hold strong youth opportunities when governance is improved; problems stem from misgovernance at the top, and with basic reforms, cities can become places where learning, prosperity, and social connections flourish.
S3 Ep2: How can African cities pay for stuff?
Q: You've also written about reform in the Philippines. What were the successful institutional ingredients there?
The Philippines differentiated city types by size and creditworthiness, directing larger cities to borrow on markets, mid-sized cities to local intermediaries, and smaller ones to national transfers, supported by municipal funds, local guarantee units, and local credit ratings.
S3 Ep2: How can African cities pay for stuff?
Q: To start, can you explain where cities generally sit within the state in Africa? When we say a city government in the African context, what are we actually talking about?
Cities are legally recognized entities with responsibilities for infrastructure and services, but they often lack the powers to raise money, creating a gap between what they must deliver and what they can fund.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Ideas in Development

What is Ideas in Development about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across recent episodes, the show centers on how policy, finance, and technology drive development, with a strong focus on Africa's urbanization, housing, and governance. Conversations explore land reform, affordable housing delivery, city finance, and the role of AI in development, balancing practical case studies with broader policy insights. Noteworthy are the rigorous linkages drawn between local experiments and scalable strategies, plus thoughtful takes on data, institutions, and implementation challenges that matter to policymakers, builders, and funders alike.

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How many subscribers and views does Ideas in Development have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Ideas in Development?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ideas in Development:

1. VoxDev Development Economics
2. Macro Musings with David Beckworth
3. 80,000 Hours Podcast
4. EconTalk
5. Odd Lots

How many episodes of Ideas in Development are there?

Ideas in Development launched 4 months ago and published 21 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Ideas in Development?

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What guests have appeared on Ideas in Development?

Recent guests on Ideas in Development include:

1. Leonard Wantchekon
2. Chris Blattman
3. Thierry Hoza Ngoga
4. Kecia Rust
5. Astrid Haas
6. Kurtis Lockhart
7. Umar Saif
8. Raghuram Rajan

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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