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In Pursuit of Development

Dan Banik
Global South
Climate Change
Poverty Reduction
Global Development
China
Corruption
Artificial Intelligence
United States
Democracy
Serbia
Inequality
Active Non-Alignment
Vietnam
India
European Union
Bangladesh
Protests
Balkans
Economic Growth
Non-Aligned Movement

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, wh... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes176Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Social SciencesScienceNewsPolitics

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Artwork for In Pursuit of Development

Latest Episodes

Rwanda is often described as one of Africa’s most remarkable development success stories: a country that rebuilt itself after the 1994 genocide, delivered impressive improvements in health and education, reduced its dependence on coffee, attracted gl... more

In this solo episode, Dan Banik reflects on a series of recent conversations across Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Blantyre, and Mauritius, where African scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, NGO directors, administrators, and practitioners debated ... more

Corruption is often imagined as a bribe paid to speed up a permit, avoid a fine, or gain access to a public service. But some of the most damaging forms of corruption operate at a much higher level, where powerful political and business actors reshap... more

In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Alanna O’Malley, Professor and Chair of Global Governance & Wealth and Head of Department of History at Erasmus University, about the hidden history of the United Nations and the dec... more

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Recent Guests

Pritish Behuria
Associate Professor in Politics, Governance and Development at the University of Manchester's Global Development Institute
University of Manchester
Episode: Is Rwanda a development success? | Pritish Behuria
Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett
Professor of Governance and Integrity, Director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption, University of Sussex
University of Sussex
Episode: How public institutions become captured | Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett
Alanna O'Malley
Professor and Chair of Global Governance and Wealth, Head of the Department of History at Erasmus University
Erasmus University
Episode: Why the UN looks different from the Global South | Alanna O’Malley
Madhukar Pai
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology and Global Health at McGill University
McGill University
Episode: The poverty trap that kills a million people a year | Madhukar Pai
Elina Scheja
Chief economist at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and head of the OECD DAC Community of Practice on Poverty and Inequalities
Sida / OECD
Episode: Can aid still fight poverty? | Elina Scheja
Philip Schellekens
Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at UNDP
UN Development Programme (UNDP)
Episode: Can Asia still deliver the development dream? | Philip Schellekens
Benjamin Bradlow
Assistant Professor of Sociology and International Affairs at Princeton University
Princeton University
Episode: Urbanization, inequality and the future of development | Benjamin Bradlow
Homi Kharas
Senior fellow at Brookings; former World Bank chief economist for East Asia and the Pacific
Brookings Institution
Episode: Why the middle class will shape global development | Homi Kharas
Francesco Marcelloni
Professor of data mining and machine learning at the University of Pisa; academic director of the Knowledge Hub on Artificial Intelligence at Circle U European University Alliance
University of Pisa; Circle U European University Alliance
Episode: Artificial intelligence and the future of human decision-making | Francesco Marcelloni

Host

Dan Banik
Host of In Pursuit of Development; introduces topics and guides conversation

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 56 ratings
  • Season 6 is spectacular

    After a long break, it is delightful to see Dan back on the airwaves. And season 6 has not disappointed so far. Keep up the good work. We are grateful for this exceptional public good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Derrick_Amh
    Norway4 months ago
  • Always something to learn

    I love Dan Banik’s podcast. Excellent selection of speakers and topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Joggisjoggis
    Norway4 years ago
  • The best podcast on global development

    I have for long wanted to listen to a thorough discussion on development-related topics. I finally found this podcast where Professor Banik invites many excellent guests and discusses the issues in-depth. This is an outstanding effort and the transcripts are also very valuable. Please continue the good work, Prof Banik. You deserve the thanks of your thousands of listeners.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DevelopmentIssues-junkie
    India4 years ago
  • A real gem

    Stumbled on this recently and the preparation put into each interview is great. Really insightful!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    camwho?
    Australia5 years ago
  • Interesting, nuanced and thoughtful about development, poverty and democracy

    Congratulations to professor Dan Banik for an excellent podcast on a great variety of development issues. Food for thought!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Margunnis
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Consistently delivers nuanced and thoughtful conversations
Clear, insightful discussions with strong guests and prep
Transcripts are valuable for deeper understanding
High quality analysis on development topics and policy

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Is Rwanda a development success? | Pritish Behuria
Q: What role did donors and branding play in Rwanda's development path?
Donors helped push health, education, and gender gains and encouraged indicators and governance reforms, but the state also actively shaped policy and branding to attract investment, sometimes prioritizing visibility over domestic industrialization.
Is Rwanda a development success? | Pritish Behuria
Q: Is Rwanda a development success?
It's a nuanced mix: rapid growth and export diversification exist, but structural transformation and broad-based job creation are limited, with significant inequality and political considerations shaping the overall assessment.
Why the UN looks different from the Global South | Alanna O’Malley
Q: Could you help us get started with that perspective on whether the UN is failing, and whether it is only the West that thinks so?
The UN operates with multiple aims and should not be assessed by a single metric of success or failure. While some Western analyses focus on paralysis and vetoes, Global South perspectives reveal strong faith in the UN's potential to mobilize resources, set agendas, and advance development, even amid funding constraints and reform challenges.
The poverty trap that kills a million people a year | Madhukar Pai
Q: Is Ayushman Bharat addressing TB effectively?
Ayushman Bharat is strong for hospital-based care but TB care is primarily a primary-care issue; a broader primary-care focus and better integration are needed to curb transmission.
The poverty trap that kills a million people a year | Madhukar Pai
Q: What role does social protection play in TB control?
Social protection, particularly nutrition support and cash transfers, can substantially reduce TB incidence and mortality by addressing the poverty and malnutrition that fuel transmission and hinder recovery.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About In Pursuit of Development

What is In Pursuit of Development about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A globally focused development show that hosts in-depth conversations with scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to unpack how democracy, poverty, inequality, climate resilience, and health intersect with policy, governance, and global economics. Across episodes, guests provide evidence-based analyses of aid effectiveness, development finance, urban governance, AI's role in policy, and geopolitics, often tying local outcomes to broader structural trends. Noteworthy angles include how global power shifts affect aid, the evolving meaning of development beyond GDP, and practical governance strategies for inclusive progress. The program tends to attract listeners who want rigorous, policy-oriented discussions with a mix of academia, governm... more

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Which podcasts are similar to In Pursuit of Development?

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1. Ones and Tooze
2. The Economics Show
3. Sinica Podcast
4. The China in Africa Podcast
5. The Rachman Review

How many episodes of In Pursuit of Development are there?

In Pursuit of Development launched 6 years ago and published 176 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on In Pursuit of Development?

Recent guests on In Pursuit of Development include:

1. Pritish Behuria
2. Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett
3. Alanna O'Malley
4. Madhukar Pai
5. Elina Scheja
6. Philip Schellekens
7. Benjamin Bradlow
8. Homi Kharas

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