Development Drums

Episodes

1. 48

   Episode 48: Stefan Dercon – Gambling on Development

   Stefan Dercon is Professor of Economic Policy and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies at the University of Oxford. He is a former DFID chief economist and a policy advisor to the UK foreign secretary. Stefan Dercon argues that countries develop if they achieve an elite...

   Jun 3, 2022

   1h 32m
2. 47

   Episode 47: Todd Moss – The Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

   Bestselling author Todd Moss is a former senior State Department official who led America’s response to coups and crises in West Africa. He is also my colleague at the Center for Global Development, where he is a Senior Fellow and Chief Operating Officer.

   Sep 17, 2015

   55m
3. 46

   Episode 46: Morten Jerven

   Morten Jerven explains why we know less than we should about what is happening in African economies, and why this is leading economists to the wrong recommendations. His first book, Poor Numbers: How We are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do About It explained the problems…

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   Jun 7, 2015

   1h 08m
4. 45

   Episode 45: Mind, Society and Behaviour (Varun Gauri)

   Varun Gauri talks about the relevance of behavioural economics to international development.

   May 3, 2015

   1h 15m
5. 44

   Episode 44: The Data Revolution

   Everyone seems to be talking about the data revolution these days. In this episode of Development Drums, I speak with two people who have thought more about what it is, how to make it happen, and what it means for development than just about anyone else.

   Sep 15, 2014

   45m
6. 43

   Episode 43: Complexity

   In this episode of Development Drums, I speak with Ben Ramalingam and Stefan Dercon about whether complexity and systems thinking offers actionable insights for better development interventions.

   Jul 24, 2014

   1h 15m
7. 42

   Episode 42: The Idealist (Nina Munk on Jeff Sachs)

   Nina Munk’s latest book, The Idealist, is about Jeffrey Sachs and the Millennium Villages Project. It is also a book about the efforts that people in industrialised countries make to help poor people. It is a book about vision, passion and hubris. In this episode of Development Drums, Nina Munk...

   Mar 10, 2014

   57m
8. 41

   Episode 41: The Great Escape (Angus Deaton)

   Professor Angus Deaton talks about his book, The Great Escape, which brings together his research into health, well-being, and economic development. The podcast includes a discussion in the second half of Professor Deaton's criticisms of the aid industry.

   Dec 21, 2013

   1h 11m
9. 40

   Episode 40: Why Nations Fail

   Daron Acemoğlu and James Robinson talk about their best-selling book, Why Nations Fail.

   May 4, 2013

   1h 10m
10. 39

    Episode 39: Bob Geldof (full version)

    Full interview with Bob Geldof

    Mar 22, 2013

    1h 12m
11. 38

    Episode 38: Bob Geldof (edited)

    This podcast presents the edited version (about half an hour) of a longer interview with Bob Geldof; if you prefer you can listen to the full interview (1 hr 15 minutes) in episode 39 of Development Drums instead. Bob Geldof is a singer, songwriter, author, actor and part-time political activist....

    Mar 22, 2013

    36m
12. 37

    Episode 37: From Poverty to Power

    Duncan Green, Senior Strategic Adviser at Oxfam, talks about his book From Poverty to Power.

    Mar 1, 2013

    1h 06m
13. 36

    Episode 36: Accountability and Openness

    Rakesh Rajani and Martin Tisné discuss accountability and openness.

    Feb 24, 2013

    1h 13m
14. 35

    Episode 35: Migration and Development

    Michael Clemens from the Center for Global Development talks about the relationship between migration and development.

    Dec 1, 2012

    1h 14m
15. 34

    Episode 34: The Economics Of Enough

    In this episode, Owen talks with author and economist Diane Coyle about her latest book ‘The Economics Of Enough, How To Run The Economy As If The Future Matters’. In the first section, Diane shares her thoughts on economic growth as a satisfactory goal for economic and social policy, and…

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    Oct 10, 2012

    1h 07m
16. 33

    Episode 33: Complexity and Development

    This is a special edition of Development Drums. Instead of interviewing a guest, as normal, we bring you a presentation on Complexity and Development by Owen Barder. This is the audio-only version of an online presentation with slides, which is available from the Center for Global Development.…

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    Aug 20, 2012

    47m
17. 32

    Episode 32: Gender and Development

    Andrea Cornwall of the Institute of Development Studies and Prue Clarke of New Narrative discuss gender and development.

    Aug 10, 2012

    1h 01m
18. 31

    Episode 31: David Roodman on Microfinance

    Center for Global Development Senior Fellow David Roodman talks about his latest book ‘Due Diligence, An Impertinent Inquiry into Microfinance’. David discusses the evidence surrounding the effects of microfinance on the lives of the world’s poor and its implications on aid donors, within the...

    May 28, 2012

    44m
19. 30

    Episode 30: Interviews with EBRD Candidates

    In this episode we interview four of the five candidates for the next president of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development on their vision for the Bank's future.

    May 14, 2012

    58m
20. 29

    Episode 29: Toby Ord on Giving What We Can

    Toby Ord is a moral philosopher at Balliol College, Oxford and the president of Giving What We Can, an international society dedicated to eliminating poverty in the developing world. In this interview, Toby firstly talks about consequentialism and the implications for development, with particular...

    Apr 19, 2012

    1h 07m
21. 28

    Episode 28: Tim Harford on Adapt (why success always begins with failure)

    Tim Harford is a journalist at the Financial Times and the author of The Undercover Economist and, most recently, of Adapt: Why Success Always Begins with Failure. In this interview, Tim talks about the implications for development of his idea that successful complex systems emerge from a process...

    Feb 23, 2012

    58m
22. 27

    Episode 27: Tony Blair

    Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair talks about his Africa Governance Initiative, about globalization, development, democracy and governance in Africa, leadership, the role of the Department for International Development, and his own future.

    Jun 17, 2011

    33m
23. 26

    Episode 26: China in Africa

    Professor Deborah Bräutigam discusses her book, The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa about China Africa relations. Professor Bräutigam blogs at chinaafricarealstory.com. Running time 1 hour 1 minute; size: 29.6 Mb. Download transcript (pdf)

    May 4, 2011

    59m
24. 25

    Episode 25: Global development challenges

    Malini Mehra from the Center for Social Markets and Alex Evans from the Center on International Cooperation at NYU discuss ten big global challenges for development.

    Feb 10, 2011
25. 24

    Episode 24: The New Bottom Billion

    Andy Sumner (IDS) and Claire Melamed (ODI) discuss the implications of Andy's paper, Global Poverty and The New Bottom Billion.

    Dec 4, 2010
26. 23

    Episode 23: Famine and Foreigners

    Peter Gill talks on Development Drums about his new book, Famine and Foreigners: Ethiopia Since Live Aid.

    Oct 18, 2010
27. 22

    Episode 22: Enough – Hunger in an Age of Plenty

    Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman talk about their book Enough: Why The World’s Poorest Starve In An Age of Plenty. Download transcript (pdf)

    May 3, 2010
28. 21

    Episode 21: Randomized Evaluation

    In this edition of Development drums, Owen talks to Rachel Glennerster, Director of the Poverty Action Lab, about rigorous evaluation of development programmes. Rachel explains how rigorous evaluation techniques can give important insights into the effectiveness of development programmes. She...

    Apr 20, 2010
29. 20

    Episode 20: Corruption

    Daniel Kaufmann and Mushtaq Khan debate the role and importance of tackling corruption as part of a development strategy. Download transcript (pdf)

    Nov 4, 2009
30. 19

    Episode 19: Beyond Planning

    Guest presenter Alison Evans, Director of ODI, interviews Owen Barder about his new paper, Beyond Planning: Markets and Networks for Better Aid, and Roger Riddell, author of two key books on aid and a non-executive director of Oxford Policy Management. This podcast is in collaboration with the...

    Oct 26, 2009
31. 18

    Episode 18: Portfolios of the Poor

    Daryl Colliins and Jonathan Morduch discuss their book, co-authored with Stuart Rutherford and Orland Ruthven, Portfolios of the Poor. Forty percent of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. You may be surprised by the extent to which they use financial services. Daryl and Jonathan...

    Aug 29, 2009
32. 17

    Episode 17: Obama in Ghana

    President Obama spoke in Ghana on July 11, 2009 about US policy towards Africa. In this episode of Development Drums, Todd Moss and Chris Blattman join me to talk about the speech, and what it means for the US and Africa. President Obama’s speech Chris Blattman’s blog Comments on the speech from...

    Jul 19, 2009
33. 16

    Episode 16: False Economy

    Alan Beattie, World Trade Editor of the Financial Times, talks about his new book, False Economy: A Surprising Economic History of the World, with Professor Robert Wade of the London School of Economics. Running time 41 minutes; size 17.8 Mb. Download transcript (pdf)

    Jul 18, 2009
34. 15

    Episode 15: Peter Singer

    Professor Peter Singer talks on Development Drums about his new book, The Life You Can Save. This book sets out an ethical case for why people should give more money to people in developing countries. Here are the links mentioned in the podcast. The Life You Can Save website Buy The Life You Can...

    Jun 15, 2009
35. 14

    Episode 14: Philanthrocapitalism

    Matthew Bishop and Mike Green talk about their book, Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World and Why We Should Let Them Running time 1 hour 5 minutes; size 33.8 Mb. Download transcript (pdf)

    May 24, 2009
36. 13

    Episode 13: Butijira

    Andrew Mitchell MP, the shadow Secretary of State for International Development in the British Conservative party, talks about whether and how UK policy on development would change if the Conservatives win the next General Election. Download transcript (pdf) Running time 25 minutes 56 seconds…

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    May 13, 2009
37. 12

    Episode 12: The Hague

    The authors of the WrongingRights blog, Kate Cronin-Furman and Amanda Taub, help to clear up the mysteries of international criminal law. Running time: 46 minutes 47 seconds. Size: 22Mb Download transcript (pdf) In this episode of Development Drums we talk about the International Criminal Court…

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    Mar 25, 2009
38. 11

    Episode 11: Moorgate

    Nancy Birdsall (CGD) and Simon Maxwell (ODI) reflect on the London Poverty Summit on 9th and 10th March; and Minouche Shafik (DFID) talks about the forthcoming DFID White Paper. Running time: 1 hour and 11 minutes. File size: 32.4 Mb Download transcript (pdf) The British Government held a 2 day...

    Mar 14, 2009
39. 10

    Episode 10: Oxford

    Paul Collier talks about his prize winning book The Bottom Billion, and his new book published this month in the UK, Wars Guns and Votes.

    Mar 6, 2009
40. 9

    Episode 9: Rome

    Are donors living up to their promises? Eckhard Deutscher (Chair of the Development Assistance Committee) and Richard Carey (Director of the Development Cooperation Directorate of the OECD) talk about the 2009 Development Cooperation Report, progress towards increasing aid and the way it is...

    Feb 20, 2009
41. 8

    Episode 8: Timkat

    Jonathan Glennie talks about his new book, The Trouble With Aid. Jonathan Glennie is the Christian Aid country representative in Bogota, Colombia, and he campaigned as part of Make Poverty History. His new book, The Trouble With Aid, argues that when you take into account all the effects that aid...

    Jan 19, 2009
42. 7

    Episode 7: Sophiatown

    The food crisis and international tax reform, discussed by Alex Cobham (Christian Aid) and Stephen Devereux (Institute for Development Studies). Running time: 52 minutes. File size: 20Mb. Download transcript (pdf) In this episode of Development Drums, we discuss the continuing food crisis. What…

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    Nov 14, 2008
43. 6

    Episode 6: Grant Park

    What will the US elections means for US foreign assistance? Guests Ruth Levine (Center for Global Development), Paul O’Brien (Oxfam America) discuss the implications for US foreign assistance of the US elections. Dana Hovig (Marie Stopes International) explains the US global gag rule. Download...

    Nov 9, 2008
44. 5

    Episode 5: Kivu – A Congo Backgrounder

    Backgrounder on Eastern Congo with Patrick Smith. In this additional episode of Development Drums, Patrick Smith, editor of Africa Confidential, explains what is happening in the Eastern Congo. Download transcript (pdf) Running time: 19 min 43 seconds; File size 7 Mb.

    Nov 2, 2008
45. 4

    Episode 4: Gabarone

    With Shanta Devarajan and Sheila Page. Discussion of the impact of the economic crisis on developing countries, the food crisis, moves towards a new Free Trade Area for Africa, and the Mo Ibrahim Prize for good governance. Download transcript (pdf) Running time: 36 min 38 secs; File size: 15Mb...

    Oct 31, 2008
46. 3

    Episode 3: Washington

    With guests Ngaire Woods and David Roodman. Discussion of proposals for reform of the global system, the impact of the financial crisis on aid, and the impact on developing countries more generally. File size: 15MB Running time: 46 minutes . Recorded 23 October 2008. Download transcript (pdf)...

    Oct 25, 2008
47. 2

    Episode 2: Harare

    With guests Peter daCosta in Kinshasa and Professor Adrian Wood of Oxford University Download transcript (pdf) We’ve done our best to respond to feedback: the sound quality is better more voices voices from the South more, shorter items more random bits of music Please tell us what you think.…

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    Sep 23, 2008
48. 1

    Episode 1: Accra

    With guest Simon Maxwell of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). Download transcript (pdf) Discussion of: Accra High Level Forum Accra Agenda for Action (pdf) Simon Maxwell Blog Report on Accra UN MDG Gap Task Force Report UK National Security Strategy World Bank Press Release on new poverty...

    Sep 11, 2008