In Pursuit of Development When evidence meets Washington politics – Dean Karlan
Nov 26, 2025
Dean Karlan, a prominent economist and former Chief Economist at USAID, joins to discuss his groundbreaking work in evidence-driven policy. He shares insights on building an office dedicated to cost-effectiveness in a politically charged environment and the importance of transparent learning in development. Highlighting challenges in navigating bureaucratic resistance, he reflects on the recent shifts in Washington politics and their implications for global aid. Karlan emphasizes the need for diversified partnerships and the risks of over-reliance on single donors in shaping future development efforts.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Rapid Build Of A New Evidence Office
- Dean Karlan describes building the Office of the Chief Economist from one employee to about 30 people in two years.
- He recounts fundraising creatively from philanthropies and calculating a roughly 50:1 return on the office's systems-change work.
Holds Often Mask Procedural Not Substantive Issues
- Congressional holds on reorganizations can mask alignment: committees sometimes want the same outcomes but processes, not objectives, cause delays.
- Dean found initial congressional opposition often reflected procedural concerns rather than substantive disagreement.
High Internal Demand For Evidence Support
- Dean describes immediate demand inside USAID: missions and pen-holders eagerly sought the office's help integrating evidence into programming.
- The office acted like an internal consulting unit providing hands-on support across missions.