In Pursuit of Development

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:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

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:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

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:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

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:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

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:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

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.

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:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development, discusses the evolving landscape of global development. She explains how development is increasingly driven by national policies rather than just aid. Rachel highlights the importance of prioritizing evidence-based interventions and adapting to tightening budgets. She explores the role of artificial intelligence and South-South cooperation in shaping future practices. The conversation also touches on the significance of reconnecting development with the public through clear, impactful messaging.

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.Resources:Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi: The Democratic Dividend (Open access, Edited by Dan Banik and Blessings Chinsinga)Happy Kayuni on X and LinkedIn Host:Dan Banik LinkedInX: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod Subscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com

In this engaging discussion, Nemanja Džuverović, a Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Belgrade, shares insights on the powerful student-led protests in Serbia following a tragic train-station collapse. He reveals how grief transformed into a movement challenging corruption and democratic decay. The conversation explores Serbia's struggle with 'stabilocracy,' regional democratic trends, and the growing disillusionment with the European project among youth. Džuverović also addresses Serbia's pivot towards China and the complex landscape of political alliances.