IMF Podcasts

Global trade union leaders gathered at the IMF in February to discuss how workers are being impacted by the changing global economy. In this podcast, Hilma Mote, of the African Region's International Trade Union Confederation talks about the challenges African youth, especially women are facing with the continent's rapidly growing labor force. Contributors: Hilma Mote, Executive Director of the Africa Labor research and education Institute, ITUC-Africa.

There is a strong connection between human capital and economic growth, and in this podcast, Eric Hanushek says societies that invest a lot in the cognitive skills of their people grow significantly faster. Hanushek studies the relationship between education policy and economic outcomes at Stanford University. Contributors: Eric Hanushek, Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University. http://hanushek.stanford.edu/

In this podcast we speak with author Alec Ross about his new book The Industries of the Future. Ross says 90 percent of the world's data has been produced in the last two years, so those businesses that own or harvest a meaning from all this data will be leading the pack. Ross has served as Senior Advisor for Innovation to the US Secretary of State. Contributors: Alec Ross, Distinguished Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins University.

Every two years, the IMF and World-Bank invites global labor union leaders to discuss the global economy and the implications for the labor force. In this podcast, Sharan Burrow, head of the world's largest trade union federation, says collective action is needed to help better distribute the benefits of growth, if institutions are to regain trust from working people. Contributors: Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation.

With Asia's recent growth comes a growing responsibility within the global economy. In this podcast, Barry Eichengreen, Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, breaks down the weight of that responsibility and how Asia can rise to fulfill it. Contributors: Barry Eichengreen, George C. Pardee and Helen N. Pardee Professor of Economics and Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

While many African countries have enjoyed significant revenues from the mining industry in recent years, a new study published by the Natural Resource Governance Institute suggests tax revenues from mining could be much higher if transfer pricing rules were enforced. In this podcast, we speak with the report's author Alexandra Readhead. Contributors: Alexandra Readhead, author of Preventing Tax Base Erosion in Africa

Corruption, in its many forms, affects people from every walk of life, in every country. While it does not discriminate based on age, young people are affected by corruption in ways that can follow them throughout their careers. In this podcast, anti-corruption leader Sergejus Muravjovas, talks about the ways in which youth are fighting back. Contributors: Sergejus Muravjovas, Executive Director at Transparency International Lithuania and founder of TransparencySchool.org

New York Times columnist and best-selling author Thomas Friedman, says our lives are being transformed in so many realms at once- it's dizzying. In this podcast, Friedman talks about his new book, Thank You for Being Late, An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations. Contributors: Thomas Friedman, New York Times columnist and best-selling author.

Julie Delahanty has done extensive work on the disenfranchisement of women due to the lack of equal opportunity. Delahanty is the Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, and joined a panel discussion during the IMF conference on Reducing the Gender Gap. In this podcast, Delahanty says vulnerable women are the most negatively affected by rising inequality. Contributors: Julie Delahanty, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada

Who benefits from free trade and who doesn't? The realities don't always match people's perceptions. In this podcast, economist and free trade expert Douglas Irwin addresses some of the controversies. Irwin participated in a seminar entitled Making Trade an Engine of Growth for All at this year's IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings. Contributors: Douglas Irwin, John Sloan Dickey Third Century Professor in Social Sciences in the Department of Economics at Dartmouth College