A new podcast on development
Every now and then, scholars are accused of not widely disseminating their research findings.
Some claim that despite spending a considerable amount of time as well as public funds on studying important topics of societal relevance, scholars typically tend to publish their findings in niche academic outlets rather than reaching out to a general audience hungry for science-based knowledge.
If you have been reading this column for the past couple of years, you will have noticed that I often write about topics that my colleagues and I study. Writing this column has been my way of disseminating knowledge on international development to a Malawian audience.
For those of you who like listening to podcasts, I have news for you. This week, I launched the In Pursuit of Development podcast, which is available on Apple, Spotify, Google as well as on all other major podcast platforms.
For the past couple of decades, I have been conducting research on the politics of poverty. Some of the countries I have been studying include China, India, Malawi, Kenya and Rwanda.
So, if you are interested in democracy, poverty eradication, sustainable development and climate change, In Pursuit of Development is your go-to podcast for a deeper understanding of the politics of global development.
Many recent global discussions have highlighted the double challenge facing our world: to eradicate hunger and poverty and to stabilize the global climate before it is too late.
We are being constantly warned that as the negative impacts of climate change will only worsen soon, we must redouble our focus and energy in promoting a sustainable development agenda. Indeed, we are frequently urged to transform our policies and practices related to economic growth, food and agriculture, and our everyday consumption patterns. But how can we achieve such ambitious transformations, and what are the main challenges ahead?
In each episode of the podcast, I will discuss the experiences of developing and “emerging economies” in Africa, Asia and Latin America. While some episodes or seasons will feature monologues, in others I will interview politicians, civil servants, activists, media personalities and fellow academics on a range of issues such as governance, corruption, foreign aid, gender equality, policies on healthcare, education, agriculture, food, and energy, in addition to economic growth and inequality, and climate change.
And although the episodes will often examine major global challenges and highlight various “problems”, I will also highlight “solutions” and “what works” on the ground.
The In Pursuit of Development podcast will thus enable you to examine development interventions critically. It will also help you better understand how “promising” policies, programs, and practices can be deployed in a range of international contexts. The first five episodes are ready for listening: https://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/.
