In Pursuit of Development

About In Pursuit of Development

Step into conversations that travel across continents and challenge the way you think about progress. From democracy and inequality to climate resilience and healthcare, Dan Banik explores how societies navigate the complex terrain of democracy, poverty, inequality, and sustainability. Through dialogues with scholars, leaders, and innovators, In Pursuit of Development uncovers how ideas travel, why policies succeed or fail, and what it takes to build a more just and resilient world. Expect sharp insights, candid reflections, and a global perspective that connects local struggles to universal aspirations. Listen, reflect, and be inspired to see global development in a new light. 🎧

Publisher

Dan Banik

Category

government · news · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Jun 2020

Latest episode

17 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

178 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Jun 2026

   Why hope is what we need | Dan Banik

   In this Season 6 finale of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik asks why hope has come to seem naïve at precisely the moment we need it most. Drawing on global poverty, democracy, climate anxiety, and the politics of collective action, he argues for evidence-based hope as a disciplined and realistic alternative to both denial and despair.

2. 

   3 Jun 2026

   How civil society adapts when aid shrinks | Tikhala Itaye

   As aid shrinks and donor priorities shift, civil society organizations are being forced to rethink how they survive, adapt, and continue serving communities. Dan Banik speaks with Tikhala Itaye about funding cuts, local ownership, social entrepreneurship, gender equality, accountability, and why Malawi’s development future may depend on new forms of innovation and collaboration.

3. 

   20 May 2026

   Is Rwanda a development success? | Pritish Behuria

   Rwanda is often celebrated as one of Africa’s most striking development success stories. But how durable is that success, and who has benefited from it? Dan Banik speaks with Pritish Behuria about Rwanda’s services-led growth model, powerful national brand, and the unresolved challenges of jobs, inequality, foreign dependence, and structural transformation.

Who has been a guest on In Pursuit of Development

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dan Honig
• Rohan Mukherjee
• Ilaria Carrozza
• Ian Shapiro
• Assistant Professor Sameen A Mohsin Ali

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

4.8 / 5

23 ratings