Oxford Policy Pod

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, host Begim Zhanuzakova, joined by co-host Memo Some, sits down with Mr. Suresh Yadav, Director at the Commonwealth Secretariat, to discuss the future of global governance in an era of geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and artificial intelligence.

Drawing on a career spanning the Government of India, the World Bank Group and the Commonwealth Secretariat, Mr. Yadav shares insights on leadership, multilateral cooperation and the challenges of governing an increasingly interconnected world.

Together, they explore how AI is reshaping climate governance, why trust and climate finance remain central...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Isabella Notarpietro and Diego Peñaranda sit down with Professor Anandi Mani, Professor of Behavioural Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

Drawing on her influential research on poverty and cognitive function, Professor Mani answers why people sometimes make decisions that seem to go against their own interests, and how poverty itself changes the way we think and make choices.

The conversation explores what behavioural economics can teach us about poverty, the timing and design of cash transfers, the a...

How does a country rebuild while fighting for its survival?

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP student Marc Naro interviews Oleksandra Azarkhina, International Lead of the Small Air Defence Command of the Ukrainian Air Force, former Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

Drawing on her experience at the highest levels of government throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, Oleksandra discusses Ukraine's reconstruction strategy, the creation of a groundbreaking digital reconstruction platform to combat corruption, the coordination of international military and humanitarian assistance, and the development of Ukraine's defence industry. She...

As the global economic order undergoes profound change, what kind of national strategy does the UK need? In this episode, Jenny Bates, 2025–26 Heywood Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government and Former Director General at the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), discusses how Britain can navigate an increasingly uncertain global landscape.

Interviewed by MPP students Marc Naro and Eleanor Williams, the conversation explores the changing global economic order, strategic policymaking, and the UK's future role in the world.

Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, Nawaz sit down with Dr Monazza Aslam, Research Director of the Data and Research in Education Research Consortium (DARE-RC), a leading education researcher, to explore how evidence can strengthen education systems and shape better public policy.

Together, they discuss why improving learning outcomes remains one of the most persistent challenges facing low and middle income countries, why investing in research is just as important as investing in schools, and how programmes like DARE-RC are working to bridge the gap between evidence and policymaking. They also examine what separates research...

In this episode, BSG MPP student Claire Astrid Fuchs speaks with Ali Maisam Nazary, Head of Foreign Relations of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), about the country's evolving security landscape. Together, they examine the collapse of the former Afghan government, the impact of the Doha Agreement, and the rise of Taliban rule, exploring how these developments have reshaped Afghanistan's political and security environment.

The conversation also considers the role of the National Resistance Front, the challenges facing the Afghan people, and the prospects for Afghanistan's future security and governance amid ongoing regional and international uncertainty.<...

Is poverty simply about income, or is it about opportunities, health, education, dignity, and the freedom to live the life you value?

In this episode, we are joined by Professor Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford and one of the pioneers of multidimensional poverty measurement.

We talk about her remarkable academic journey, the ideas behind the Multidimensional Poverty Index, how it has shaped public policy around the world, and why measuring poverty differently can ultimately help improve millions of lives.

A fascinating...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, Belén Tomic sits down with Dr. Belén Villegas Plá and Dr. Rossella Ciccia to talk about care, its many forms, and who bears its weight.

Belén Villegas Plá is Lecturer in the Political Economy of Latin America at the Oxford Department of International Development, and Rossella Ciccia is Associate Professor of Social Policy at the Oxford Department of Social Policy and Intervention.

Together, they explore how and why care has become such a politically salient issue over the past decade, the role feminist movements have...

In this episode of Policy Pod, Nawaz Khan and Cristian Iftodii sit down with Kevin Watkins, visiting professor at LSE's Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa and former chief executive of Save the Children UK. Having spent three decades moving through Oxfam, the United Nations, the Overseas Development Institute, and the top of the international aid sector, Kevin Watkins has become one of its sharpest internal critics, unafraid to challenge the assumptions his own field runs on.

Together, they explore the unravelling of UK aid as budgets shrink and priorities tilt toward bilateral spending, the flaws he sees...

Why do some countries succeed while others remain trapped in cycles of weak institutions and slow development?

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, hosts Cecilia Esteche and Diego Peñaranda speak with Professor James Robinson, 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize laureate in Economic Sciences, Professor at the University of Chicago, and co-author of Why Nations Fail and The Narrow Corridor.

The conversation explores Robinson's intellectual journey, his reflections on winning the Nobel Prize, and his latest research on what he calls the "Fundamental Imbalance" in Latin America—the persistent tension between ambitious institutional ideals and the...

The "Almost Prime Minister" | Pita Limjaroenrat

In this episode of Policy Pod with Deep Dive, Master of Public Policy students Marc Naro and Richard Heydarian sit down with Pita Limjaroenrat, the former leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party and the man widely seen as Thailand's "almost prime minister."

Following his party's landmark victory in the 2023 general election, Pita appeared poised to lead Thailand's next government. Yet despite winning the popular mandate, a complex political and institutional process prevented him from taking office.

Together, they explore Thailand's democratic trajectory, the relationship between electoral legitimacy...

This is a defining conversation on: The Role of Pan-African Philanthropy in Financing Governance and Public Policy.

Host: Takudzwa Ngadziore (MPP)

Co-host: Lorna Akoacha Enow (MPP)

Guest: Briggs Bomba, Director of Programs at TrustAfrica

The conversation is important as:

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, Thenu and Jasmine speak with Chanel Contos about the growing influence of social media algorithms on young people, relationships, and public discourse. Known for her advocacy around consent education and sexual violence prevention, Chanel reflects on how digital platforms can both amplify social movements and expose users to harmful online ecosystems.

The conversation explores the ways algorithms shape behaviour, reinforce social norms, and contribute to the spread of misogynistic and radicalising content online, particularly among young men. It also examines the tension between engagement-driven platform design and user wellbeing...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, Master of Public Policy students Felix Wu and Meredith Lehman sit down with Pepper Culpepper — Vice Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government — to discuss his new book, Billionaire Backlash: The Age of Corporate Scandal and How it Could Save Democracy.

In Billionaire Backlash, Culpepper and his co-author Taeku Lee argue that scandals centered on corporate malfeasance are a unique political force which leaders can leverage to compel lasting policy change. This discussion charts a path for how their theory applies to the present moment, at a time when popu...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, Master of Public Policy students Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii sit down with Margrethe Vestager, former Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and one of Europe’s leading voices on competition and digital policy.

The conversation explores some of the defining challenges of our time — from artificial intelligence and climate change to economic security and the future of the international order. Drawing on her years at the heart of European decision-making, Margrethe Vestager shares her vision for how Europe can navigate technological transformation while defending democratic values and global coop...

In a time when international law is increasingly being tested, challenged, and at times openly undermined, we speak with Professor Philippa Webb KC about the pressures facing the international legal order and the future of global governance. Drawing on her work across academia, legal practice, and international institutions, she reflects on whether the current moment represents a genuine crisis for international law, or part of a longer pattern of contestation and adaptation within the international system.

The conversation explores the role of international courts in an era of selective state compliance, the tension between geopolitical realism and...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Amal Ali and Isabella Notarpietro speak with Professor Alan Stein, Director of the Children and Climate Initiative and Senior Research Fellow in Global Health and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government. An expert in early childhood development with over 300 scientific journal publications, Alan has worked throughout his career with children and families facing adversity. He has made major contributions from both scientific and clinical perspectives to understanding the relationship between parents in adversity and their babies.

This episode explores the intersections between climate change and...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP Student from Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, Rahym R. Augustin-Joseph, sits with Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, and Leader of the Opposition in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, in the Eastern Caribbean.

Premier Brantley serves as Premier of Nevis and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Brantley previously held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2015 to 2022. Before entering politics, he built a career as an attorney engaged in international litigation.

In this episode, we...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Cristian Iftodii and Ana Luiza Barbosa speak with Renato Domith Godinho, Director of the Support Mechanism of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. A Brazilian diplomat with over twenty years of experience in multilateral governance, Renato has played a leading role in shaping international development cooperation, including in the reform of the UN Committee on World Food Security and the establishment of the Biofuture Platform. He now leads the Alliance's secretariat, based at FAO headquarters in Rome, coordinating the work of more than 200 members across 103 countries.

...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP student Marc Naro sits with Judge Mykola Gnatovskyy, Ukrainian Judge at the European Court of Human Rights.

Judge Gnatovskyy was elected to the European Court of Human Rights in June 2022. He previously served as President of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture, as an academic partner of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and as Associate Professor of International Law at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

The conversation addresses the functioning of the European Court of Human Rights and...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Thenu Herath and Florence Guyomar speak with Hannah Ferguson, co-founder and CEO of Cheek Media Co, an Australian independent news commentary platform reshaping how people engage with politics and culture.

Hannah is also the co-host of Big Small Talk and the bestselling author of Bite Back and Taboo. Her work spans journalism, law and media, with writing featured in outlets including The New York Times and The Guardian.

The conversation explores how platforms are transforming political engagement and how Cheek Media bridges politics and pop...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Diego Peñaranda and Iván Lozano speak with Professor César Hidalgo, a physicist, complexity scientist, and one of the leading thinkers on knowledge and development.

Professor Hidalgo is a tenured professor at the Toulouse School of Economics and leads the Center for Collective Learning. He is widely recognized for co-developing the Economic Complexity Index and for his research on how knowledge shapes growth.

The conversation explores his intellectual journey from physics to economics, and his central idea that development depends on expanding what soc...

🎙️ How to Finance Development and Reconstruction in Times of Crisis?

In this new episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii sat down with Odile Renaud-Basso at the EBRD headquarters. As the first woman to lead the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and a central figure in Europe’s economic response to the war in Ukraine, she brings a unique perspective at the intersection of finance, geopolitics, and reconstruction.

In this episode, we explore the EBRD’s role in supporting Ukraine during wartime and preparing for long-term reconstruction, the Bank’s ex...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, students Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii sit down with Paul Collier — one of the world's most influential development economists. The conversation traces his journey from studying the poorest countries on earth to asking why communities in wealthy nations are falling behind, and what policymakers can do about it.

Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and co-director of the International Growth Centre. He previously served as Director of the Development Research Group at the World Bank, and is th...

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, students Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii have a wide-ranging discussion with Nicu Popescu — one of Europe's most influential foreign policy thinkers. The conversation explores Europe's future, its place in a shifting global order, and the big strategic questions facing the continent.

Nicu Popescu is a political scientist and diplomat who served as Moldova's Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. He previously held senior roles at the European Union Institute for Security Studies and the European Council on Foreign Relations, and is the author of several widely cited works on...

🎙️How does a small open economy build credibility, stability, and sustained growth in a volatile global environment?

In this episode, Paraguay’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Carlos Fernández Valdovinos, joins Cecilia Esteche and Billy Blackett to unpack Paraguay’s reform agenda, fiscal consolidation efforts, and investment strategy. He shares insights on institutional reform, crisis resilience, and the leadership required to steer economic transformation.

Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

Follow us on: ‪@OxfordPolicyPod‬

In this episode, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia’s former Minister of Finance, joins Oxford Master’s students Marc Naro and Diego Peñaranda for a conversation on leadership, crisis management, and the strategy behind Indonesia’s economic rise.

From navigating global financial shocks to strengthening fiscal discipline and driving long-term growth, she reflects on the hard decisions that shape a nation’s future.

Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

On the Oxford Policy Pod, Blavatnik School of Government students Marc Naro and Meredith Lehman sit down with Stefan Dercon, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford. Dercon is also the author of Gambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others Lose.

Drawing on insights from his last book, Gambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others Lose, the discussion explores how countries mobilise resources for growth, the political foundations of successful development strategies, the evolving role of multilateral institutions, and the challenges facing international economic cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world.

In this episode, Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii host Professor Paul Krugman about the future of Europe, American politics, and China's growth.

Paul Krugman is an economist and college professor. In 2008, he won the Nobel Prize for his research on international trade and economic geography. Paul was a New York Times opinion writer from 2000 to 2024 and is now active on Substack.

Abhishek Singh is the CEO of the IndiaAI Mission and Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. A veteran of the 1995 Indian Administrative Services (IAS) batch and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and Harvard Kennedy School, he has spearheaded some of the world’s largest digital transformations, including DigiLocker, the COVID-19 vaccination platform (CoWIN), and the Bhashini language interface.

In this episode, Mr Singh speaks with Avinash Kothuri about India’s unique approach to AI, contrasting it with the regulatory models of the EU and the innovation-led model of the US...

Emiliana Vegas is one of Latin America’s leading voices in education policy. Originally from Venezuela, she studied at Harvard and went on to senior roles at the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, where—as Division Chief of Education—she managed a portfolio of over $3B a year in grants and loans. In this conversation, she reflects on what it really takes to move from evidence to systems change inside international development organisations. 

In this episode, Bautista Fazio discusses her new book, Let’s Change the World, and the practical lessons she draws for people working i...

Jana Bischler is the focal point for social protection and climate change at the International Labour Organization (ILO), where she works with governments worldwide to design systems that protect people from climate shocks and support long-term resilience. From a career in development consulting to shaping global social protection policy, Jana brings both on-the-ground insight and international perspective. 

In this episode, Jana explains how cash transfers, pensions, health insurance, and adaptive social protection programs can break the cycle of climate-driven vulnerability, protecting children, older people, informal workers, and whole communities before, during, and after disasters. Drawing on examples f...

Vinod Karate is Project Director for State Reform at the Central Square Foundation where he helps drive India’s landmark NIPUN Bharat Mission to ensure every child can read, write, and count by age ten. From an early career in investment banking to shaping one of the world’s largest foundational learning reforms, Vinod’s journey bridges sharp strategy with deep community engagement. 

In this episode, Vinod shares how India is rethinking the very foundations of schooling and how CSF partners with states to design and scale reforms that align with India’s NIPUN Bharat goals. He unpacks C...

From community-led forest conservation in Odisha to negotiating at the United Nations, Archana Soreng embodies how lived experience can reshape global climate policy. An Indigenous climate leader from India’s Kharia tribe, Archana served on the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change (2020–2023), is a Skoll World Forum Fellow (2024), and sits on The Rockefeller Foundation’s Climate Advisory Council. She works at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, youth leadership, and climate governance, advocating for policies that honour land rights, protect biodiversity, and include those most affected in decision-making. 

In this episode, Archana shares how her community...

"Something's Brewing" is a laid-back podcast hosted by MPP student Wynsey, where conversations flow freely-just like the drinks. In each episode, a member of the Blavatnik School community joins over a favourite beverage from home to share personal stories, career reflections, and the life that happens beyond policy.

In this episode, Wynsey chats with Julia, an MPP student from Uganda, about the “why” that drives her. From overcoming challenges in accessing education to finding her voice as a young advocate, Julia speaks candidly about the experiences that shaped her journey. With honesty and heart, she reflects on her...

Possible Utopia is the podcast exploring the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a more inclusive future.

In this episode, we speak with Vanessa Nakate, Ugandan climate activist, founder of the Rise Up movement, and author of A Bigger Picture. She shares her journey from launching Fridays for Future in Uganda to amplifying African voices in the fight for climate justice.

We discuss her leadership, the challenges of being a young woman in the public eye, how she addresses online trolling, and her vision for the future of climate action.

🎧 Tune in...

Possible Utopia is the podcast where we explore the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a better world. From addressing challenges of safety and well-being in public life to uncovering the motivations that drive individuals, we look at the stories behind those shaping our societies. Together, we take on difficult questions, confront systemic barriers, and reimagine a more inclusive and just political landscape.

This is not just a conversation about policy and gender; it is a journey toward possibility, a utopia we can begin building today. Let’s explore it together

Meet our ho...

In this episode, MPP students Helen Orjuela and Ana Osorio explore one of the most pressing yet often overlooked public policy issues: care

They are joined by Diana Rodríguez Franco, Special Advisor on Gender and Diversity to the Inter-American Development Bank and former Secretary for Women in Bogotá, where she led the creation of the city’s internationally recognised Care System - Manzanas del Cuidado.

Together, they unpack why care work, largely carried out by women, remains undervalued despite being essential to economic and social well-being. Drawing on Diana’s experience, the conversation explores how in...

Nikunj Agarwal is a public policy practitioner, an Oxford MPP alumna, and currently the Strategic Stakeholder Country Lead for the What Works Hub for Global Education at the British Council

In this episode, he reflects on bridging the gap between evidence and policymaking, the power of listening over telling, and what it takes to make education reform work in the real world.

From cost-effective solutions to collaborative system change, Nikunj shares insights from classrooms, coalitions, and policy spaces across India.

He also offers a simple, thoughtful framework for anyone exploring a career in...