Dan Banik

Bøker:

• The African State: Legitimacy, Governance and Development (edited with Happy Kayuni and Johanna S. Adolfsson, under contract with Routledge for publication in 2026)
• Political Transition, Poverty and Inclusive Development in Malawi: The Democratic Dividend (with Blessings Chinsinga, Routledge, 2016) (open access)
• The Legal Empowerment Agenda: Poverty, Labour and the Informal Economy in Africa, London: Routledge (2011)
• Poverty and Elusive Development, Oslo: Scandinavian University Press/Universitetsforlaget (2010) (open access)
• Rights and Legal Empowerment in Eradicating Poverty, London: Ashgate/ Routledge (2008)
• Starvation and India's Democracy, London: Routledge (2007 & 2009)
• Poverty, Politics and Development: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Bergen: Fagbokforlaget (2006)

Utvalgte artikkler:

• "Country-specific progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals: Past, present, and prospects", PNAS, 122(52) (with Q Xing. et al.) (2025)
• “Moral geographies: Indian exceptionalism, Africa, and the politics of South–South cooperation”, Third World Quarterly, 46(5), 505–522. (with Meera Venkatachalam) (2025)
• “The Rebirth of the Global South: Geopolitics, Imageries and Developmental Realities,” Forum for Development Studies, 52(2), 195–214. (with Benedicte Bull) (2025)
• "Multilateralism and Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE): Contours and Challenges", in Wellbeing, Values and Lifestyles: Towards a New Development Paradigm, Springer Nature. (with Sandhya S Iyer and K Seeta Prabhu) (2025)
• “Development Aid: Complementarity or Competition? The West and China in Malawi”, in The Oxford Handbook of the Malawi Economy, Oxford University Press (with Michael Chasukwa) (2024)
• “Power, Politics, and the Supernatural: Exploring the Role of Witchcraft Beliefs in Governance for Development”, Forum for Development Studies 51(3): 389-410. (with Johanna S. Adolfsson and Boniface Dulani) (2024)
• “Four governance reforms to strengthen the SDGs: A demanding policy vision can accelerate global sustainable development efforts”, Science 381(6663):1159-1160 (with Frank Bierman et al.) (2023)
• “South–South Cooperation and global development in a multipolar world: China and India in Africa”, Journal of International Development 35(4) (with Emma Mawdsley) (2023)
• “Climate change and health: a 2-week course for medical students to inspire change”, The Lancet Planetary Health 7(1):e12-e14 (with Erlend T. Aasheim et. al.) (2023)
• "Inclusiveness", chapter 5 in F. Biermann, T. Hickmann, & C. Sénit (eds.), The Political Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals: Transforming Governance Through Global Goals?  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (with Sénit, C., Okereke, C., Alcázar, L., Lima, M., Biermann, F., . . . M. Siegel, K. (2022)
• “Transplanting China's Ecological Civilization to the Belt and Road Initiative: What will it take?”, Journal of International Development (with Bjørn Leif Brauteseth) (2022)
• "Multilateralism to the Rescue? Beijing’s Support for Multilateral Institutions during the COVID-19 Crisis", International Quarterly for Asian Studies, 53: 207–230 (with Benedicte Bull) (2022) (open access)
• "Democracy and Sustainable Development", Anthropocene Science 1:233–245 (2022) (open access)
• "The 2030 agenda and the push for electrification in Africa: a tale of two countries", in P. Singh, P. Verma, D. Perrotti and K.K. Srivastava (eds.), Environmental Sustainability and Economy, Amsterdam: Elsevier. (2021)
• "The perils of megaphone diplomacy on Malawi’s ambitious Shire- Zambezi Waterway project", Africa Review 13(2): 270-289 (with Happy Kayuni and Joseph Chunga) (2021)
• "The Politics of Hunger: Food Policy in Malawi" (with Michael Chasukwa), Food Ethics 3(4) (2019)
• "Business and Morals: Corporate Strategies for Sustainable Development in China" (with Ka Lin), Business and Politics (21(4): 514–539, 2019) (open access)
• "Food Security in a Sustainable Development Era", Food Ethics 3(4) (2019) (open access)
• "Bypassing Government: Aid Effectiveness and Malawi's Local Development Fund" (with Michael Chasukwa), Politics and Governance 7(2): 103–116 (2019) (open access)
• "Transforming Research, Teaching and Learning of Public Administration for Improved Governance and Management: The Norhed experience in Malawi", (with Happy Kayuni, Bonface Dulani and Kaja Elise Gresko) chapter 21 in T. Halvorsen, K. S. Orgeret & R. Krøvel (eds.), Sharing Knowledge, Transforming Societies The Norhed Programme 2013–2020, Cape Town: African Minds (2019) (open access)
• "The 2030 Agenda and the SDGs: Integrating Development and Environment in Practice", The Calcutta Journal of Political Studies (forthcoming 2019)
• "Institutional Bypass and Aid Effectiveness in Africa" (with Michael Chasukwa), WIDER working paper series March 2019, United Nations University, UNU-WIDER (2019).
• "Coordinating Chinese Aid in a Globalized World", research article, Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy (2019) (pdf)
• "Taking Stock of the SDGs", in Deepak Dwivedi and Pooran Pandey (eds.), Leaving No One Behind: SDGs and South-South Cooperation, New Delhi: NITI AYOG/ Crossbill (2018)
• "Chinese engagement in Africa and Latin America: Does it Matter for State Capacity?", Third World Thematics (with Benedicte Bull, 2018)
• "The Legal Empowerment of the Poor”, in Christopher May, Adam Winchester & Gill Gardner (eds.), The Edward Elgar Handbook on the Rule of Law, Cheltenham, Edgar Elgar (2018)
• "New Business: The Private Sector as a New Global Development Player" (with Jason Miklian), Global Policy Journal (2017)
• "A Climate for Commerce: The Political Agronomy of Conservation Agriculture in Zambia" (with Ola Westengen et.al.), Agriculture and Human Values (2017)
• "The Digital Classroom: Innovation, Dissemination and Democratization of Knowledge", in Susanne Koch (ed.), Norwegian Agency for Digital Learning in Higher Education (2017)
• "An Exogenous Path of Development: Explaining the Rise of Corporate Social Responsibility in China" (with Ka Lin and Longfei Yi), International Journal of Social Quality (2016)
• "The Hungry Nation: Food Policy and Food Politics in India", Food Ethics, 1-29  (2016)
• "The Frontiers of Poverty Reduction in Emerging Asia" (with Arve Hansen), Forum for Development Studies (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08039410.2015.1134646
• "The Impact of Emerging Donors on Development and Poverty Reduction" (with Michael Chasukwa), chap. 9 in D. Banik & B. Chinsinga (eds.), Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi: The Democratic Dividend, New York: Routledge (2016)
• "The State of Food Security: From Availability, Access and Rights to Food Systems Approaches" (with Ola T. Westengen), Forum for Development Studies (2016).
• "Difference or Indifference: China's Development Assistance Unpacked" (with Li Xiaoyun, Tang Lixia and Wu Jin, IDS Bulletin, 45(4): 22-35. (2014)
• "Access to Justice and Social Unrest in China's Countryside: Disputes on Land Acquisition and Compensation" (with Zhou Chao), Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 6(2): 254-275. (2014)
• "Fieldwork amidst Poverty and Deprivation: Ethical Dilemmas and Policy Impact", Indian Anthropologist 44: 53-68. (2014)
• "Walking the Talk: Rights, Justice and the Fight Against Poverty" in Patrick Keyzer, Vesselin Popovski and Charles Sampford (ed.), Access to International Justice, London: Routledge (2014).
• "The Global Citizen and the Immorality of Poverty" in Aksel Braanen Sterri (ed.), Global Citizen: Challenges and Responsibilities in an Interconnected World, Rotterdam: Sense Publishers (2014).
• "The Pursuit of Inclusive Development in China: From Developmental to Rights-Based Social Protection" (with Li Xiaoyun), Indian Journal of Human Development, 7(1): 205-221. (2013)
• "China and Poverty Reduction in Africa", in Guanghua Yu (ed.), Rethinking Law and Development: The Chinese Experience, London: Routledge (2013).
• "Growth and Hunger in India", in Francis Fukuyama, Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner (eds.), Poverty, Inequality and Democracy, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. (2012)
• "Human Rights for Human Development: The Rhetoric and the Reality", Nordic Journal of Human Rights, 30(1) (2012).
• "Growth and Hunger in India", Journal of Democracy, 22 (3): 90-104. (2011)
• "Governing an Asian Giant: Judicial Activism on Hunger in India”, Journal of Asian Public Policy, 3(3), 2010
• “Support for Human Rights-Based Development: Reflections on the Malawian Experience”, The International Journal of Human Rights, 14(1), 2010.
• “Governing the Asian Giants: Development Policy in China and India” (with B. A. Andreassen), Journal of Asian Public Policy, 3(3), 2010.
• “Human Rights and Extreme Poverty: African Perspectives” (with B. A. Andreassen), The International Journal of Human Rights, 14(1), 2010.
• “Legal Empowerment as a Conceptual and Operational Tool in Fighting Poverty”, Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 1 (1): 117-131, 2009.

• Xing, Qiang; Lu, Linlin; Wang, Li; Chen, Fang; Liu, Jianguo & Pradhan, Prajal [Vis alle 19 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Country-specific progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals: Past, present, and prospects. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). ISSN 0027-8424. 122(52). doi: 10.1073/pnas.2524299122. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Two-thirds of the journey to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has passed. However, insights into country-specific progress covering pre- and post-SDG and the prospects remain limited. Here, we compare the progress of 117 SDG indicators for 167 countries and project the achievements by 2030. Our results reveal the progress of the SDGs across the world varies depending on the initial SDG scores of the indicators in 2015. For indicators with low scores (0 to 50%), the proportion of countries showing advancement is greater than that demonstrating regression (25 vs. 16%). Countries that foster scientific research and promote manufacturing industry (SDG9) have the best performances. For indicators with high scores (70 to 90%), the proportion showing regression is greater than that with advancement (16 vs.10%). The increased coverage of immunization vaccines and prevention of infectious diseases (SDG3) have the worst performances. For indicators with moderate scores (50 to 70%), the proportion showing regression is slightly greater than that showing advancement (11 vs. 9%). When the score was low and high, the impact of the pandemic was significantly greater than that for moderate scores. By 2030, the global SDG score will reach approximately 63%, with a SD of 8%. Overall, 78 countries will reach the moderate score (60 to 70%), and 12 countries will remain with a low score (40 to 50%). Countries need to achieve an annual growth rate of 4% to meet the overall SDGs by 2030. Our comprehensive long-term assessment provides essential knowledge on global SDG progress, complementing UN reports.

Se alle arbeider i NVA

• Gebrihet, Hafte & Banik, Dan (2026). Africa shaped the global 2030 development agenda. How it can influence what comes next. doi: 10.64628/AAJ.krrg3nyqw. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  African countries should start early to develop an agreed position before the next set of global priorities is discussed.

• Gebrihet, Hafte & Banik, Dan (2026). Can Africa survive the global aid squeeze? Yes, but it will take financial discipline. doi: 10.64628/AAJ.kf9rk7a74. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Africa does not need another grand vision. It needs to treat the vision it already has as a discipline.

• Banik, Dan (2026). Artificial Intelligence and Democracy: Between Empowerment and Erosion. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). Who decides for Greenland? Heritage, legitimacy, and geopolitical attention. doi: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFHUCOK1Lg4&t=5s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). The future of aid in Malawi: implications on governance and development, Malawi. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). Development in an age of possibility. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). Sustainable development in an age of geopolitical fragmentation. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). Negotiating Sustainable Development: African Perspectives on Global Governance and Just Transitions. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). Beyond the Hype: Can Generative AI Deliver Democracy and Inclusive Global Development? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2026). Redefining global governance Infrastructure, healthcare, and the roles of China and India. doi: https:/www.wider.unu.edu/publication/redefining-global-governance. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Global governance is being reshaped. For decades, the rules, institutions, and priorities of international development were largely set by Western powers and multilaterals. That world has not disappeared, but it no longer fully explains how development agendas are negotiated.

• Banik, Dan (2026). Why hope is what we need. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hope. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  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.

• Banik, Dan & Itaye, Tikhala (2026). How civil society adapts when aid shrinks. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/itaye. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  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.

• Banik, Dan & Behuria, Pritish (2026). Is Rwanda a development success? doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/behuria. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  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.

• Banik, Dan (2026). African agency at the crossroads. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/banik26. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  African scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, and practitioners are rethinking development amid aid cuts, geopolitical fragmentation, climate pressures, and the rise of AI. Drawing on recent conversations in Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Blantyre, and Mauritius, Dan Banik reflects on African agency, the limits of donor-driven development, and why the future must be shaped by those most affected by it.

• Banik, Dan & Dávid-Barrett,, Elizabeth (2026). How public institutions become captured. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/david-barrett. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett about state capture and development. Together, they explore how corruption moves beyond bribes to reshape institutions, weaken accountability, deepen inequality, and allow powerful political and business actors to rewrite the rules in their own favor.

• Banik, Dan & O’Malley, Alanna (2026). Why the UN looks different from the Global South. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/omalley-6fyvA00C. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Alanna O’Malley about the hidden history of the United Nations, showing how actors from the Global South helped shape global governance, decolonization, development, and the struggle for a more just international order. The conversation explores why the UN looks very different when viewed from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and why these debates matter so much in today’s crisis-ridden world.

• Banik, Dan & Pai, Madhukar (2026). The poverty trap that kills a million people a year. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pai. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Why does tuberculosis still kill more than a million people every year despite being preventable and curable? Dan Banik speaks with Madhukar Pai about TB, poverty, undernutrition, primary healthcare, decolonizing global health, and the enduring legacy of Paul Farmer.

• Banik, Dan & Scheja, Elina (2026). Can aid still fight poverty? doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/scheja. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  How is global development cooperation changing in an age of aid cuts, geopolitical fragmentation, and shifting national priorities? In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Elina Scheja, Chief Economist at Sida, about the future of foreign aid, poverty reduction, jobs, evidence, and what effective development policy looks like in a more uncertain world.

• Banik, Dan & Schellekens, Philip (2026). Can Asia still deliver the development dream? doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/schellekens. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Philip Schellekens, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at UNDP, about what Asia’s extraordinary rise can (and cannot) teach us about development today. They explore growth, inequality, jobs, aging, AI, and why the future of development depends on moving beyond crisis language toward a more inclusive and opportunity-focused vision.

• Banik, Dan & Bradlow, Benjamin (2026). Urbanization, inequality and the future of development. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bradlow. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Benjamin Bradlow about urban inequality, informal settlements, and why access to housing, sanitation, and transport remains so unequal in many of the world’s fastest-growing cities. The conversation explores how local politics, state capacity, and civil society shape whether cities become spaces of exclusion or inclusion.

• Banik, Dan & Kharas, Homi (2026). Why the middle class will shape global development. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kharas. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Homi Kharas about the rise of the global middle class and why it has become central to the story of modern development. The conversation explores how middle-class growth is reshaping economies, politics, and aspirations around the world, and why its future will matter for inequality, sustainability, and global change.

• Banik, Dan & Marcelloni, Francesco (2026). Artificial intelligence and the future of human decision-making. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/marcelloni. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare, education, and governance. Dan Banik and Francesco Marcelloni explore the risks and benefits, and why human judgment must remain central in the AI era.

• Banik, Dan & Kewalramani, Manoj (2026). Why India–China relations could reshape the global order. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/manojk. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  India-China relations have entered a phase of cautious re-engagement, but beneath the diplomatic optics lie deep structural fault lines shaped by power asymmetry, border tensions, economic interdependence, and great power rivalry. Dan Banik speaks with Manoj Kewalramani about whether the relationship is stabilizing into a cold peace or simply entering another cycle of strategic competition with global consequences.

• Banik, Dan & Pogge, Thomas (2026). Can philosophy save a world obsessed with power? doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pogge2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In a world defined by rising great-power rivalry, declining solidarity, and shrinking aid budgets, the Yale philosopher Thomas Pogge joins Dan Banik to discuss whether global justice and human rights still matter or whether power politics has won. From the erosion of soft power to bold proposals like the Ecological Impact Fund, this conversation explores how values, innovation, and institutional reform could reshape a fractured international order.

• Banik, Dan & McNair, David (2026). Debt, development finance, and global agency. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/mcnair. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with David McNair about the shifting politics of global development in an era of debt distress and declining humanitarian funding. They explore how activism must adapt to a changing global financial landscape, the rise of agency in the Global South, and what it will take to reform development finance for the years ahead.

• Banik, Dan & Engerman, David (2026). Six economists and the making of modern development. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/engerman. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  David Engerman takes Dan Banik inside the lives and rivalries of six South Asian economists who helped define what “development” would mean in the postcolonial world. From Cambridge seminars to global institutions, the conversation reveals how their debates on trade, planning, inequality, and human welfare still shape the choices governments face today.

• Banik, Dan & Moore, Lindsey (2026). Making evidence actually usable. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/moore. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Lindsey Moore about how ethical AI and predictive analytics can transform decades of development evaluations into structured and searchable evidence for better decisions. They explore what it takes to build context-aware models grounded in clear taxonomies and local perspectives, enabling AI to strengthen institutional learning and advance equity.

• Banik, Dan & Hansen, Arve (2026). Vietnam’s remarkable development turnaround. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hansen. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Vietnam is a celebrated development success story, but rapid growth is also reshaping everyday life through rising inequality, changing consumption, and mounting environmental pressures. Dan Banik speaks with Arve Hansen about what Vietnam’s next phase of development may look like and the trade-offs it will require.

• Banik, Dan & Atah, Solomon (2026). Beyond Aid: Growth, Governance And The Politics of Sustainability. doi: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQVs1kcxlBo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In this episode of The Solomon Atah Podcast, Prof. Dan Banik joins the conversation to explore what development means today and how it has evolved across Africa and Asia. Drawing on his extensive research and experience, Prof. Banik examines poverty, governance, democracy, and sustainability, while reflecting on how South–South cooperation and technology are reshaping development paradigms.

• Banik, Dan & Frichot, Nicolas (2026). Dan Banik : “The most valuable AI work for Mauritius is fine-tuning, integrating and contextualizing existing models”. [Journal]. L'express. doi: https:/lexpress.mu/s/dan-banik-the-most-valuable-ai-work-for-mauritius-is-fine-tuning-integrating-and-contextualizing-existing-models-557826. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In an exclusive interview with «l’express», Dan Banik, Professor of Political Science at the University of Oslo, discusses artificial intelligence, its concrete uses in the Global South, the risks of widening inequalities between nations, and what Mauritius should prioritize to govern AI responsibly.

• Banik, Dan & Pasungwi, Jonathan (2026). Malawi asked to revisit dependency on donors. [Journal]. Nation Online. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Discussants at a panel discussion themed ‘The future of aid in Malawi: Implications on governance and development’ have stressed the need for Malawi to focus on home-grown solutions to achieve meaningful development amid donor fatigue.

• Banik, Dan & Pasungwi, Jonathan (2026). Prof Banik assesses Malawi’s democracy. [Journal]. Nation Online. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  There are continued calls for Malawi to focus on home-grown solutions to achieve meaningful development amid donor fatigue. Our News Analyst Jonathan Pasungwi recently engaged Norwegian Professor Dan Banik on Malawi’s development, and its efforts to fight corruption, among other issues.

• Banik, Dan & Erstad, Emil André (2026). Vi må slutte å tru at det er vi som bestemmer. [Journal]. Panorama Nyheter. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Professor Dan Banik mener bistandsepoken går mot slutten og at Norge må lytte mer til mottakerland. I Panorama-podkasten advarer han om sult, hardere prioriteringer og en ny verdensorden der det globale sør får mer makt.

• Banik, Dan & Moss, Todd (2026). Energy for growth on the African continent. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/moss. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Todd Moss about why electrification has surged in some countries but continues to lag across much of Africa. Together they unpack why “access” is only the starting point when electricity is expensive, unreliable, and unable to power jobs and growth.

• Banik, Dan (2025). Professor Dan Banik (University of Oslo) joins the Department of Law as Visiting Professor. [Internet]. University of Pisa. doi: https:/www.jus.unipi.it/2025/09/15/professor-dan-banik-university-of-oslo-joins-the-department-of-law-as-visiting-professor/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPn4uFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEex0raVyxGzTU8NharPFlrDm3RcmlQW8G7jMb36cEPYGaye9y70JpjSOK012c_aem_N4Vp8CMYIFGwPQtXQFM3Aw. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Circle U. Summer School on Democracy and Development hosted this summer in Belgrade. [Internet]. Circle U.. doi: https:/www.circle-u.eu/news/circle-u-summer-school-democracy-and-development-hosted-summer-belgrade. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). International seminar in Pisa explores Constitutional Courts and Electoral Integrity. [Internet]. unipinews. doi: https:/www.unipi.it/en/news/corti-costituzionali-e-integrita-elettorale-al-centro-di-un-seminario-internazionale-a-pisa/. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Banik tilbake med populær podcast. [Internet]. Panorama Nyheter. doi: https:/www.panoramanyheter.no/medier-utviklingsbransjen/banik-tilbake-med-populaer-podcast/404794. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Professoren var alltid i bevegelse. Så fikk han hjerteinfarkt. [Internet]. Khrono. doi: https:/www.khrono.no/professoren-var-alltid-i-bevegelse-sa-fikk-han-hjerteinfarkt/986925. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). From crisis to possibility. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/banik. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In the opening episode of Season 6, Dan Banik reflects on his personal journey of recovery after a medical emergency and uses this experience as a lens to explore a world in transition — one marked by fragmentation, shifting power, and the rise of the Global South. He argues that despite turbulence and uncertainty, actors across the Global South are reshaping global development, offering new possibilities for a more just, inclusive, and hopeful international order.

• Banik, Dan & Patz, Ronny (2025). How to Save the United Nations from Financial Meltdown. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/ronny-patz. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Ronny Patz about the United Nations’ deepest financial crisis in decades and the ambitious reforms unfolding under the UN80 initiative. Together they unpack how politics, member state behaviour, and fragmented funding are reshaping the UN’s ability to act, and what this means for the future of multilateralism.

• Banik, Dan & Hossain, Naomi (2025). Bangladesh: How a ‘basket case’ became a development pioneer. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hossain. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik and Naomi Hossain discuss Bangladesh’s remarkable but contested development journey — from famine and fragility to growth and global recognition. Together they explore how politics, crisis, and collective learning have shaped the country’s progress, and what its experience reveals about resilience, accountability, and the moral economy of development.

• Banik, Dan & Asunka, Joseph (2025). Africa’s pulse: Listening to citizens in an age of uncertainty. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/asunka. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Joseph Asunka joins Dan Banik to discuss what Africans themselves are saying about democracy, governance, and opportunity amid shifting global and local realities. Drawing on data from across the continent, they explore youth frustration and activism, the persistence of “big man” politics, and why reliable citizen data is essential for Africa’s democratic future.

• Banik, Dan & Conceição, Pedro (2025). Who gains from AI? Human development in a divided world. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/pedro-conceicao. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Pedro Conceição, Director of the UNDP’s Human Development Report Office, about how the idea of human development continues to shape global thinking on progress and equality. Together, they explore the latest Human Development Report (A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI) and discuss how artificial intelligence can either widen divides or empower people to live fuller, freer lives.

• Banik, Dan & Heine, Jorge (2025). Why choosing sides is out of style. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/heine. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Jorge Heine joins Dan Banik to discuss how the Global South is reshaping world politics through a strategy of active non-alignment — refusing to take sides in the U.S.–China rivalry while maximizing national leverage. Drawing on his experiences in South Africa, India, China, and Chile, Heine explains why “playing the field” has become the defining feature of diplomacy in a multipolar world.

• Banik, Dan & Džuverović, Nemanja (2025). The protest that changed Serbia. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/nemanja. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Nemanja Džuverović about the student-led movement that has shaken Serbia’s political order one year after the Novi Sad train station collapse. Together they explore how a tragedy turned into a nationwide call for accountability, revealing both the fragility and resilience of democracy in the Balkans.

• Banik, Dan & Kayuni, Happy (2025). Democracy against the odds. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/kayuni2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Malawi has recently held another peaceful election, reaffirming its status as one of Africa’s most resilient democracies despite deep economic hardship. Dan Banik speaks with Happy Kayuni about why Malawians continue to believe in democracy even when development remains elusive.

• Banik, Dan & Glennerster, Rachel (2025). Power, policy, and the future of global development. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/glennerster2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  As global aid budgets shrink and new coalitions emerge, Rachel Glennerster joins Dan Banik to unpack what these shifts mean for the future of development. Together they explore how evidence, prioritization, and South–South Cooperation can drive genuine progress in an increasingly multipolar world.

• Banik, Dan & Bo, Hong (2025). China’s evolving role in global development finance. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/hong-bo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  As globalization fragments and traditional aid declines, low- and middle-income countries are forging new partnerships to finance their development ambitions. In this episode, Dan Banik speaks with Hong Bo about how China’s overseas investments are evolving, from mega-projects to smaller, greener, and more strategic initiatives, and what this means for the future of global development finance.

• Banik, Dan & Karlan, Dean (2025). When evidence meets Washington politics. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/karlan. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Dean Karlan about his efforts to strengthen evidence use and cost-effectiveness inside USAID during a period of dramatic institutional change. Together, they explore what the agency’s recent dismantling means for global development, U.S. soft power, and the future of aid in an increasingly uncertain world.

• Banik, Dan & Bailliet, Cecilia Marcela (2025). Solidarity in a divided world. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bailliet. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Cecilia Marcela Bailliet about what solidarity truly means in a world increasingly turning inward. Together, they explore how solidarity, human rights, and peace intersect—and why real solidarity requires action, inclusion, and a renewed commitment to our shared humanity.

• Banik, Dan & Gallien, Max (2025). Borders, bargains, and the business of smuggling. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gallien. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik and Max Gallien explore how smuggling operates as a deeply embedded part of state–society relations in North Africa, rather than a simple threat to state authority. They discuss what this reveals about governance, livelihoods, and the political bargains that shape life in border regions.

• Banik, Dan & Bull, Benedicte (2025). How Latin America sees the new Global South. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/bull2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dan Banik speaks with Benedicte Bull about how Latin America fits into the shifting idea of the “Global South.” Together, they explore what this identity means in practice, how the region balances ties to China and the United States, and what its experience reveals about power, justice, and development in a changing world order.

• Banik, Dan & Gulrajani, Nilima (2025). Aid at the breaking point. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/gulrajani. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  As aid budgets shrink and multilateralism weakens, Dan Banik speaks with Nilima Gulrajani about what’s worth saving, what must change, and how global cooperation can still deliver in an uncertain world.

• Banik, Dan & Krampe, Florian (2025). Climate, conflict and the development squeeze. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/krampe. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Climate change is increasingly shaping development and security outcomes, not as a single cause of conflict but as a force that intensifies existing vulnerabilities in fragile contexts. Dan Banik and Florian Krampe discuss why separating climate, development, and security is no longer tenable and how climate action might become a pathway to resilience and peace rather than instability.

• Banik, Dan (2025). Looking back, thinking forward. doi: https:/in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/episodes/banik3. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  As the year draws to a close, Dan Banik takes stock of the major ideas and debates that have defined Season 6 of In Pursuit of Development. From shifting global power and democracy to climate, energy, and artificial intelligence, this episode looks back at what we have learned and ahead to what is next.

• Banik, Dan (2025). The future of global development and the SDGs. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Seminar on Sustainable Development: Global Goals and Local Realities. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Seminar on Sustainable Development: Global Goals and Local Realities. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Seminar on Sustainable Development: Global Goals and Local Realities. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Foreign Aid and Poverty Reduction: Balancing Short-Term Relief with Long-Term Human Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Democracy, Poverty Reduction and Human Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). The Politics of Hunger. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Poverty and Human Development in the 21st Century. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Sustainable Development in a Multipolar World: Geopolitics, Green Transformation, and New Pathways of Cooperation. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). AI for global development: Balancing promise and peril in the Global South. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Global governance in transition: Democracy, development, and the challenges of multilateralism. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Introductory lecture: Advancing Sustainable Development in a Multipolar World. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Democracy, Development, and the 2025 Elections in Malawi. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Courts as Democracy's Referees: Unpacking Malawi’s Constitutional Judgement on the Polls and its Ripple Effects Across the African Continent. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Generative AI and Democracy. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). The State of the World. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). From Laboratories to Lifelines: India's Pharmaceutical Journey and Africa's Health Security Future. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Global Governance in Transition: Democracy, Development, and the Challenges of Multilatera. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Democratic Governance and the Politics of Poverty: An overview of the agreements and disagreements. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Democracy and the Politics of Hope. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Financing Sustainable Development and the Role and Effectiveness of Multilateral Institutions in a Complex World. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Localizing Sustainable Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Sustaining Tomorrow: Exploring the Foundations of Sustainable Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Opening Lecture: Rethinking development in a multipolar era: Challenges and opportunities for the Global South. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Roadblocks to development, a lens on state legitimacy and governance of low-income countries. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Governance in the way, roadblocks to development and the struggle for state legitimacy. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Voices of Resistance: The Role of Student Protests in Shaping Serbia's Future. doi: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0ZB-PIK9rA&t=1s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Since December 2024, students across Serbia have emerged as a powerful force of mobilization and resistance – organizing mass protests across the country, occupying public universities, and demanding institutional accountability for the tragic event in Novi Sad, greater academic freedoms, and social justice. In a political climate marked by democratic backsliding and growing polarization, these student-led protests raise urgent questions: What is driving this new wave of mobilization which is one of the largest in the country’s modern history? What are students fighting for, and what do their demands reveal about the current state of democracy and civic space in Serbia? This Open Conversation will bring together students from the University of Belgrade and professors from the Circle U. universities to explore how the ongoing protests are reshaping public discourse and reclaiming universities as spaces of critical engagement. Far from being isolated events, these actions form part of a broader struggle for democratic participation, transparency, and the right to dissent. Rather than viewing student protests as a threat, the discussion will frame them as a vital democratic practice – one that challenges complacency, reclaims agency, and envisions alternative futures within a system that often resists transformation.

• Banik, Dan (2025). The Geopolitics of Sustainable Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). The Politics of Poverty. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). The Political Economy of Aid. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Geopolitical Shifts and Innovative Financing for Sustainable Development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This session will critically examine the evolving global political landscape and its implications for sustainability initiatives. Discussions will focus on how shifting alliances, emerging economies, and innovative financing mechanisms are reshaping the strategic priorities for sustainable development, highlighting both opportunities and risks in the global arena.

• Banik, Dan (2025). Interdisciplinary teaching on democracy and the future of Circle U. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Democratization of Knowledge and Circle U. doi: https:/www.uio.no/link/arrangementer/2025/Utdanningskonferansen2025.html. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Emerging geopolitical realities and opportunities for the Global South. doi: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAMOC8k1VpQ. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Democracy in the Balance: Climate, Conflict, and the Politics of Sustainable Development. doi: https:/www.uio.no/english/about/news-and-events/university-square/domus-bibliotheca/events/2025/democracy-in-the-balance.html. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  As the climate crisis intensifies, democratic systems are under mounting strain – from rising populism and polarization to eroding trust in institutions. But democracy remains a critical foundation for addressing the complex and contested politics of sustainability. From fossil fuel subsidies to green industrial policies, climate action is reshaping political agendas, electoral dynamics, and the boundaries of state intervention. This Open Conversation by Circle U. European University Alliance will explore how democracy is both challenged by, and essential to, the pursuit of sustainable development. Can democratic systems deliver the urgent transformations required by climate science? Or are they too slow, fragmented, and conflict-ridden to respond effectively? How do electoral incentives align (or conflict) with long-term sustainability goals? And what happens when climate policy becomes deeply politicized across partisan lines? The panel will examine how participatory politics, civic engagement, and institutional design shape responses to environmental and social crises. Rather than seeking consensus, the discussion will argue for embracing democratic conflict as a vital mechanism for negotiating trade-offs, redistributing power, and building resilience in the face of systemic uncertainty.

• Banik, Dan (2025). Stabilizing the centre of Europe? Germany after the federal elections. doi: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1fcYquWb_4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). The Role of Governance in Shaping Sustainable Political Landscapes. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This talk explores the critical role of governance in shaping sustainable political landscapes, emphasizing the importance of integrating politics into the discourse of sustainable development. Sustainable development is often portrayed as a neutral, apolitical concept which purportedly serves universal benefits. However, its application frequently becomes a venue for political co-optation, promoting diverse agendas under a shared guise of common good, thereby necessitating a rigorous political analysis. The global governance architecture for sustainable development, especially post-2015 with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reveals persistent debates and disparities in commitments and capabilities among nations. The SDGs, while ambitious and inclusive, suffer from voluntary commitment mechanisms that inherently limit enforceability and tangible political impact. This has led to discursive rather than political impacts, particularly underrepresented in the voices from the Global South and in areas lacking robust development finance. At national and local levels, recent global crises such as the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic have sidelined sustainability efforts, leading to increased political polarization and a retreat to short-term political gains. Examining cases from Norway, China, India, and Malawi, this talk critically examines the interplay between democracy, short-term electoral pressures, and sustainable policymaking. It highlights the need for leadership that can bridge the gap between scientific evidence and policy-making, re-frame climate action as an opportunity rather than a burden, and implement globally negotiated policies at local levels.

• Banik, Dan (2025). Sustainable Development: From Global Goals to Local Action. doi: https:/old.unipi.it/index.php/internazionalizzazione/itemlist/category/2461-sustainable-wine-intensive-week. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This lecture bridges the theoretical and practical dimensions of sustainable development, exploring global challenges and local solutions. Starting with an overview of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it examines the intersections of environmental, economic, and social sustainability, addressing pressing issues such as climate disruption, extreme poverty, and geopolitical tensions. The session will then focus on practical applications, drawing insights from Tuscany’s wine districts. Through case studies and examples, students will analyze how sustainable development theories align with real-world practices, particularly in the wine industry, where climate resilience, resource management, and economic sustainability intersect. The lecture highlights innovative strategies used by wine producers, such as agritourism, direct-to-consumer sales, and certifications (organic, biodynamic, carbon-neutral) to balance profitability with ecological responsibility. By integrating theoretical frameworks with observations from field visits, students will gain a nuanced understanding of how global sustainability goals translate into local action. This interactive session encourages critical reflection, inviting students to evaluate the progress and challenges of achieving sustainability and to consider its practical, ethical, and political implications across industries and contexts.

• Banik, Dan (2025). Exploring and designing interdisciplinary research and teaching collaboration on sustainable development. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan & Bull, Benedicte (2025). The Rebirth of the Global South: Geopolitics, Imageries, and Developmental Realities. doi: https:/www.tandfonline.com/toc/sfds20/52/2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Scholar: China is a key driver of development and South-South cooperation in Africa. [Internet]. China Global Television Network. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  China is a leading actor in the Global South, playing a vital role in building infrastructure, capacity development and long-term cooperation across Africa, according to Dan Banik, professor of political science at the University of Oslo. In an interview with CGTN, he rejects claims of "debt-trap diplomacy," citing a lack of evidence and noting China's contributions to development financing, health, education and energy.

• Myklebust, Jan Petter & Banik, Dan (2025). Swedish researchers are positive about China ties – Survey. [Internet]. University World News. doi: https:/www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20251113180611752. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Banik, Dan (2025). Aid era gone, experts tell govt. [Internet]. Nation Online. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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