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 culture to make public discourse more accessible. We explore the role of algorithms in shaping political engagement, the tension between engagement and quality, and the extent to which creators can push back against platform incentives. Hannah discusses the need for greater transparency and accountability in digital platforms, what effective regulation might look like, and her vision for the future of political media.

Finally, the discussion turns to Hannah’s decision to run as an independent in the next federal election, including what it means to move from commenting on politics to participating in it.

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 societies know how to do. Drawing on his latest book, The Infinite Alphabet, Hidalgo explains how knowledge grows, spreads, and is sometimes lost, and what this means for public policy.

The episode also discusses how countries can build capabilities, the role of talent and networks, and the potential impact of artificial intelligence on knowledge and decision-making.

🎙️ 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 expansion into new regions, and how development finance adapts in times of crisis. We also discuss her vision for the EBRD’s future.

A candid conversation on what it means to lead a multilateral bank in a world shaped by conflict and economic uncertainty. Many thanks to the EBRD team for hosting us.

🎧 The episode is out now on YouTube and all major platforms!

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 the author of several landmark books including The Bottom Billion, Exodus, and most recently Left Behind, which won a 2025 Axiom Business Book Award.

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 European neighbourhood policy and conflict resolution.

🎙️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

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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.

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