Unrisd Podcasts

With a new office in Bonn, launched on 6 February, UNRISD aims to create new interagency collaborations and strengthen research uptake linkages to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. We sat down after the launch event for a short interview with Isabell Kempf, the newly appointed Head of UNRISD’s Bonn Office, who told us about her vast experience with knowledge challenges at the United Nations, the role of research in the face of the current climate crisis, how science and action can work together, and much more.

Based on analysis from his recent book "Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth", Guy Standing introduces a new appraisal of the commons and how much of it has been privatized, from land and state housing, health and benefit systems, to justice systems, schools, newspapers and even the air we breathe. He proposes a charter for a new form of commoning, of remembering, guarding and sharing that which belongs to us all, to slash inequality and soothe our current political instability.

The remarkable economic growth of sub-Saharan Africa in the first 15 years of the 21st century did not always go hand in hand with greater equality. While income inequality during the 2000s decreased in 17 countries, it went up in 12 countries. What were the determinants and consequences of these divergent trends?

In this seminar, Lucas Chancel presents new empirical research findings on global economic and environmental inequalities. He highlights the close link between social and environmental (in)justice, and discusses policy options that can address the unsustainability of economic inequality.

Reducing inequality (SDG10) requires progressive and substantial shifts in fiscal policy and an essential equality-enhancing instrument with the potential to do three things: (1) raise necessary revenues for public spending which tackles vertical and horizontal inequalities; (2) stem market incentives for accumulation of income and wealth at the top; and (3) forge a credible fiscal compact between citizens and the state. But how can such progressive policies be implemented while those in power benefit from the status quo? Experts from the United Nations, the IMF, Oxfam and the research community discuss these and many more questions on fiscal policy and socioeconomic disparities, in the context of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the United Nations main platform to review progress and provide guidance and recommendations on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. → Welcome remarks 00:00:14 Luise Rürup, Director, FES New York → Opening remarks Ambassador Luis Bermúdez, Ambassador and De

Based on examples from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Jakarta, Indonesia, the speakers at this seminar discussed how issues of land rights and informality shape uneven vulnerability to climate change in coastal zones, and highlighted the need for more integrated and transformative approaches to adaptation.

UNRISD Research Coordinator speaks about social and solidarity economy to the Inside Out programme on tbs eFM radio in Seoul, November 2014.

Podcast of the UNRISD Seminar "A Precariat Charter: From Denizens to Citizens", in which Guy Standing, Professor of Development at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, talks about the precariat: an emerging mass class characterized by inequality and insecurity, and about how their rights—political, civil, social, cultural and economic—have been denied. The event took place in Geneva in November 2014.

Podcast of the UNRISD Seminar "Where Do Great Ideas Come From? A Discussion with The Rockefeller Foundation", in which Claudia Juech, Managing Director, and Rachel Bergenfield, Associate, shared the organization’s current approach to sourcing and assessing new opportunities to address global development challenges, using the specific examples of urban food insecurity, waste and spoilage in agriculture, and competition for fresh water. The event took place in Geneva in July 2014.

Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) was introduced in 2005 to provide support to approximately eight million chronically food insecure people. Ever since, the programme has been promoted as a model of social protection and has already been influential in the design of schemes in other African countries. This event took place in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2014.

Podcast of the UNRISD Seminar "New Directions in Social Policy: Towards a Post-2015 Agenda", which took place in Geneva on April 2014 with Per Ronnås, Senior Specialist, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); Jimi Adesina, Professor and DST/NRF SARChl Chair in Social Policy at the University of South Africa ; Michael Cichon, President of the International Council on Social Welfare, Professor of Social Protection at UNU Maastricht, and former Director of the ILO’s Social Security Department; Rana Jawad, Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Bath, and founder of the MENA social policy network; Andras Uthoff, Professor in the Faculty of Economy and Business at the Universidad de Chile, and former Director of ECLAC’s Division of Social development; and Sarah Cook, Director of UNRISD.

Podcast of the UNRISD/IOM Seminar "Migration and Health in China", which took place in Geneva on the 6 May 2014 with Shufang Zhang, Specialist, The Global Fund; Joseph D. Tucker, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Director of UNC Project-China; Xiaoming Li, Professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Barbara Rijks, Migration Health Programme Coordinator, International Organization for Migration; and UNRISD Director Sarah Cook.

This is the presentation given by Diego Sánchez-Ancochea at the UNRISD Seminar "Good Jobs and Social Services: How Costa Rica Achieved the Elusive Double Incorporation" [49 minutes]

This is the presentation given by Professor Xuejin Zuo at the UNRISD Seminar "Pension Reform in China: Five Pillars of Transformation? [49 minutes]

This is the presentation given by Professor Guy Standing at the UNRISD Seminar "Piloting Basic Income in India: A Transformative Policy?", with UNRISD Director Sarah Cook as a discussant. [1 hour 06 minutes]

This is the presentation given by Manuel Montes at the UNRISD Seminar "Institutions, Governance and Policy Space: Redesigning the International Economic Architecture for Development" [36 minutes]

This is the presentation given by Professor Li Yang at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "The Legend of China's Growth" [1 hour 23 minutes]

This is the recording of Eleni Thanou's presentation and discussion on Technological Institute of Athens—Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) as a Response to Economic Crisis: The case of Greece, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [29 minutes]

This is the recording of María José Orraca's presentation and discussion on Tumin, Pesos or Wealth? Limits and Possibilities of a Local Alternative to Scarcity of Money and Abundance of Richness (A Case study in Mexico), at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [19 minutes]

This is the recording of Marco Sachy's presentation and discussion on The Potential, the Limits and the Difficulties about Implementing the "Commerical Credit Circuit" (C3) as an Institutional and Countercyclical Policy Instrument for the Uruguayan Government to Structurally Address Unemployment, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [19 minutes]