The Drayton Discourse

Is foreign aid truly benefiting developing countries? Or is it violating the freedoms of the vulnerable? In this episode, listen in to our discussion with world-renowned development economist and author of The White Man’s Burden, Professor William (Bill) Easterly as he talks about the rights of the poor, the politicization of development, tackling racism in economics and a lot more! 

Profound and reflective, our personal section features Professor Easterly discussing the importance of humility and reciprocity in economists. Further, he also shares his experiences working at the World Bank! Our thought experiment takes us back to the founding of the Bank and unearths early mistakes that have led to some of its shortcomings.

Curious about the future of globalisation? Wondering what’s in store for the European Union? Listen to our second episode featuring none other than the Chief Economics Commentator of the Financial Times, Martin Wolf! He discusses everything from the Next Generation EU to structural changes in supply chains, government propaganda to a brilliant analysis of the economic and cultural consequences of the crisis. Thought-provoking and powerful, our personal section features Mr Wolf sharing his motivation for getting into economics, crucial lessons he learnt during his career and the ‘accidents’ that shaped his life!

Finally, we confront our world-class guest with a novel thought experiment that takes us back to The United States in the 1930s, reflecting on the economic decisions that led to the Second World War.

Ever wondered how governments ‘nudge’ our behaviour or what the universe of Star Wars could teach us about our world? In our first episode, renowned American legal scholar, former advisor to the White House and co-author of Nudge, Professor Cass Sunstein shares his views on COVID-19 and libertarian paternalism, reveals unexpected insight about Taylor Swift and shares valuable life advice for students all around the world!