Institute of Development Studies

The Big Question for Development, IDS Podcast November 2009

Each month we speak to two people working on development issues across the world, finding out a bit about their work and asking them ‘What do you think is the big question that Development Studies needs to answer?

Listen to The Big Question for Development, Programme 5: November 2009 (5 minutes and 51 seconds)

China's emergence as a major player on the development stage creates new opportunities for many developing countries but also challenges what we think about development. IDS has recently produced a new series of In Focus Policy Briefings ‘China and Development: Lessons for and from the world'.

In this programme we speak to:

Sarah Cook, a former IDS Fellow and a development economist whose work focuses on China's economic and social transformations. We asked Sarah what the implications of China's rise are for those working in International Development

Jing Gu, an IDS Fellow, who has been leading a pioneering study exploring the motivations behind the huge increase in private Chinese investment in sub-Saharan Africa. We asked Jing why Chinese entrepreneurs are investing in Africa and why they are important for development.

Related Links

• The Big Question for Development, the IDS Podcast