Oxford Policy Pod

From community-led forest conservation in Odisha to negotiating at the United Nations, Archana Soreng embodies how lived experience can reshape global climate policy. An Indigenous climate leader from India’s Kharia tribe, Archana served on the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change (2020–2023), is a Skoll World Forum Fellow (2024), and sits on The Rockefeller Foundation’s C...

"Something's Brewing" is a laid-back podcast hosted by MPP student Wynsey, where conversations flow freely-just like the drinks. In each episode, a member of the Blavatnik School community joins over a favourite beverage from home to share personal stories, career reflections, and the life that happens beyond policy. In this episode, Wynsey chats with Julia, an MPP student from Uganda, about the “...

Possible Utopia is the podcast exploring the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a more inclusive future. In this episode, we speak with Vanessa Nakate, Ugandan climate activist, founder of the Rise Up movement, and author of A Bigger Picture . She shares her journey from launching Fridays for Future in Uganda to amplifying African voices in the fight for climate justice. W...

Possible Utopia is the podcast where we explore the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a better world. From addressing challenges of safety and well-being in public life to uncovering the motivations that drive individuals, we look at the stories behind those shaping our societies. Together, we take on difficult questions, confront systemic barriers, and reimagine a more i...

In this episode, MPP students Helen Orjuela and Ana Osorio explore one of the most pressing yet often overlooked public policy issues: care They are joined by Diana Rodríguez Franco, Special Advisor on Gender and Diversity to the Inter-American Development Bank and former Secretary for Women in Bogotá, where she led the creation of the city’s internationally recognised Care System - Manzanas del C...

Nikunj Agarwal is a public policy practitioner, an Oxford MPP alumna, and currently the Strategic Stakeholder Country Lead for the What Works Hub for Global Education at the British Council In this episode, he reflects on bridging the gap between evidence and policymaking, the power of listening over telling, and what it takes to make education reform work in the real world. From cost-effective so...

🌱Empowering Communities through Climate Justice🎙️ In this episode, we are joined by Alexandra Gallo, a policymaker specialised in environmental justice and climate resilience. From working on California's Transformative Climate Communities programme to implementing the largest environmental justice grant in US history under the Inflation Reduction Act, Alexandra shares her journey and challenges....

In this episode, Madison Jennings, Glória Almeida da Silva and Famin Ahmed explore how race and ethnicity shape the experience of gender-based violence around the world. Together, they discuss the legal and systemic barriers women of color face, the narratives that silence survivors, and the grassroots and policy efforts pushing for justice. Drawing on their work in Australia, Brazil, and the U.S....

🎙️ Shaping the AI we want: A conversation with Gabriela Ramos In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Melissa Muñoz (Dominican Republic) and Gloria Almeida (Brazil) sit down with Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO and one of the world’s foremost voices in ethical artificial intelligence Together, they explore what it means to govern AI...

"Something’s Brewing" is a laid-back podcast hosted by MPP student Wynsey, where conversations flow freely—just like the drinks. In each episode, a member of the Blavatnik School community joins over a favorite beverage from home to share personal stories, career reflections, and the life that happens beyond policy. In this episode, Wynsey sits down with Mamiko and Shinnosuke, two MPP students fro...

This episode takes a step back from policy topics to dive into a pervasive phenomenon in public service work: constant busyness and burnout. Ronan Harrington, an international speaker, expert on burnout and resilience, and MPP alumnus, joins MPP student Nate for a conversation on why burnout is so pervasive in public service careers and what we can do about it. The conversation explores: • Why is...

Siviwe Gwarube is South Africa’s Minister of Basic Education and one of the country’s youngest-ever Cabinet members. A fierce advocate for gender equity, evidence-based policymaking, and the foundational right to education, she brings a new voice and vision to the continent’s education leadership.  In this episode, hosted by MPP students María Turner and Bautista Fazio, Minister Gwarube refle...

Carlos Scartascini is a global leader in behavioral economics and its real-world application to public policy. As Deputy Chief Economist and head of the Behavioral Economics Group at the Inter-American Development Bank, he’s led research and projects that use behavioral science to tackle everyday policy challenges—like boosting tax compliance, improving public health, and building trust in governm...

Jaime Saavedra is one of the world’s most influential education reformers. Former Minister of Education in Peru and now Director of Human Development for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank, he has led and advised some of the region’s most ambitious efforts to improve learning outcomes at scale.  In this episode, hosted by Helen Orjuela Tacha and Bautista Fazio, Jaime unpacks wh...

"Something’s Brewing" is a laid-back podcast hosted by MPP student Wynsey, where conversations flow freely—just like the drinks. In each episode, a member of the Blavatnik School community joins over a favorite beverage from home to share personal stories, career reflections, and the life that happens beyond policy. In this episode, Wynsey sits down with Nami and Kenneth, two MPP students from Mon...

Juan Gabriel Vásquez has a central preoccupation: the past —a theme that has shaped much of his fiction. His latest novel, Los nombres de Feliza , published in January, explores the life of Colombian sculptor Feliza Bursztyn, who was politically persecuted and forced into exile during the Cold War. In this episode of Oxford Policy Pod , the acclaimed Colombian author —winner of the 2011 Alfaguara...

Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo is one of Spain’s most prominent political voices. A historian and journalist, she is a Member of the Spanish Parliament and a staunch advocate for democracy, freedom, and constitutionalism. Educated at Oxford, where she studied under Sir John H. Elliott, she transitioned from academia to journalism at El Mundo before stepping into politics.  In this episode, hosted...

🎙️🌎 Sacrifice Zones: The Price of Progress? In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, we sit down with legal scholar Iza Linazasoro to uncover the harsh realities of sacrifice zones—communities forced to bear the cost of industrial development at the expense of their health and environment. Featuring the Quintero Bay case in Chile, Linazasoro highlights the environmental, social, and health i...

Martin Baron led two of the world's most important newsrooms, those of The Boston Globe and The Washington Post. He was at the former when the newspaper exposed the network of cover-ups of pedophile Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Boston. At the latter, he was present during the Edward Snowden leaks about the National Security Agency (NSA)'s spying activities and during Trump’s first presid...

Releasing Possible Utopia – the podcast where we explore the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a better world. From navigating challenges of safety and well-being in public life to uncovering the motivations that drive them, we’ll delve into the stories behind the individuals shaping our societies. Together, we’ll tackle the tough questions, confront systemic issues, and...

"Something's Brewing" is a relaxed podcast series hosted by MPP student Wynsey. Each episode features a guest from the Blavatnik School of Government, sharing candid stories about their journey, experiences, and life beyond policy—all over a favorite drink from their home. In this episode, we hear about the life of Juan Pablo, a fellow MPP candidate from Colombia, as he reflects on his upbringing,...

🌍🎙️ How does a world-renowned climate scientist become a leading environmental policymaker? In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, we sit down with Chile's Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, to explore her journey from Oxford's labs to global climate negotiations. 👩‍🔬From Lead Author of IPCC's Assessment Reports researching paleoclimate to shaping Chile's climate policies and secu...

What are the threats to Democracy? In this episode, Helen Orjuela and Marie Vanolli are joined by Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, to discuss the global state of democracy. Together, they explore critical issues, including the erosion of freedoms like press and expression, the rise of the far right and its implications...

"Something's Brewing" is a relaxed podcast series hosted by MPP student Wynsey. Each episode features a guest from the Blavatnik School of Government, sharing candid stories about their journey, experiences, and life beyond policy—all over a favorite drink from their home. In this episode, we hear about the life of Binka, a fellow MPP candidate from Slovakia - her childhood, career ups and downs a...

What does it mean to lead in the field of public policy? How do leaders navigate uncertainty and social pressures when making key decisions In this inaugural episode, we sit down with two special guests—Marcos Peña, Former Chief of Staff of Argentina (2015-2019), and Francisco Sánchez Moreno, a leadership expert with extensive experience in the public sector. Together, they offer unique insights i...