The Public Sphere: Journal of Public Policy – Details, episodes & analysis

Why did countries with pandemic preparedness plans struggle during COVID-19 while others succeeded? Why do billions in development aid fail to improve lives? The answer sometimes isn't bad policy or insufficient funding. It's state capacity.

In this episode, we explore why governments struggle to deliver on their promises with Dr. Joana Naritomi, economist and Deputy Dean at LSE's School of Public Policy. Drawing from her work on the London Consensus, we examine determinants of state capacity, how to go about diagnosing it and why the implementation of policy is something every policymaker needs to keep in mind even at the planning stage.

Recording Date: November 20, 2025

Host: Kartik Sanade - Lead Editor - The Public Sphere Journal, LSE School of Public Policy

Guest: Dr. Joana Naritomi - Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs - LSE School of Public Policy - https://joananaritomi.com

Production: Leonardo Luksic, Kartik Sanade, and Muawiya Mahomed | PSJ Podcast Team, School of Public Policy

Music by AudioCoffee: ⁠https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠

From OpenAI to SpaceX, private innovation is reshaping economies faster than regulators can respond. But what should states actually do? In this episode, Dr. Frank Muci Lander, LSE Policy Fellow, unpacks how governments can foster growth without stifling the technologies driving it. Drawing on his experience across the developed and developing markets, Frank explores the tension between fiscal policy, sustainability, and innovation, why crypto matters beyond the headlines, and what lessons from the previous industrial revolutions can teach us about regulating blockchain and other emerging sectors today.

Recording Date: December 10, 2025

Host: Abhishek Sudke - Senior Editor - Public Sphere Journal

Guest: Frank Muci Lander - Policy Fellow - LSE School of Public Policy - https://www.lse.ac.uk/people/frank-muci

Production: Leonardo Luksic, Kartik Sanade, and Muawiya Mahomed | PSJ Podcast Team, School of Public Policy

Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

How did €0.6 trillion shift from taxpayers to bondholders in the Eurozone? Can households benefit from Quantitative Easing the same way financial institutions do? Why is the line between monetary and fiscal policy blurred and what can be done about it?

Luis Garicano, an LSE SPP Professor, former MEP, and author of the new book "Crisis Cycle: Challenges, Evolution, and Future of the Euro" joins Achilles Tsirgis to discuss the hidden costs of the modern monetary system.

Join us as we break down the complex tools modern central banks use and why they should matter to you.

You can check out Luis' new book with John Kochrane & Klaus Masuch here

A provocative article by Barry Eichengreen questions whether the dollar can remain the "King of Currencies." But how fragile is the global medium of exchange system really, and could Trump's policies destabilize it? LSE Department of Economics Professor Ethan Ilzetzki joins Achilles Tsirgis to explore the historical rise of the dollar, what has sustained its dominance, and whether the Euro or Renminbi could emerge as credible alternatives.

In our first episode for this season, Lead Editor Samir Janmohamed (for the year 2024/25) introduces the Public Sphere Journal Podcast — a platform from LSE’s student-led journal of international policy. Learn what to expect from the series as we bring LSE professors, fellows, and global professionals on air to discuss emerging issues shaping the UK and the world. Subscribe and join us as we explore the ideas driving today’s most pressing policy debates.

How will US Tariffs affect monetary policy in the EU? Will Germany's ambitious fiscal reforms lead to a spillover in the architecture of the Stability and Growth Pact? LSE Professor Paul De Grauwe of the European Institute joins Achilles Tsirgis to decipher just what the recent evolutions might bring upon the EU.

In November 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour's second major budget promising growth and stability. Yet, Britons witness councils going bankrupt, taxes stealthily rising, and public services collapsing under the weight of impossible trade-offs. What is really happening with Britain's public finances? 

In this episode, Professor Tony Travers CBE, Director of LSE London and one of Britain's foremost experts on public finance, unpacks the mechanics behind the 2025 UK budget. Drawing on decades analysing Westminster and local government, we explore the politics of fiscal drag, why local services are deteriorating despite rising council taxes, and the impossible promise of American taxation with Swedish services. From council funding to political calculus, this episode unravels the complexity of this budget's trade-offs, and what it means for Britain's economic future.

Recording Date: December 11, 2025

Host: Muawiya Mahomed - Contributing Editor - The Public Sphere Journal, LSE School of Public Policy

Guest: Tony Travers, CBE - Associate Dean - LSE School of Public Policy - https://www.lse.ac.uk/people/tony-travers

Production: Muawiya Mahomed and Kartik Sanade | PSJ Podcast Team, School of Public Policy

Music by AudioCoffee: ⁠⁠https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠⁠

In today's globalised world, the effects of international trade are felt in everyday life, from the price of goods on supermarket shelves to the headlines about tariffs, new trade deals, and the occasional breakdown of negotiations. Existing trade frameworks face growing scrutiny, and the rules that once seemed settled are increasingly being contested.

In this episode, we explore the realities of international trade with Vanessa Rubio Marquez, former Deputy Finance Minister of Mexico, someone who has sat at the negotiating table at some of these very discussions. Drawing on her experience navigating complex bilateral and multilateral trade relationships, we examine the power dynamics that shape negotiations, the nuances of dealing with politically complex environments, the ongoing debate around free trade, and what today's tariff disputes tell us about the future of global trade.

Recording Date: November 11, 2025

Host: Leonardo Luksic – The Public Sphere Journal, LSE School of Public Policy

Guest: Professor Vanessa Rubio Marquez – Associate Dean for Extended Education at LSE’s School of Public Policy

Production: Leonardo Luksic, Kartik Sanade, and Muawiya Mahomed | PSJ Podcast Team, School of Public Policy

Music by AudioCoffee: ⁠⁠https://www.audiocoffee.net/

In the UK, local government touches almost every aspect of daily life. From housing and transport to social care and planning, yet local elections rarely command the attention they deserve. With the May 7th local elections on the horizon, questions about the health of local democracy, the political shifts underway across the country, and what it actually means to represent a community have never felt more relevant.

In this episode, we explore the importance of local government and elections in the UK with Professor Tony Travers, CBE, one of the country's foremost experts on British politics and local government. The conversation is hosted by Shad Hoshyar, a student at LSE's School of Public Policy and a council candidate in the Little Venice ward, bringing together academic as well as frontline experience. Join us as we discuss the state of local democracy, what this year's elections could mean for British politics, and why local government matters more than most of us realise.

Recording Date: April 15, 2026
Host: Shad Hoshyar, MPA 2nd Year, LSE School of Public Policy
Guest: Professor Tony Travers, CBE, London School of Economics Production: Kartik Sanade and Abhishek Sudke | PSJ Podcast Team, School of Public Policy Music by AudioCoffee: ⁠⁠https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠⁠