S4, E1: Power, Practice, and Principles: Dr. Duncan Green on Ethical Development

What does it mean to approach development ethically—not just in theory, but in practice, amid complexity, power dynamics, and imperfect systems? In this episode, Dr. Duncan Green shares reflections from years of experience in the sector, challenging us to rethink what ethics means in day-to-day development work.

Spoiler: he doesn’t see himself as an “ethical person”—and maybe that’s the point. Ethics, as we explore here, is often shaped by context, relationships, and the messy realities of practice.

What is Humans of ID?

Inspired by the "Humans of.." concept of sharing stories originated by photoblogger Brandon Stanton in New York, Humans of ID is a podcast where students in the LSE Department of International Development sit down with classmates, instructors, and alumni to learn about their stories and how they are interacting with issues in, and approaches to, development.