Making Peace Visible

Making Peace Visible Inc.
  • 4.7 (15)
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  • Updated Biweekly

In the news media, war gets more headlines than peace, conflict more airtime than reconciliation. On The Making Peace Visible Podcast, we speak with journalists and peacebuilders who help us understand the human side of conflicts and peace efforts around the world. From tech founders using AI to predict and prevent crises, to filmmakers documenting protest movements around the globe, to scholars decoding the psychology of polarization, these are the storytellers who are changing the narrative. Making Peace Visible is hosted by Boston-based documentary filmmaker Jamil Simon.

  1. 4d ago

    Beyond Polarization: Why you might be wrong about the 'other side'

    Political polarization in the U.S. can feel like a lost cause. Trying to have productive conversations with people you disagree with over politics can seem pointless, especially now. News media and social media often reduce “the other side” to its most extreme forms. This creates a negative feedback loop, weakening our ability to function as a democracy. But research suggests that Americans — on both the Left and the Right —  often misperceive how hostile, uniform, or different their opponents really are.  In our seven part Beyond Polarization series, we're talking to experts from across the political spectrum — in journalism, education, government, and more — about what it’s costing Americans, and what we can actually do about it. The point isn’t to agree (not gonna happen), or even to move toward the center. As our guest for this first episode Julia Minson puts it, we need to learn to “disagree better.”  Julia Minson is a social psychologist and  professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She’s the author of How to Disagree Better  published in March 2026, and the founder of the behavioral science consulting firm Disagreeing Better, offering speaking and training on effective management of conflict. In this episode she shares some of her research findings about what we get wrong about each other, and what interventions have worked to correct misperceptions. Plus, a proven formula you can use to have a meaningful conversation in conflict situations.  Thoughts on this episode? Find us on social media @makingpeacevisible (details below) or email info@makingpeacevisible.org. The Beyond Polarization series publishes biweekly through October 2026, with our second episode on August 4.  LEARN MORE: Read an excerpt from Julia Minson’s book How to Disagree Better Strengthening Democracy Challenge megastudy led by Stanford University  Heineken – Worlds Apart: Watch the 2017 beer commercial that proved most effective at reducing polarization in the Stanford study  The political polarization of COVID-19 treatments among physicians and laypeople in the United States, published in PNAS Special thanks to Adam Dusenberry and Harvard University Education Support Services. ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

    Beyond Polarization: Why you might be wrong about the 'other side'

  2. Jul 7

    "The Fight for Haiti" tells the story of a people's movement against corruption (Updated)

    Often the news covers crises without context. That's especially true when it comes to coverage of the Global South in international media.  Our guest this episode, journalist and documentary filmmaker Etant Dupain, gives us a behind-the-headlines look at events in Haiti, his home country. Dupain says that the gangs who control much of the country now are supported by powerful elites. Their aim, his says, is to suppress a grassroots protest movement that is calling for accountability for the embezzlement of billions of dollars in development funds.  Dupain's documentary film, The Fight for Haiti, tells the story of the Haitian movement against corruption and impunity, which started with a tweet and at its height had hundreds of thousands in the street. This episode was first recorded in February 2025, and has been updated.  In this episode, you’ll learn about The problematic history of foreign aid in Haiti including the aftermath of the the 2010 earthquake The Petrocaribe agreement with Venezuela that was supposed to fund crucial infrastructure projects in Haiti Creative tactics activists used to demand accountability Who profits when gangs overtake a country What the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in the United States could mean for Haiti's future Watch a trailer and learn more about the film and the movement at thefightforhaiti.com. Want to host a screening? Email info@thefightforhaiti.com.  Protest audio used in the episode is from the film The Fight for Haiti, used with permission. Other music in this episode by Xylo-Ziko, Toby Tranter, and Reed Mathis.  ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

  3. Jul 3

    Coming soon! Beyond Polarization, a special series from Making Peace Visible

    Polarization in the U.S. is not just a Washington problem. It also shows up in our newsrooms, our social media feeds, our schools, our dinner tables, and most importantly, in the stories we tell about each other.  That's why Making Peace Visible is launching a new limited podcast series called Beyond Polarization. We're speaking with people from across the political spectrum to break down what these deepening divisions are actually costing Americans — all of us. Across six sectors — journalism, new media, higher education, technology, government, and civil society — we’ll examine where familiar solutions have fallen short, what evidence-based efforts are working, and how trust can be rebuilt in practical, durable ways. Beyond Polarization launches in this feed on July 21 and will include in-depth conversations with:   Harvard professor Julia Minson, author of How to Disagree Better, whose research explores the psychology of conflict and what it takes to engage more productively across political divides. Tina Rosenberg of The Solutions Journalism Network and Sarah Jane Weaver, Editor-in-Chief of Deseret News on the role solutions journalism can play in depolarization. Ethnomusicologist and University of Maryland dean Stephanie Shonekan and John Rose, professor of civil discourse at UNC Chapel Hill, who are teaching college students how to have difficult conversations with dignity.  Larry Rosen, host of The Enemies Project YouTube Channel, and Monica Guzman, host of A Braver Way podcast, on telling stories that unite within an online ecosystem built on division.  Plus technologists, elected officials, community leaders, and more. ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

    Coming soon! Beyond Polarization, a special series from Making Peace Visible

  4. Jun 2

    Disrupting Peace: What leads people to (and away from) violent white supremacy?

    The MPV team is currently hard at work on Beyond Polarization, a limited series where we talk to people who are finding solutions to the increasing polarization we face in the United States. In the meantime, we bring you this episode from our friends at Disrupting Peace, a podcast from the World Peace Foundation about "why peace hasn't worked, and how it still could."  What beliefs make people willing to commit violence, and what could change their minds? This episode explores what makes individuals vulnerable to white supremacist beliefs, what it means when extremism becomes mainstream, the surprising permeability of these groups, and how to talk to people in your life who express racist ideology. Peter Simi is a professor of Sociology at Chapman University, and an expert on extremist groups and violence in the US. Among his many publications, he is co-author of American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement's Hidden Spaces of Hate, and Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can be Stopped. Sara Winegar Budge holds a doctorate in Psychology and is a licensed psychologist in Oregon. She is the Director of US Programs at Moonshot, which builds technology to identify and disrupt organized crime, child sexual exploitation, and trafficking, among other forms of abuse and violence. Her clinical work focuses on individuals who are or have been involved in violent extremism.  Disrupting Peace is produced by Bridget Conley and Emily Shaw. Engineering by Jacob Winik and Aja Simpson. ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

  5. Apr 28

    Why US democracy needs 'futures' thinking

    Suzette Brooks Masters is a thought leader, political strategist and Senior Fellow at the Democracy Funders Network. She says that for American democracy to thrive, it's not enough to defend the existing system against attack, because the system doesn’t work well for most people.  She’s been researching ways to invigorate democratic practice, including citizen’s assemblies and participatory budgeting – frameworks that give ordinary people a bigger say in government. And she advocates for storytelling that envisions positive, possible futures.  LEARN MORE Suzette Brooks Masters’ articles for The Fulcrum Imagining Better Futures for American Democracy report Becoming Futures Ready: How Philanthropy Can Leverage Strategic Foresight For Democracy report This episode was originally published in May 2025.  ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

  6. Mar 31

    A negotiator's perspective on the Iran war

    The world is missing the perspective of peacebuilders at a critical moment, as we live through this time of one war after another. We need skilled negotiators and mediators who know how to listen to both sides of a dispute and find common ground.   We invited Joshua Weiss to the podcast to help us understand what happened in the negotiations that preceded the Iran war, and how negotiators might bring it to an end.   Josh Weiss is an internationally recognized conflict resolution expert, educator, and author. He is co-founder of Harvard University's Global Negotiation Initiative and Senior Fellow at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. He also directs the Masters in Leadership and Negotiation program at Bay Path University, and runs a private consulting firm. And he’s a co-founder of the Abraham Path Initiative, a network of walking trails that connect communities and helps support local economies in the Middle East. Weiss’ latest book is Getting Back to the Table: 5 Steps for Reviving Stalled Negotiations. Explore related episodes: How one Iranian content creator is fighting the information war (February 2026) Reporting from Iran with a bias towards peace (February 2024) Building peace on a walk through the Middle East (June 2022)         ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

  7. Feb 24

    How one Iranian content creator is fighting the information war

    For her whole life, Iranian-American actor and activist Nazanin Nour has been calling attention to the distinction between the Islamic Republic – the face of Iran in the news – and the Iranian people. And she’s not stopping any time soon.  In normal times, Nour hosts Iranian diaspora musicians, comedians, journalists and others on her online show Mehmooni with Nazanin. But since mass protests began in December, she's been using social media to amplify the message of the protesters and call attention to the massacre and disappearances of thousands.  She's also calling out others – including news organizations that cover nuclear talks without mention of the government's brutality, social justice activists who are strangely quiet on Iran, and content creators who've taken government-sponsored trips to the country.  Making Peace Visible spoke with Nazanin Nour on February 10, 2026.  Follow Nazanin Nour  Instagram @iamnazaninnour Youtube @nazaninnour Facebook @iamnazaninnour Follow Mehmooni with Nazanin on Spotify Human rights organizations mentioned in the interview Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran / @iranrights Center for Human Rights in Iran/ @centerforhumanrights Iran Human Rights Documentation Center Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.  ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

  8. Feb 10

    A mediator's story of making peace against the odds in Mozambique

    "I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will." This aphorism from political philosopher and journalist Antonio Gramsci is one of our guest Neha Sanghrajka’s favorite quotes. When you learn her story, you’ll understand why.  A Kenyan born lawyer, Sanghrajka spent almost a decade in Mozambique mediating a peace process between the country’s president and a guerrilla leader stationed on a remote mountaintop. Sanghrajka and her colleague, Swiss Ambassador Mirko Manzoni, travelled back and forth between the capital of Maputo and the militant headquarters in the remote Garongosa Mountains 45 times – a journey of over 1000 km each way. And when she wasn’t hoofing it up the mountain, Sanghrajka spent many hours just listening to local people, without expectation.  The peacebuilders walked a delicate line. Knowing that previous processes had failed when they were over-exposed to the media, they protected the negotiations from scrutiny. At the same time, they engaged journalists and civil society with the public implementation of the process.  Neha’s story presents a fascinating example of how polarized groups can actually buy into a process of reconciliation, despite major setbacks along the way; and how journalists can report responsibly and critically, while still supporting the aspiration of peace.  Before moving to Mozambique, Neha Sanghrajka worked with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan during the 2007 election crisis in Kenya and helped facilitate election reform there. She’s now a fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. Learn more about Neha Sanghrajka Read Sanghrajka and Mirko Manzoni’s report on the peace process in Mozambique Visit the Maputo Accord website ABOUT THE SHOW  The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org Support our work Connect on social: Instagram @makingpeacevisible YouTube @makingpeacevisible LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social Making Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts  dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate. We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

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About

In the news media, war gets more headlines than peace, conflict more airtime than reconciliation. On The Making Peace Visible Podcast, we speak with journalists and peacebuilders who help us understand the human side of conflicts and peace efforts around the world. From tech founders using AI to predict and prevent crises, to filmmakers documenting protest movements around the globe, to scholars decoding the psychology of polarization, these are the storytellers who are changing the narrative. Making Peace Visible is hosted by Boston-based documentary filmmaker Jamil Simon.

Information

  • Creator
    Making Peace Visible Inc.
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © makingpeacevisible.org
  • Show Website
    Making Peace Visible

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