Wiser World

Cloud10
  • 4.9 (432)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Wiser World is a podcast built on a simple idea: history explains headlines. Hosted by world history teacher and storyteller Alli Roper, the show turns complex global history into clear, compact, approachable episodes for busy adults who want real understanding—not just sound bites. Wiser World explores the people, cultures, and turning points that shaped today’s global events, giving you the context you wish you’d learned in school. If you’ve ever read a headline and thought, “Wait… how did we get here?” this podcast helps you answer that—with more nuance, empathy, and confidence.

  1. 2D AGO

    86. Women at the Peace Table: Why It Works and Why It's Still a Struggle // Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

    In this episode, I sit down with Sanam Naraghi Anderlini — peace strategist, founder of the International Civil Society Action Network and one of the architects of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 — to talk about what it actually takes to build lasting peace. We cover the research behind women's inclusion in peace processes, how a scrappy international coalition got a landmark resolution passed at the UN Security Council, why women's unique approach to peacebuilding is a superpower rather than a liability, and what ordinary people can do right now when the architecture of international peace feels like it's crumbling. 00:00 — Introduction to Sanam Naraghi Anderlini 01:20 — Sanam's origin story: the Iranian Revolution, Rwanda, and South Africa 05:06 — The 1998 women in war zones conference that changed everything 10:04 — Defining peacemaking and peacebuilding 14:23 — The story behind UN Security Council Resolution 1325 26:27 — The four pillars of Resolution 1325 explained 30:07 — Has 1325 worked? An honest assessment 25 years later 34:57 — Why is there still so much resistance to women at the peace table? 42:32 — How ICAN finds, trains, and supports women peacebuilders worldwide 51:17 — Women's unique role in understanding and countering radicalization 1:00:57 — What cutting international aid and multilateralism means for this work 1:09:48 — What sustains Sanam — and what ordinary people can do You can find Sanam's podcast "If You Were In Charge" anywhere you get your podcasts. For Wiser World: Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 23m

  2. APR 1

    85. Peacemakers Who Changed History: Part 1

    Today we explore the stories of five impactful peacemakers throughout the world: Bertha Von Suttner, Nelson Mandela, Eleanor Roosevelt, Óscar Arias, and Leymah Gbowee. Their stories are inspiring and very human, and I hope you enjoy learning about them as much as I did. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min

  3. MAR 25

    84. The Ambitious Project of Peace: How Humans Built the Infrastructure of Peace

    What is the history of peacemaking? In this episode, we trace the origins of diplomacy and international law from the ancient world to the present day. Topics include the Treaty of Kadesh — the world's oldest peace treaty — the Great Law of Peace and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the birth of modern diplomacy at the Peace of Westphalia, the founding of the Red Cross, the Geneva Conventions, the League of Nations, the United Nations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We also explore what different traditions — Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Confucianism — have taught about peace throughout history. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  4. MAR 18

    83. Peacemaking, Reframed: The Art of Productive Discourse // Steven Collis

    Most of us think peacemaking means keeping the peace — avoiding conflict, not ruffling feathers, smoothing things over. But what if that's actually not peacemaking? In this episode, I sit down with Steven Collis — law professor, First Amendment scholar, and author of Habits of a Peacemaker — to dig into what productive dialogue actually looks like in real life. Not in a boardroom or a courtroom, but in your home, your family, your neighborhood. We talk about why intellectual humility is the foundation of everything, how to reframe a conversation from a fight into a treasure hunt, why you probably don't need a strong opinion on most things, and what it actually means to listen — not just wait for your turn to talk. This one is packed. I think you're going to love it. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIMESTAMPS [00:00] — Why keeping the peace isn't the same as making peace [01:30] — Introducing Steven Collis and how he got interested in peacemaking [03:37] — What is peacemaking, really? Steven reframes it as "productive discourse" [06:32] — Intellectual humility: the most important habit of a peacemaker [07:40] — How to hold humility and conviction at the same time [11:27] — Do you actually need an opinion on everything? (Probably not.) [12:41] — Reframing conversations as a treasure hunt for understanding [14:44] — Live example: how to defuse a heated argument as a third party [19:02] — Real learning vs. being fed: how peacemakers gather information [22:06] — How to navigate media bias and find overlap across opposing sources [25:35] — Why you should hunt for the best argument against your own position [30:48] — Comment sections, bots, and why online arguing is mostly a waste of your life [34:11] — What to do when someone comes at you hard — and how to reframe it [35:04] — What happens when someone genuinely won't engage? Is there a point of no return? [38:50] — The lost art of pausing before you respond [42:35] — Active listening: why most of us are terrible at it and how to get better [50:41] — Going into a conversation with an open mind — what that actually looks like [52:20] — Is peacemaking being weaponized? When "don't stir things up" becomes avoidance [55:31] — The difference between being a peacemaker and being a pushover [1:04:45] — How to have productive dialogue with someone who has more power than you [1:09:48] — Finding where the real disagreement actually lives [1:13:00] — If you remember one thing: don't give up on becoming a peacemaker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 21m

  5. MAR 12

    82. Lessons from Iran: What Happens When You Suppress a Nation

    Five macro-level lessons I have learned from studying Iran's history. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  6. MAR 2

    81. Iran's Unfinished Revolution: A Conversation with Sahar Delijani

    Today's guest, Sahar Delijani, is the author of Children of the Jacaranda Tree, an internationally acclaimed novel, translated into 32 languages and published in more than 75 countries. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Literary Hub, LARB, Jewish Currents, BOMB, McSweeney’s and elsewhere. Her second novel, For Every Person You Kill, is forthcoming in Spring 2027. In this episode, Sahar shares her family’s story — including being born in Evin Prison — and reflects on Iranian identity, cultural resilience, and the role of joy, history, and women in today’s movement for freedom. We also discuss what solidarity can look like from the international community, and how stories and literature can help humanize a struggle that’s often reduced to geopolitics. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 9m

  7. FEB 26

    80. Iran 101 Part 3/3: Theocracy, Conflict, and the Fight for Change (1981-2026)

    This is Part 3 of 3 of the Iran 101 series: a foundational history of Iran for those who know little to nothing about it. This episode covers 1981 to early 2026. Sources used in making this episode. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    59 min

  8. FEB 25

    79. Iran 101 Part 2/3: The Pahlavi Era, Revolution, and Iranian Hostage Crisis (1953-1980)

    This is Part 2 of 3 of the Iran 101 series: a foundational history of Iran for those who know little to nothing about it. This episode covers 1953 to 1980. Sources used in making this episode. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, PDF timelines, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wiserworld.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
432 Ratings

About

Wiser World is a podcast built on a simple idea: history explains headlines. Hosted by world history teacher and storyteller Alli Roper, the show turns complex global history into clear, compact, approachable episodes for busy adults who want real understanding—not just sound bites. Wiser World explores the people, cultures, and turning points that shaped today’s global events, giving you the context you wish you’d learned in school. If you’ve ever read a headline and thought, “Wait… how did we get here?” this podcast helps you answer that—with more nuance, empathy, and confidence.

Information

  • Creator
    Cloud10
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    81
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Alli Roper
  • Show Website
    Wiser World

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