Wiser World

Wiser World

Wiser World is a podcast built on one major idea: history helps explain the world. 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. 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.

Episodes

95. New Zealand: How a Remote Island Became a Modern State

June 10, 2026 • 65 mins
A brief historical and cultural recap of New Zealand for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this fascinating and unique country. For more resources and ad-free content, head to https://www.patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast Special thanks to Larna Jensen-McCloy and Courtney McNaught for their contributions to this episode! Really appreciate you both. Sources used in making this episode. Transcript for thi...
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Introducing: Hidden History with Dr. Harini Bhat | The Mary Celeste: The Ghost Ship of the Atlantic

June 4, 2026 • 9 mins
Dr. Harini Bhat is a clinical pharmacist and storyteller obsessed with the moments in history that still can't be fully explained. Every week she investigates real events that defy easy explanation. Mass hysterias. Vanished civilizations. Medical oddities. Strange signals. Unexplained phenomena that keep repeating across centuries, as if history is trying to tell us something. Hidden History doesn't dismiss ancient events as myth ...
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94. Bhutan: Understanding One of the World's Most Unique Countries

June 3, 2026 • 59 mins
A brief historical and cultural recap of Bhutan for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this fascinating and unique country. For additional resources, head to Patreon, where you get ad-free episodes and lots of ways to visualize this episode. Special thanks to Kinley Dorji from Druk Asia and Chencho Lham from soultrips.co for their contribution to this episode! If you're interested in traveling to Bhutan,...
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93. Hawai'i: A History Everyone Should Know

May 28, 2026 • 48 mins
A brief historical and cultural recap of Hawai'i for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this incredible place. For additional resources, head to Patreon. *Corrections: Despite best efforts, I mispronounced some words in this episode and want to correct them here—most I did not pronounce the glottal stop that comes with the apostrophe: Kaho’olawe = Kah-ho-oh-la-vay; Moloka’i = Mo-lo-ka-...
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92. Understanding Eid Al-Adha: A Primer for Beginners // Shahnila Ahmad

May 19, 2026 • 50 mins
In this episode, my guest, Shahnila Ahmad, explains the holy month of Dhul Hijjah and the holiday of Eid al-Adha to those who know little to nothing about it. You can also watch this conversation on Youtube. About Shahnila: Shahnila Ahmad is a homeschool mom of four, parent mentor, and ICF-certified coach who is passionate about helping Muslim parents raise emotionally connected, resilient children. She is deeply interested in b...
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91. Eight Qualities of a Peacemaker: What I've Learned as a Student of Peacemaking

May 13, 2026 • 37 mins
In this episode, I share my final reflections—what I have learned about peacemakers from the last year of studying peacemaking and learning from peacemakers. I share 8 qualities that I believe peacemakers have. This is the final episode in this peacemaking series. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on Insta...
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Introducing: No Such Thing

May 7, 2026 • 14 mins
I'm excited to share a preview of a new podcast we think you’d enjoy: No Such Thing No Such Thing is a show where three best friends and journalists settle their dumb arguments — and yours — by actually doing the research. Hosts Manny Fidel, Noah Friedman, and Devan Joseph start each episode with an argument using just their gut feelings. Then they go out into the world, investigate, talk to experts, and conduct ...
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90. Human Dignity: The Bedrock of Cultures of Peace // Brett Scharffs

May 6, 2026 • 74 mins
In this episode, I interview Professor Brett Scharffs, the director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU. His extensive bio is found here. He joins the show fresh from speaking at the UN Human Rights Council — where he was invited to evaluate a landmark unanimous resolution on building cultures of peace. His central argument is that human dignity is the bedrock beneath all of it — the univers...
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89. Lebanon: The History Behind the Headlines

April 30, 2026 • 52 mins
Lebanon has been in the headlines for months — but the real story goes back 3,000 years. In less than an hour, get the context you've been missing: Phoenicians, civil war, Hezbollah, and how all of it leads to today. This is a brief, approachable history of Lebanon for those who know little to nothing about it. Please keep in mind that this is not comprehensive, just a jumping off point for further learning. Find additi...
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88. Conflict Avoidance Leads to Conflict: How Skilled Negotiators Build Lasting Peace // Stan Christensen

April 23, 2026 • 73 mins
What does negotiation have to do with peacemaking? Turns out, A LOT. Stan Christensen has spent decades negotiating in over 75 countries — between governments, ethnic groups, and armed factions — and he joins Wiser World to bring that hard-won wisdom down to earth. We talk about why conflict avoidance creates more conflict, how trust is built and broken, what skilled negotiators do differently, and why Stan believes the...
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87. Peacemakers Who Changed History: Part 2

April 15, 2026 • 34 mins
Today we explore the stories of five MORE impactful peacemakers throughout the world: Wangari Maathai, José Ramos-Horta, Mohandas Gandhi, Rigoberta Menchú, and Mairead Corrigan. 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 o...
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86. Women at the Peace Table: Why It Works and Why It's Still a Struggle // Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

April 7, 2026 • 83 mins
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 Cou...
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85. Peacemakers Who Changed History: Part 1

April 1, 2026 • 38 mins
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 Instagr...
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84. The Ambitious Project of Peace: How Humans Built the Infrastructure of Peace

March 25, 2026 • 35 mins
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 U...
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83. Peacemaking, Reframed: The Art of Productive Discourse // Steven Collis

March 18, 2026 • 80 mins
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,...
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82. Lessons from Iran: What Happens When You Suppress a Nation

March 12, 2026 • 25 mins
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 mega...
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81. Iran's Unfinished Revolution: A Conversation with Sahar Delijani

March 2, 2026 • 69 mins
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...
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80. Iran 101 Part 3/3: Theocracy, Conflict, and the Fight for Change (1981-2026)

February 26, 2026 • 58 mins
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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...
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79. Iran 101 Part 2/3: The Pahlavi Era, Revolution, and Iranian Hostage Crisis (1953-1980)

February 25, 2026 • 47 mins
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/wiserworldpodcas...
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78. Iran 101 Part 1/3: Shahs, Oil, and Foreign Powers (1800s-1953)

February 24, 2026 • 45 mins
This is Part 1 of 3 of the Iran 101 series: a foundational history of Iran for those who know little to nothing about Iranian history. This episode covers the 1800s to the 1953 coup. For a FREE downloadable PDF outline of this episode, go to patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. If you are not a Patreon member, you may have to sign in, but you do not have to pay for this one. *Correction: When discussing the AIOC (Anglo Irania...
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