Wiser World Podcast By Cloud10 cover art

Wiser World

Wiser World

By: Cloud10
Listen for free

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.© 2026 Alli Roper Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary World
Episodes
  • 84. The Ambitious Project of Peace: How Humans Built the Infrastructure of Peace

    84. The Ambitious Project of Peace: How Humans Built the Infrastructure of Peace
    Mar 25 2026
    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
    Show more Show less
    35 mins
  • 83. Peacemaking, Reframed: The Art of Productive Discourse // Steven Collis

    83. Peacemaking, Reframed: The Art of Productive Discourse // Steven Collis
    Mar 18 2026
    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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 21 mins
  • 82. Lessons from Iran: What Happens When You Suppress a Nation

    82. Lessons from Iran: What Happens When You Suppress a Nation
    Mar 12 2026
    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
    Show more Show less
    25 mins
No reviews yet