Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Wiser World
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Wiser World
Based on Podcast App listening data
Wiser World episodes
- 66. Common Ground: Food — The First Language We All Speak
No matter where you go in the world, everyone needs to eat, and preferably eat together. Eating together is one of our oldest human instincts.
In this first episode of the Common Ground series, we're diving into concepts of food and drink that are cultural universals—things we all share. We talk about grains, fermentation, earth cooking, hot drinks, and more!
Sign up for my free weekly newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/
If you'd like ad-free episodes and additional resources, head to to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
34 min - 65. What Syria Can Teach Us: Why Voice, Unity, and Agency Matter
This is a personal analysis of takeaways I gained from studying Syria. It is meant to be listened to after completing the Syria 101 series (which is 5 parts).
Nonprofits mentioned in this episode:
SAMS
Karam Foundation
Sign up for my free weekly newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/
If you'd like ad-free episodes and additional resources, head to to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast.
I quote Wendy Pearlman from "The Home I Worked to Make" and Alia Malek from "The Home that was Our Country" in this episode.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
34 min - 64. Syria 101 Part 5/5—The Syrian Civil War, Refugee Crisis, & Fall of Assad (2012–2025)
This is Part 5 of 5 of the Syria 101 series: a foundational history of Syria. This episode is a concise, foundational history of Syria from 2012 to 2025, designed for those who know little to nothing about Syria's history, to set the stage for modern Syria. This episode covers:
- How civilian protests for reform turned into a civil war
- What groups got involved and why (it was not a clear two-sided war)
- The rise of ISIS
- The internationalization of the war
- The Syrian refugee crisis
- The fall of Assad and the current transitional government
If you'd like a downloadable PDF with a timeline/outline of this episode, go to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. You can pay for it a la carte, or sign up to be a $5 or $10 Patreon supporter and receive the PDF, more resources, and ad-free episodes for all Wiser World episodes.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Sources used in the making of this episode.
Transcript for this episode.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworld.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
45 min - 63. Syria 101 Part 4/5—Bashar al-Assad, the Arab Spring, & Syrian Civil War Beginnings (2000–2012)
This is Part 4 of 5 of the Syria 101 series: a foundational history of Syria. This episode is a concise, foundational history of Syria from 2000 to 2012, designed for those who know little to nothing about Syria's history, to set the stage for modern Syria. This episode covers:
- How Bashar al-Assad gained power
- How corruption, crony capitalism, drought, and inequality led to unrest
- The Arab Spring and how it came to Syria
- How civilian protests for reform turned into a civil war
- Why extremist Islamist and Jihadist groups got involved
- How the civil war splintered into a multi-faceted war
If you'd like a downloadable PDF with a timeline/outline of this episode, go to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. You can pay for it a la carte, or sign up to be a $5 or $10 Patreon supporter and receive the PDF, more resources, and ad-free episodes for all Wiser World episodes.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Sources used in making this episode.
Transcript of this episode.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworld.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
39 min - 62. Syria 101 Part 3/5—Coups, Ba’athism, and the Assads (1946–2000)
This is Part 3 of 5 of the Syria 101 series: a foundational history of Syria. This episode is a concise, foundational history of Syria from 1946 to 2000, designed for those who know little to nothing about Syria's history, to set the stage for modern Syria. This episode covers:
- How Syria’s new democracy after independence quickly fell into instability
- Why the 1948 war with Israel shook Syria and triggered its first coup
- The cycle of military coups (1949–1963) and Cold War involvement
- The rise of Pan-Arabism and Ba’athism, including Syria’s union with Egypt
- How Hafez al-Assad seized power in 1970 and built an authoritarian state
- What daily life looked like under Assad — security, repression, minorities, economy, and foreign
If you'd like a downloadable PDF with a timeline/outline of this episode, go to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. You can pay for it a la carte, or sign up to be a $5 or $10 Patreon supporter and receive the PDF, more resources, and ad-free episodes for all Wiser World episodes.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Sources used in the making of this episode.
Transcript for this episode.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworld.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
42 min - 61. Syria 101 Part 2/5: Border Carve-Up & the French Mandate (1900–1946)
This is Part 2 of 5 of the Syria 101 series: a foundational history of Syria. This episode is a concise, foundational history of Syria from 1900 to 1946, designed for those who know little to nothing about Syria's history, to set the stage for modern Syria. This episode covers:
- Why WWI cracked the Ottoman order in Greater Syria
- The Arab Revolt & the Hussein–McMahon letters (this includes "Lawrence of Arabia")
- The Sykes–Picot Agreement (the secret deal that carved up the region)
- What World War I was like in Syria
- The French Mandate: How the French ruled Syria and why it upset so many
- The road to independence (1920–1946)
If you'd like a downloadable PDF with a timeline/outline of this episode, go to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. You can pay for it a la carte, or sign up to be a $5 or $10 Patreon supporter and receive the PDF, more resources, and ad-free episodes for all Wiser World episodes.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Sources used in the making of this episode.
Transcript for this episode.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworld.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 min - 60. Syria 101 Part 1/5—Crossroads of Civilization (Ancient Days to 1900)
This is Part 1 of 5 of the Syria 101 series. This episode is a concise, foundational history of Syria from ancient days to 1900, designed for those who know little to nothing about Syria's history, to set the stage for modern Syria. This episode covers:
- The difference between Ancient Syria, Greater Syria, and modern borders
- How geography (rivers, cities, trade routes) made Syria a crossroads of civilization
- The rise of Ebla, the Arameans, and the spread of Aramaic
- How empires from Rome to the Ottomans shaped Syrian culture and cities
- Why Syria was so religiously and ethnically diverse under Ottoman rule
- How Ottoman decline + European involvement + Arab nationalism set the stage for modern Syria
If you'd like a downloadable PDF with a timeline/outline of this episode, go to Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. You can pay for it a la carte for $3, or sign up to be a $5 or $10 Patreon supporter and receive the PDF, more resources, and ad-free episodes for all Wiser World episodes.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Sources used in the making of this episode.
Transcript for this episode.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworld.com/
Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min - 59. A Brief Intro to THE NETHERLANDS - Know Before You Go
In this Know Before You Go episode, we cover a basic history of the Netherlands, talking about history, culture, economics, politics, geography, and so on.
This episode is sponsored by Quince. Go to quince.com/wiserworld for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
For extra resources to further your study, head to Patreon.
Sign up for my email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/
The transcript for this episode is found here.
----
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
57 min - 58. Recognizing Cognitive Bias: The Hidden Shortcuts in Our Minds
This episode covers eleven common cognitive biases, giving real-life examples and ideas for how to combat them. We talk about anchoring bias, effort bias, egocentric bias, hindsight bias, optimism and pessimism biases, recency bias, confirmation bias, present bias, scarcity bias, and urgency bias.
For extra resources (like a printable PDF) to further your study, head to Patreon.com/wiserworldpocast.
Sign up for my free email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/
Transcript for this episode.
This episode is sponsored by Quince and K12 Powered Schools. Go to quince.com/wiserworld for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Go to K12.com/WISERWORLD to learn more about K-12 Powered Schools.
----
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
34 min - 57. A Brief Intro to SWITZERLAND - Know Before You Go
In this Know Before You Go episode, we cover a basic history of Switzerland for those who want to travel there. We answer these questions and many more: What makes Switzerland so unique? Where is it located and what is the weather like? How is the government structure so one-of-a-kind? What foods are famous in Switzerland? What festivals and traditions do they have? What is a brief history of Switzerland for those who want an overview? What are some cultural norms and rules to follow? What are some tips and tricks for tourists to know before traveling to Switzerland? We’ll dive into these questions and many more in today’s Know Before You Go episode, A Brief Intro to Switzerland.
This episode is sponsored by Quince and K12 Powered Schools. Go to quince.com/wiserworld for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Go to K12.com/WISERWORLD to learn more about K-12 Powered Schools.
For extra resources to further your study, head to Patreon.
Sign up for my email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/
The transcript for this episode is found here.
Sign up for my email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/
----
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
54 min
About Wiser World
From the publisher's feed
Wiser World Podcast makes world history accessible and approachable. Hosted by world history teacher and storyteller Alli Roper, the show turns complex global history into clear, compact,…
easy-to-understand episodes for busy people who want real understanding. Wiser World explores the countries, peoples, 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.
Best of Wiser World
Ranked by our users in the last 21 days
More shows like Wiser World
BYU Speeches
1,513 Listeners
Leading Saints Podcast
1,217 Listeners
3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms
2,313 Listeners
Faith Matters
1,723 Listeners
Conversations with Dr. Jennifer
1,060 Listeners
Church News
908 Listeners
Unshaken Saints
2,594 Listeners
followHIM
10,783 Listeners
Standard of Truth
989 Listeners
The Preamble
15,297 Listeners
Magnify
422 Listeners
Inklings with Emily Belle Freeman
729 Listeners
Church History Matters
2,023 Listeners
Grounded
322 Listeners
Temples and Covenants
193 Listeners