Episodes

  • Special Episode: Azaadi - Freedom, Resistance, and Iran’s Future

    Special Episode: Azaadi - Freedom, Resistance, and Iran’s Future
    Jan 15 2026
    If You Were In Charge In this special edition, Sanam Naraghi Anderlini and new co-host Kavita Ramdas take an incisive look at the current crisis in Iran, where economic collapse, renewed protests, and a brutal government crackdown have converged into a pivotal moment for the nation. Sanam examines the latest developments and the historical roots of dissent, including her own family’s history as key actors in 20th-century Iran. Kavita and Sanam also discuss the resurgence of women as visible leaders of resistance, and the complex interplay of sanctions, politics, and social change. Through deep analysis and personal testimony, the conversation explores why peaceful dialogue and inclusive solutions are essential, and how the resilience of the Iranian people could help shape a future beyond despair. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by ICAN⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠ADA Production⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ 00:00 Introduction to the Conversation on Iran 02:59 Understanding the Current Unrest in Iran 05:57 Historical Context: The Roots of Iranian Resistance 09:04 The Role of Women in the Protests 11:56 Economic Factors Behind the Protests 15:02 The Impact of Sanctions on Iranian Society 17:59 The Complexity of the Iranian Regime 20:46 The Need for Dialogue and Non-Violence 23:55 Imagining a Future for Iran 26:55 Hope Amidst the Struggle 30:09 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • A Billionaire on Wealth Distribution and the Radical Gift of Giving

    A Billionaire on Wealth Distribution and the Radical Gift of Giving
    Aug 14 2025
    Welcome back to our special “If You Were in Charge” summer series with Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. Each week, we’re thematically pairing some of our favorite conversations and this time, we’ve brought together two powerful voices on wealth and generosity. First, filmmaker and activist Abby Disney shares what it was like to grow up as an heiress to the Disney fortune, and why she’s urging the ultra-wealthy to give more, and give boldly. Then, Chris Worman from Giving Tuesday explores how philanthropy can be reclaimed by ordinary people as a force for good, personal fulfillment, and even joy. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the⁠ ⁠⁠Bjian Ghaisar Foundation⁠ And ICAN⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠Africa Digital Audio Production⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Chapters 00:00 Exploring Wealth Inequality and Philanthropy 07:27 The Impact of Extreme Capitalism 12:05 Fundamentalist Capitalism and Its Consequences 17:50 Political Power and Wealth Dynamics 25:28 Racial Justice and Economic Inequality 32:06 Philanthropy vs. Systemic Change 45:25 The Role of Civil Society in Crisis 57:06 Building Local Infrastructure for Generosity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • A Settler Rabbi & a Palestinian Scholar: Two Visions for Peace in Israel and Palestine

    A Settler Rabbi & a Palestinian Scholar: Two Visions for Peace in Israel and Palestine
    Jul 31 2025
    As we gear up for Season 3 of If You Were in Charge, we’re revisiting some of Sanam’s most compelling conversations, curated into thematic pairings to offer deeper insights into the complex issues we explore. This week, we bring you two powerful perspectives on building peace between Israelis and Palestinians—even in these dark and challenging times. First, Sanam speaks with Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger about the surge in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. They discuss the urgent need for lasting peace and the difficult path to achieving it. Then, she sits down with Mohammad Darawshe, a leading political analyst and expert on Jewish-Arab relations inside Israel. Darawshe unpacks the intricate realities of coexistence, the struggles faced by Palestinian citizens, and the transformative power of education in forging a shared future. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network You can find out more information or how to get in touch following the link to our homepage - https://shows.acast.com/if-you-were-in-charge Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an Africa Digital Audio Production ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 39 mins
  • The fear of peace: Iran, Israel, and the path away from their forever war

    The fear of peace: Iran, Israel, and the path away from their forever war
    Jul 10 2025
    Sir Richard Dalton, former British ambassador to Iran, joins Sanam Naraghi Anderlini on this week's episode of If You Were In Charge. They discuss the collapse of diplomacy following recent U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, examining how Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA, Netanyahu's hardline policies, and the Ayatollah's defiance have escalated regional tensions. Dalton argues that without renewed multilateral engagement, lasting peace will remain elusive, criticizing Britain's failure to lead in condemning Gaza atrocities. Despite these challenges, he maintains that dialogue and diplomacy offer the best path toward a collective future. As Iran is Sanam's childhood home, she also speaks with her daughter Soleh before and after the main interview, both to hear how Soleh's college community has responded to recent events and to reflect on loved ones directly impacted by the conflict in Iran, as well as those watching from afar. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the⁠ ⁠⁠Bjian Ghaisar Foundation⁠ And ICAN⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠Africa Digital Audio Production⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Personal Reflections on Iran & Honoring the Palestinian Women of the Sun

    Personal Reflections on Iran & Honoring the Palestinian Women of the Sun
    Jun 25 2025
    A personal reflection from Sanam on two weeks of war in Iran. What it is like watching the bombardment of her childhood neighborhood from afar. — We also wanted to celebrate our former guests, Women of the Sun from Palestine, who won the 2025 Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment. So we re-uploaded our conversation with Marwa Hammad of Women of the Sun in Palestine and Yael Braudo-Bahat of Women Wage Peace in Israel two remarkable women who refuse to give in to despair, and who refuse to give up on the future. Women of the Sun - https://womensun.org/ Women Wage Peace - https://www.womenwagepeace.org.il/en/ If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bjian Ghaisar Foundation⁠⁠ And ICAN⁠⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/⁠⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠⁠Africa Digital Audio Production⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • USAID left. Dr. Jessie Stone stayed: A story of care and crisis in Uganda

    USAID left. Dr. Jessie Stone stayed: A story of care and crisis in Uganda
    Jun 10 2025
    Dr. Jessie Stone, a six-time U.S. freestyle team member, shares her journey of how an illness to one of her team during a kayaking trip led her to establish a health clinic in Uganda. Now she is on the front line as USAID cuts mean millions can no longer access life-saving care. Welcome to If You Were In Charge with Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. In the last ten years, Dr. Jessie Stone's clinic has served hundreds of thousands of patients and helped address critical health issues like malaria and community health. Speaking to Sanam, she stresses the importance of community education and describes the challenges faced in providing healthcare in a country with one doctor for every 25,000 patients. She highlights the extraordinary resilience of local communities and the need for grassroots solutions in healthcare. And as always, listen to the end for news on upcoming episodes and words of wisdom from Soleh! If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network You can find out more information or how to get in touch following the link to our homepage - https://shows.acast.com/if-you-were-in-charge Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an Africa Digital Audio Production ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • The Courage to Talk, Not Kill: Peace, Security, and Syria’s Women

    The Courage to Talk, Not Kill: Peace, Security, and Syria’s Women
    May 27 2025
    The fall of the Assad regime came swiftly in the end, with far less violence than anyone imagined. How did this happen? Can Syria emerge from its decades of brutality and bloodshed to become a bastion of hope in the Middle East? Sanam talks to Abir Hajibrahim, co-founder of Mobaderoon and one of Syria’s leading peacebuilders, who has built a network of dedicated peacebuilders and volunteers—preventing violence, reconciling communities, and mobilizing people to be active, engaged citizens determining their own futures. This conversation explores the untold stories of Syria’s peacebuilders—individuals from all walks of life who stepped into the chaos of conflict to rebuild trust, heal communities, and drive reconciliation from the ground up. This episode dives into the human cost of violence, the power of grassroots engagement, the unique role of women in peace efforts, and what sets peacebuilding apart from humanitarian work—all against the backdrop of a shifting political landscape. It’s a candid, hopeful look at the future of Syria, shaped by the courage and determination of its people. Mobaderoon https://mobaderoon.org If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network You can find out more information or how to get in touch following the link to our homepage - https://shows.acast.com/if-you-were-in-charge Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an Africa Digital Audio Production ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • Persian Poetry: Timeless Wisdom for Living Well in Uncertain Times

    Persian Poetry: Timeless Wisdom for Living Well in Uncertain Times
    May 13 2025
    Welcome back to If You Were in Charge Season 2, a podcast featuring global peace strategist Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. This week, Sanam speaks with Professor Christine van Ruymbeke, one of the world's leading experts on Persian poetry. It is said that the key to understanding Iran is through poetry, with Iranians often turning to verse to express their hopes and frustrations in everyday life. Familiarity with Persian poetry and the study of its rich, deep history in the West has suffered due to the Western world’s antagonism toward the Iranian regime. Yet these works hold profound cultural significance, particularly through Sufism and its global philosophical resonance. During an uncertain time in the world what wisdom to the poets of the past have for us about how navigate our modern world. Sanam also speaks with her daughter, Soleh, a PhD student at Cambridge, to reflect on the conversation and the role poetry played in their family life—with a few laughs along the way. So join us to hear about the enduring cultural power of classical poets such as Rumi and Saadi, and how these centuries-old verses continue to resonate with contemporary challenges. The episode also highlights the role of women in literature, showcasing their intellectual force and strategic insight in navigating cultural and social currents. Guest. Professor Christine van Ruymbeke Head of Middle Eastern Studies at Cambridge University Ali Reza & Mohamed Soudavar Professor of Persian Studies If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network You can find out more information or how to get in touch following the link to our homepage - https://shows.acast.com/if-you-were-in-charge Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an Africa Digital Audio Production ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Chapters 00:00 The Power of Poetry and Literature 05:00 Exploring Persian Literature 10:10 The Significance of Rumi and Saadi 20:13 Lessons from Persian Fables 30:04 Women in Persian Literature and Their Power 37:23 Reviving Literature in Education 42:12 The Importance of Humanities 45:38 Funding and Institutional Support for Literature 47:48 Hope for the Future of Literature 49:23 Connecting Poetry to Society and Governance 58:35 The Role of Literature in Understanding Human Nature ProfessorChristine van Ruymbeke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins