A global history podcast for curious people who want depth, clarity, and honest storytelling.
For more than a decade, the Explaining History Podcast has helped listeners around the world make sense of modern history. What began in 2012 as a simple experiment—short, accessible episodes explaining major historical events—has grown into a long-running library of carefully researched, thoughtful explorations of the 20th and 21st centuries.
This page introduces new listeners to the podcast, explains what makes it different from other history shows, and offers curated paths into more than a thousand episodes.
If you’re searching for a history podcast that goes deeper than anecdotes or trivia, this is where to begin.
What Is the Explaining History Podcast?
Explaining History is an independent, long-form history podcast dedicated to making complex global history clear, accurate, and engaging.
Each episode is written and presented by Nick Shepley, a historian, teacher, and author who has spent more than fifteen years helping students and general audiences understand the forces that shaped the modern world.
Unlike many history podcasts that prioritise entertainment or light commentary, Explaining History focuses on:
Serious scholarship, explained accessibly Primary sources and recent historiography Clear storytelling without sensationalism Global history beyond Europe and the U.S. Underrepresented perspectives and difficult histories Complexity without gatekeeping
It is, in effect, a portable history classroom, but without the jargon or exam pressure.
Who Is the Podcast For?
The Explaining History Podcast serves a wide and loyal audience:
• Students (GCSE, A-Level, IB, AP, undergraduate)
Clear explanations of major events, ideologies, and turning points.
• Teachers
A reliable source of classroom-ready historical summaries and recommended reading.
• History Enthusiasts
Deep dives beyond the usual narratives—anti-colonial movements, modern dictatorships, globalisationGlobalisation Full Description:While Globalization can refer to cultural exchange and human interconnectedness, in the context of neoliberalism, it is an economic project designed to facilitate the frictionless movement of capital. It creates a single global market where corporations can operate without regard for national boundaries. Key Mechanisms: Capital Mobility: Money can move instantly to wherever labor is cheapest or taxes are lowest. Offshoring: Moving manufacturing and jobs to countries with fewer labor protections. Race to the Bottom: Nations compete to attract investment by lowering wages, slashing corporate taxes, and weakening environmental laws. Critical Perspective:Neoliberal globalization creates a power imbalance: capital is global, but labor and laws remain local. This allows multinational corporations to pit workers in different countries against one another, eroding the bargaining power of unions and undermining the ability of democratic governments to regulate business in the public interest., economics, intelligence history, and more.
• Curious Listeners
People who want to understand the world’s past in order to make sense of the present.
Why People Listen
Listeners describe the podcast as:
“The clearest explanation of modern history anywhere.” “Accessible but never dumbed down.” “A historian who respects his audience enough to tell the truth.” “A treasure trove for teachers.”
The show’s purpose has never changed:
If people understand history, they understand the world—and themselves—better.
Start Here: Curated Listening Paths
Because there are more than a thousand episodes, new listeners often ask “Where do I begin?” Below are curated routes into the archive.
Big Turning Points of the 20th Century
Perfect if you want to understand the major forces that shaped our lives today.
The Russian Revolution
Hitler’s Rise to Power
The Great Depression & Global Trade Collapse
The Fall of European Empires
The Cold War: Origins to Collapse
Empires, Colonisation & Anti-Colonial Struggles
Essential for listeners seeking global, non-Eurocentric history.
India: From Company Rule to Independence
Algeria’s War of Liberation
The Partition of India and Pakistan
Middle Eastern Mandates and Revolutions
Modern Political History
Episodes that explore states, ideologies, and political movements.
NeoliberalismSupply Side Economics Full Description:Supply-Side Economics posits that production (supply) is the key to economic prosperity. Proponents argue that by reducing the “burden” of taxes on the wealthy and removing regulatory barriers for corporations, investment will increase, creating jobs and expanding the economy. Key Policies: Tax Cuts: Specifically for high-income earners and corporations, under the premise that this releases capital for investment. Deregulation: Removing environmental, labor, and safety protections to lower the cost of doing business. Critical Perspective:Historical analysis suggests that supply-side policies rarely lead to the promised broad-based prosperity. Instead, they often result in massive budget deficits (starving the state of revenue) and a dramatic concentration of wealth at the top. Critics argue the “trickle-down” effect is a myth used to justify the upward redistribution of wealth. and the 1980s
Welfare States and Social Democracy
The Rise of Authoritarian Populism
Political Extremism in Europe and the U.S.
Economic History for Non-Economists
Explaining big economic processes without technical jargon.
Inflation, Oil Shocks, and 1970s Crisis
Bretton Woods The IMF and World Bank
Wars, Conflict, and Revolution
Military history with social, political, and human context.
Intelligence and espionage history
Vietnam, Korea & Cold War Proxy Wars
About the Host
Nick Shepley is a historian, author, teacher, and the creator of the Explaining History multimedia platform.
For more than fifteen years he has taught history to thousands of students around the world—through classrooms, books, online courses, and the podcast.
His work is grounded in three principles:
History belongs to everyone.
Complexity should not be a barrier.
Understanding the past is essential for navigating the present.
Nick is the author of three modern history textbooks, educational guides, and countless articles on modern history. His Explaining History podcast has been downloaded over two million of times and continues to grow daily.
How Episodes Are Researched and Created
The podcast is built on serious scholarship but delivered with accessibility in mind. Each episode involves:
Reading primary sources and major historians Condensing complex debates into clear narrative Writing full scripts Recording and editing independently
There is no production team, no sponsorship machine—just a historian sharing knowledge freely with listeners worldwide.
That independence is what allows Explaining History to cover topics that commercial platforms often ignore, including:
The political economy of the Cold War Anti-colonial resistance movements Economic crises and global inequality CIA covert operations Counter-narratives to popular myths
Explore Episode Categories
You can browse episodes by topic here:
World War II
The British Empire
American History
Middle East & Iran
Globalisation
Revolutions
Dictators & Authoritarianism
Social History
Economic History
Decolonisation
Intelligence & Espionage
How to Listen
You can find the Explaining History Podcast on:
Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Pocket Casts RSS feed linked directly on this site
For the best listening experience and full episode notes, use the podcast category page on this website.
Support the Podcast
If you find value in Explaining History and want to help it grow, you can support the project through:
Substack (bonus episodes + articles) Books & Courses Sharing episodes with students and friends Leaving reviews on podcast apps
This support keeps the podcast independent, ad-free, and accessible to everyone.
