Bettany Hughes explores changing ideas of peace through images of war-torn Syria and by talking to a man on the brink of death.

The Ideas That Make Us is a Radio 4 series which reveals the history of the most influential ideas in the story of civilisation, ideas which continue to affect us all today.

In this 'archaeology of philosophy', the award-winning historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes begins each programme with the first, extant evidence of a single word-idea in Ancient Greek culture and travels both forwards and backwards in time, investigating how these ideas have been moulded by history and have shaped the human experience. Here Bettany explores changing ideas of peace with photojournalist Paul Conroy, historians Dr. David Gwynn and Dr. Faisal Devji, Consultant in Palliative Medicine Emily Collis and Davor Seselj.

Other ideas examined in The Ideas that Make Us are idea, desire, agony, fame, justice, wisdom, comedy, liberty, and hospitality.

Producer: Dixi Stewart. Show less