Everyday Ethics UN at 80, China Christian Crackdown
Oct 19, 2025
Guest
Martin Palmer
Guest
Conor Bowman
Guest
Mark Devonport
Guest
Professor Catherine McNeely
Guest
Jane Kinnanmont
In this discussion, guests include Jane Kinnanmont, a UN expert, Professor Catherine McNeely, an international rights authority, Mark Devonport, a former BBC UN correspondent, Conor Bowman, a barrister and author, and Martin Palmer, a religious advisor. They explore the UN's relevance as it turns 80, highlighting crises linked to great power politics and suggesting a focus on peace and climate. Conor shares his personal journey about adoption, while Martin addresses China's crackdown on religious groups and the implications of state control on faith.
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Episode notes
Regional Powers Can Fill Diplomatic Gaps
- Regional powers and Global South actors can fill mediation gaps when the UN is sidelined.
- Jane Kinnanmont sees coalitions and regional diplomacy becoming more important than UN centrality.
Social Issues Tie Into Peacekeeping
- Jane Kinnanmont links social issues like climate and poverty directly to long‑term peace and security.
- She argues the UN must keep addressing social challenges to achieve its core peace mandate.
Fictional Life Framed Around Mother‑Baby Home
- Conor Bowman describes Edith Hopkins as a fictional protagonist whose life traces back to being a teen mother placed in a mother and baby home.
- The book explores five to six pivotal events shaping her long life in reverse chronology.
