The Religion and Ethics Report - Separate stories podcast

In the aftermath of the Bondi massacre of 15 mostly Jewish people celebrating Hannukah, state and federal governments have passed hate speech laws. They're part of an effort to build social cohesion in a country scarred recently by growing antisemitism and other forms of religious hatred.  
But does banning phrases such as "from the river to the sea" — used usually when supporting a Palestinian state –promote cohesion?  
Can any law mandate unity? Criminologists Keiran Hardy and Rebecca Wickes from Griffith University argue in a recent paper that laws can help, but governments also need to look at declining trust, economic opportunity and loneliness. 
GUEST:Kieran Hardy, Associate Professor in Griffith University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He is co-author of We can’t coerce our way to social cohesion. Here’s what else governments should be doing

In the aftermath of the Bondi massacre, state and federal governments have passed hate speech laws to help build social cohesion. But does banning phrases promote cohesion? Can any law mandate unity? Also in this episode, Christian Democrats in the US are making a major pitch to win religious votes. Will they pose a significant threat to Donald Trump at upcoming midterm elections?GUESTS:
Kieran Hardy, Associate Professor in Griffith University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He is co-author of: We can’t coerce our way to social cohesion. Here’s what else governments should be doing David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney

Christian Democrats in the US are making a major pitch to win religious votes. Even with growing secularism, the US still has a big Christian majority and, for 40 years, Democrats have struggled to win their trust. But ahead of congressional elections in November, several white protestant clergy have announced they're running for the Democrats. One state politician and seminarian, James Talarico, is now the party's candidate for a Texas senate seat. GUEST:
David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney.

The bookshelves of the Dalai Lama are groaning with awards for peace and justice work, including the Nobel Peace Prize. But he recently added a more unusual accolade – a Grammy award for the best spoken-word book recording. 
It’s another example of how religion and popular culture are deeply enmeshed. 
Research by the US-based Faith and Media Initiative suggests audiences, including those with no religious belief, love religious themes on the big and small screens. 
GUEST:
Dr Anna Halafoff is Professor of Sociology at Deakin University who specialises in faith and popular culture

As Israel and the United States continue their war with Iran, even promising to assassinate the new and hardline ayatollah, Pope Leo has emerged as a champion of international law. He’s called for an immediate ceasefire. 
Tens of millions of people maybe hearing him, but does the leadership in Jerusalem, Washington and Tehran care? 
Leo understands the brutal history of Iran’s regime, but he’s worried about the strongest nations behaving as they choose, without restraint. 
What balance is he trying to strike? 
GUEST:
Dr Miles Pattenden of Oxford University is a papal historian.