City Journal Podcast Highlights
City Journal Audio
As 2025 comes to a close, the City Journal Podcast revisits some of its best conversations from the past few months. From discussing Sydney Sweeney’s “jeans” to analyzing Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s mayoral race, this compilation episode brings together some of our most thought-provoking moments.
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Enduring Lessons of Christmas
City Journal Audio
In this special edition of the City Journal podcast, Daniel Di Martino, Josh Appel, and Rafael Mangual reflect on the magic of the holiday season in New York City. They share some of their favorite traditions, discuss the enduring lessons of movies like It’s a Wonderful Life, and consider deeper questions about individualism versus social obligation.
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Mamdani’s Extreme Ideas
City Journal Audio
Rafael Mangual, Judge Glock, and Adam Lehodey talk about New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to end homeless encampment clearances. They discuss the small group of supporters who believe sheltering outside is a human right, explain why relying on the shelter system is preferable, and consider the implications of letting the homeless occupy the city’s limited public spaces. They also examine the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, which would give nonprofits the first right of refusal to buy housing.
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Fighting Covid School Closures
City Journal Audio
Natalya Murakhver joins John Tierney to discuss her film 15 Days and her efforts to resist the shutdown of schools during the Covid-19 lockdown.
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Mamdani vs. Trump: Who Holds the Cards in New York City?
City Journal Audio
Tal Fortgang, Jim Copland, and Rafael Mangual discuss the developing political relationship between Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump, exploring how Mamdani’s anticipated approach to immigration enforcement and public safety could reshape the city’s political landscape. They consider the consequences when local policy collides with federal authority, and whether New York could be headed toward a new wave of protests or civil unrest.
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How Did Zohran Mamdani Win?
City Journal Audio
Rafael Mangual, Renu Mukherjee, and Santiago Vidal Calvo discuss New York City’s mayoral election and the demographic groups that propelled Mamdani to victory. They also examine the changing electorate and what the results could mean for progressive policies in other cities.
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Inside the DSA’s Growing Influence
City Journal Audio
Is socialism gaining ground in America—or just getting a rebrand? In this episode, Rafael Mangual, Daniel Di Martino, and Stu Smith examine the shifting perception of socialism in U.S. politics and the growing visibility of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Long seen as a political nonstarter, socialism is finding new support among younger voters and progressive movements. What’s behind this change—and what does it mean for the future of American democracy and the traditional two-party system?
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Socialism and Social Cohesion in New York City
City Journal Audio
Stephen Eide joins Brian Anderson to discuss “Scandinavia on the Hudson,” his story from City Journal’s Autumn 2025 issue.
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City Journal Reacts to Election Night
City Journal Audio
Charles Fain Lehman, Rafael Mangual, John Ketcham, and Pirate Wires's Mike Solana analyze the results of New York City’s mayoral election.
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City Journal’s New College Rankings
City Journal Audio
How can students know which colleges will give them the best educational value for their dollar? Renu Mukherjee, Neetu Arnold, and Rafael Mangual explore City Journal’s newly released College Rankings—and what makes them so different from other college-assessment guides. They discuss the experiences of conservative students on campus, the importance of ideological diversity, how social pressures shape student life, and the tension between meritocracy and identity in admissions.
info_outlineSteven Malanga and Rafael Mangual join Seth Barron to discuss concerns that lawlessness is returning to American cities, a theme that Malanga and Mangual explore in separate feature stories in the Summer 2019 Issue of City Journal.
Memories of the urban chaos and disorder of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s have faded, and many local leaders today have forgotten the lessons of that bygone era. Malanga's story, "The Cost of Bad Intentions" (available soon online), shows how a new generation of politicians are bringing back some of the terrible policies that got American cities into trouble in the first place. On crime and incarceration, Mangual argues that the new disorder will grow worse if progressives manage to overhaul the American criminal-justice system.