City Journal Audio

Rafael Mangual joins Brian Anderson to discuss rising disorder in New York City, the city council’s just-passed package of police reforms, the causes of the crime spike, and the future of public safety in U.S. cities.

Steven Malanga joins Brian Anderson to discuss New York City’s massive expansion in government spending and hiring under Bill de Blasio, the potential long-term impact of Covid-19 on the city budget, and why the next mayor will face a fiscal nightmare. City Journal’s special issue, New York City: Reborn, is now available.

Nicole Gelinas joins Brian Anderson to discuss New York City’s plan to replace the correctional complex on Rikers Island, how the city’s transit system has fared amid the pandemic, the 2021 mayoral race, Governor Cuomo’s problems, and more. City Journal’s latest special issue, New York City: Reborn, is now available on the website.

Charles Kesler joins Brian Anderson to discuss the divide between liberal and conservative visions of the Constitution, the “three waves of liberalism” that shaped America’s twentieth century, and the future of the conservative movement, post-Trump. Kesler’s latest book is Crisis of the Two Constitutions: The Rise, Decline, and Recovery of American Greatness.

Swedish author and scholar Johan Norberg joins Brian Anderson to discuss his new book Open: The Story of Human Progress, a finalist for the Manhattan Institute's 2021 Hayek Book Prize.

Christopher Rufo joins Brian Anderson to discuss his recent work on critical race theory (CRT) in American schools, the whistleblowers behind much of his reporting, and President Biden’s decision to revoke former president Donald Trump’s executive order banning CRT-inspired training in the federal government.

Seth Barron joins Brian Anderson to discuss New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic, Bill de Blasio’s time as mayor of New York City and the race to succeed him, and the condition of city politics today. Seth’s book, The Last Days of New York, is due out in May.

Chris Pope joins Brian Anderson to discuss the balance of power on Capitol Hill, some major legislation that the new Congress is considering—such as a $15 minimum wage or a “Green New Deal”—and why Senate Democrats are unlikely to abolish the filibuster.

Rafael Mangual joins Brian Anderson to discuss why the Biden administration’s policy on law enforcement and prosecution could spell disaster for American cities, last year’s nationwide increase in homicides and shootings, and what New York’s progressive political class has planned for criminal-justice “reform” in the future.

Brian Anderson talks with long-time writers Heather Mac Donald, Steven Malanga, and Nicole Gelinas about how they came to the magazine, the issues that they have covered over the years, and the future of New York and other American cities. Fred Siegel also joins briefly to talk about City Journal’s early years and its importance today.

William Voegeli joins Brian Anderson to discuss the subjects of his two recent stories for City Journal the history of the mid-century exodus of whites out of cities, known as “white flight,” and political reactions to the January 6 Capitol riot.

Physician Joel Zinberg joins Brian Anderson to discuss the slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines, why states like New York and West Virginia have widely different vaccination rates so far, and reasons for optimism that the pandemic’s days are numbered.

Erica Sandberg joins Seth Barron to discuss how San Francisco’s small-business owners are handling the city’s latest lockdown, how new outdoor dining facilities became a magnet for the homeless, and whether California public officials who violate Covid restrictions will face political consequences.

This special year-end episode of 10 Blocks features highlights from some of our favorite interviews this year, and City Journal editor Brian Anderson extends holiday wishes to listeners. If you’re interested in supporting the Manhattan Institute and City Journal, please visit our website. Excerpts included in this episode: How the Plastic Panic Hurts Us—and the Planet, with John Tierney CHAZ to CH...

Charles Koch and Brian Hooks join Howard Husock to discuss better approaches to solving America’s social problems, how to help social entrepreneurs foster more resilient communities, and why Koch is now focused on building bridges across the political divide. Their new book is Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World.

Steven Malanga joins Brian Anderson to discuss the growing prevalence of socialist-aligned candidates running for municipal offices, the Democratic Socialists of America’s plans for New York City in 2021, and the results of several big state referendums in this year’s election.

Victor Davis Hanson joins Brian Anderson to discuss the 2020 election, the future of America’s two main political parties, the Trump administration’s foreign policy record, Joe Biden’s Cabinet picks, and more. Audio for this episode is excerpted and edited from a Manhattan Institute eventcast. Find out more and register for future events by visiting our website, and subscribe to MI’s YouTube chann...

Nicole Gelinas joins Seth Barron to discuss the financial shape of the New York region’s transit system, the importance of midtown Manhattan to the city’s economy, the disturbing spike in violent crime on streets and subways, and more.

Charles Fain Lehman joins Brian Anderson to discuss the nationwide crisis of police recruitment and retention, the strong link between the size of a police force and the local crime rate, and policy changes that could stop the downward spiral. Lehman recently joined the Manhattan Institute as an adjunct fellow, working with its new Policing and Public Safety Initiative. His latest article for City...

Simone Policano, cofounder of Invisible Hands, joins Brian Anderson to discuss how the nonprofit organizes volunteers to deliver groceries to the elderly and disabled during the pandemic, its experience working with government agencies and food pantries, and the personal stories of some of the people it has helped.

Tom Bevan, cofounder and president of RealClearPolitics, joins Brian Anderson to discuss what happened in the 2020 election, the Trump campaign’s legal challenges to the results, the issues with polling, and criticism concerning new state voting laws and “ballot harvesting.”

In a conversation recorded just before Election Day, Bruno Maçães joins Brian Anderson to discuss his striking vision of America’s future. Maçães’s new book is History Has Begun: The Birth of a New America.

Casey Mulligan joins Allison Schrager to discuss his time on President Trump’s Council of Economic Advisors and the administration’s record on issues such as health care, the economy, immigration, and more. Mulligan’s new book is You’re Hired!: Untold Successes and Failures of a Populist President.

Howard Husock talks with Shelby and Eli Steele about their new documentary, What Killed Michael Brown?, and Amazon’s refusal to make the film available on its Prime Video streaming platform. The documentary is written and narrated by Shelby Steele, a scholar at the Hoover Institution, and directed by his filmmaker son, Eli Steele. It is available through their website, whatkilledmichaelbrown.com.

Fred Siegel joins Brian Anderson to discuss the history of modern American liberalism and its architects, how the 1960s mirrors today’s politics, the uncertain future of New York City, and more. Siegel’s new book is The Crisis of Liberalism: Prelude to Trump.