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The Phi on New York podcast deciphers the words that city's philosophers (and other prophets) have written on the subway walls. Through in-depth conversations about the ideas, issues, and challenges that shape lives of New Yorkers, we try to understand what the city is and what it might become.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Philosophy of New York City life • Urban existentialism, meaning, city “soul” • Rights to/ of the city • Urban development, space, ecology • Local politics, mayoral races • Democracy, elections, civic engagement • Food justice and hungerThis podcast uses philosophy and adjacent forms of analysis to interpret New York City’s public life and to examine what it means to live well in a dense, complicated metropolis. Through extended conversations with philosophers, public policy scholars, political strategists, journalists, and civic advocates, it treats the city as more than a backdrop: New York becomes a subject with its own contested identity, moral demands, and political possibilities.
Across the episodes, recurring questions include how urban residents find meaning amid anonymity, pressure, and material striving, and whether a city can be said to have something like a shared “soul” or enduring character. The show also explores how people claim and exercise power in urban space—what it means to have a “right to the city,” how that idea has been used by activists, and even whether the city itself could be understood as having rights that residents and institutions should respect.
A substantial portion of the discussion focuses on governance and democratic legitimacy in a large city: how elections work, what reforms might make government more responsive, and how civic education and participation shape outcomes. New York’s contemporary political landscape and leadership decisions are treated as entry points into broader issues such as regulation, institutional accountability, and public trust.
The podcast also addresses concrete problems that shape daily life and justice in the city, including hunger and food systems, and the ethical and epistemic challenges involved in responding to allegations of sexual misconduct in political contexts. Another throughline is the changing “logic” of urban development—how shifts in land use, the movement of goods and people, and ecological constraints alter the experience of city life and intensify debates about participation, equity, and the future direction of New York.
| Episodes: |
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Meaning in the City: Shane Epting on Urban Existentialism 2025-Mar-13 54 minutes |
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Ross Barkan on The State of the City 2024-Jan-30 65 minutes |
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Does New York City have rights? Margaret Cuonzo on the Right to the City and the Rights of the City 2024-Jan-20 55 minutes |
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Episode 6: Joseph Viteritti and the Search for the Soul of the City 2021-Oct-01 61 minutes |
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Episode 5: The Fixer is In: A conversation with Bradley Tusk 2021-Aug-19 63 minutes |
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Episode 4: Michael Menser and the Changing Logic of the City 2021-Jul-28 63 minutes |
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Episode 3: #Me Too, Scott Stringer, and the Race for Mayor 2021-May-25 61 minutes |
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Episode 2: Food, Hunger, and Justice 2021-May-07 72 minutes |
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Elections, Engagement, and Democracy 2021-Apr-21 79 minutes |