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Artwork for Mary in America

Mary in America

Mary Childs
Economics
Government Debt
United States
United States Dollar
Russia
International Criminal Court
Iran
Art Looting
1873
Class Apartheid
Treasury
Ketchup
Global History
Gentrification
Artificial Intelligence
Strait Of Hormuz
Russia Central Bank
Ukraine

Mary in America is a weekly conversation about how the machine of society works. Journalist and author Mary Childs jumps into the minds of the greatest, most interesting people who are shaping the world we live in, to understand the structures we build, the stories we tell, the games we play, and the choices we make. Why is it like that? Who made it that way? Should we change it? Can we?

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes11Founded2 months ago
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Society & CultureBusiness

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Latest Episodes

Jae Woo Lee loves coding. To him, it’s an art form, like poetry. He’s a legendary professor of computer science at Columbia, where he teaches advanced programming to hundreds of students a year. Which means he’s on the front lines of the war between ... more

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio just announced his intention to “dismantle” the International Criminal Court “brick by brick.” Which raised some important questions. Like, what IS the ICC, actually? Where did it come from, and what power does i... more

Martha Gimbel, economist and cofounder of the Yale Budget Lab, is a normal, cool person, but she has the same disease as me: she’s obsessed with the US debt. How much our government has borrowed. Like me, she thinks constantly about what the potentia... more

The US dollar is completely dominant all around the world. It shows up in 90% of all foreign exchange transactions every day. Pretty much anywhere in the world, you can whip out a dollar and use it. Central banks around the globe hold dollars in rese... more

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Recent Guests

Maria Elena Vignoli
Senior Counsel with Human Rights Watch at the International Justice Program
Human Rights Watch
Episode: What is the International Criminal Court and why are "we" "dismantling" it?
Martha Gimbel
Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Yale Budget Lab
Yale Budget Lab
Episode: Has the Government Borrowed Too Much?
Eddie Fishman
Director of the Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: How the Dollar Became a Weapon
Kathy Baughman McLeod
CEO of Hera; climate adaptation advocate
Hera
Episode: How Much Does Extreme Heat Cost Us?
Liaquat Ahamed
Author and financial historian, author of Lords of Finance and 1873
Author, Historian
Episode: One Default After Another
Gary Shteyngart
Best-selling novelist and guest on the show
Episode: Gary Shteyngart, our National Psychic
Leila Amineddoleh
Attorney specializing in repatriation and cultural heritage law
Lawyer representing Greece in the Elgin Marbles case
Episode: Who Owns Ancient Art?
Xochitl Gonzalez
Writer and author
Author of Olga Dies Dreaming, Last Night in Brooklyn
Episode: "Class Apartheid" in America (and cigarettes)
Al Roth
Nobel Prize–winning economist, professor at Stanford
Stanford University
Episode: How to Price the Priceless

Host

Mary Childs
Host of Mary in America; journalist and author

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 59 ratings
  • Great new Econ pod from Planet Money alum

    I’ve been a fan of Mary Childs for years as part of the Planet Money team. Not only is she an expert, but she is also naturally funny. That’s a great combo for interviewing heavyweights from the Econ field. So glad I get to keep listening to her.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bruceskinik
    United States2 months ago
  • So fun!

    So fun! The conversation with Xochitl Gonzalez was fire. This is a great podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ssseann
    United States2 months ago
  • Great Interviews

    Mary - you’re an utterly charming host and interviewer. Love the show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mstenten
    United States2 months ago
  • Wonderful new chat show

    Mary is a dazzling conversationalist, an improvisational wizard. I’ll be listening as much for her wit, humor, and cleverness as for the excellent roster of upcoming guests. A new weekly must-listen, especially for Econ and Culture nerds.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cardiff Garcia
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A weekly must-listen for econ and culture nerds, with sharp humor and ideas.
Listeners praise the host's warmth and wit, with strong interview skills.
The show's interviews feel both insightful and entertaining, a rare combo.
Great guests and thought-provoking conversations that mix economics and culture.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#170
Singapore/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Has the Government Borrowed Too Much?
Q: What would a fiscal crisis look like according to your analogy?
A fiscal crisis would occur if investors stopped buying U.S. debt, causing interest rates to spike and making it hard to finance planned spending, which would force difficult trade-offs and credit conditions.
How the Dollar Became a Weapon
Q: How did the 2018-2025 Iran policy arc reflect the limitations of maximum sanctions?
Even with aggressive sanctions, Iran's nuclear program did not concede as expected, leading to a reassessment that economic pressure alone cannot guarantee desired political outcomes and may push toward broader conflict.
How the Dollar Became a Weapon
Q: What was the turning point that made the US realize it could use finance as a weapon against adversaries like Iran?
A Treasury official's insight after observing banks misdirecting funds; a shift from UN-centered pressure to unilateral, voluntary bank cooperation via declassification and direct diplomacy.
How the Dollar Became a Weapon
Q: Can you explain how the dollar's role as the world's currency translates into geopolitical power?
The dollar's dominance across all money-use cases creates an oversized demand, which lowers interest rates for the US and gives leverage to enforce sanctions through modern financial networks.
How Much Does Extreme Heat Cost Us?
Q: How did you begin applying insurance concepts to environmental protection in Florida?
She explains starting with mitigation banks to compensate for wetlands destruction, then expanding into state-level financial oversight where climate risk began to be disclosed and priced as part of public exposure.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mary in America

What is Mary in America about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Mary in America offers a weekly, thoughtful exchange with leading voices across economics, culture, and public life. Conversations blend sharp analysis with witty, human storytelling, often exploring how systems shape daily life, power, and opportunity. Highlights include provocative takes on money, markets, and policy, paired with cultural critique and personal narratives, making complex ideas accessible and relevant to listeners shaping business, media, and public discourse. The show's distinctive mix of intellectual rigor and humor, plus a guest roster that spans authors, economists, and thinkers, makes it a compelling hub for listeners who want ideas that translate into real-world impact.

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Which podcasts are similar to Mary in America?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Mary in America:

1. Slate Money
2. Money Stuff: The Podcast
3. Odd Lots
4. Planet Money
5. Freakonomics Radio

How many episodes of Mary in America are there?

Mary in America launched 2 months ago and published 11 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Mary in America?

Recent guests on Mary in America include:

1. Maria Elena Vignoli
2. Martha Gimbel
3. Eddie Fishman
4. Kathy Baughman McLeod
5. Liaquat Ahamed
6. Gary Shteyngart
7. Leila Amineddoleh
8. Xochitl Gonzalez

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