Democracy demands new ideas.
Additional Resource
Understanding DOGE and Your Data
Commentary
Give Students a Chance To Be on the Right Side of History
Harvard’s hub for research and teaching on democracy
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation develops ideas and fosters practices for equal and inclusive, multiracial, and multiethnic democracy and self-governance.
Our Work
From expanding voting access to developing new strategies for antiracist organizational change, we tackle the most pressing issues facing democracy and democratic institutions around the world today.
Latest News
Commentary
The Cost of Truth: Stephen Richer on Standing Up for Democracy
Commentary
Give Students a Chance To Be on the Right Side of History
Archon Fung explores the history of student activism at Harvard and argues that such movements often bring a rare sense of “moral clarity” to universities nationwide — a crucial benefit of free speech and peaceful protest.
Commentary
Can Election Facility Tours Improve Voter Confidence?
American democracy has faced a crisis of trust in elections, fueled by denialism and movements like “Stop the Steal”. Former Maricopa County recorder and Ash Senior Practice Fellow, Stephen Richer, outlines a potential solution in election administration by offering election facility tours. Finding that witnessing the election process firsthand significantly boosted trust in its integrity, highlighting transparency as a key tool to rebuild voter confidence.
Upcoming Events
Election Integrity: Preparing for the 2026 Midterms
In-Person Event
Ash Center Seminar Room 225, Suite 200N, 124 Mount Auburn Street
11:50 am – 1:00 pm EDT
Trump 2.0 Immigration Policy and Asian Americans
In-Person Event
Ash Center Seminar Room 225, Suite 200, 124 Mount Auburn Street
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm EDT
Session 2 — Navigating Democratic Backsliding Series: Insights from Research and Case Studies
In-Person Event
Democracy Lab 414-B, main Harvard Kennedy School campus
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm EDT