Additional Resource
Democracy demands new ideas.
Podcast
Terms of Engagement – Navigating Unprecedented Politics: A Conversation with Kevin McCarthy
Commentary
Before the Civil Rights Act, My Great-Uncle from Roxbury Took on Pullman in 1954 — and Won
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-government.
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
Feature
How Well Do Voting Choice Policies Represent Investor Preferences?
Asset managers face increasing political risk stemming from concerns that they prioritize their own interests when voting on behalf of investors. Using survey evidence and structural estimation, Montagnes provides early evidence on how well asset managers represent their investors by studying the ideological alignment between the two in the initial implementation of “voting choice policies.”
Commentary
Before the Civil Rights Act, My Great-Uncle from Roxbury Took on Pullman in 1954 — and Won
As we commemorate 100 years of Black History Month, it is worth remembering that progress was not driven by headlines alone. Beyond the monuments and courtrooms, everyday people took risks to demand dignity and fairness. Among them was my great uncle, whose pursuit of a promotion became a catalyst for change.
Commentary
The Present — and Future — of Alternatives to Police
Allen Lab Affiliate Benjamin A. Barsky examines alternative emergency response programs — arguing for a democratic model of public safety governance in which responses to nonviolent incidents are shared across government and civil society rather than dominated by police.
Upcoming Events
How did the Democrats Lose Silicon Valley? Should They Try to Get it Back?
Hybrid Event
Ash Center Seminar Room 225, Suite 200, 124 Mount Auburn Street
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm EDT
The Life of the Lie
In-Person Event
Ash Center Seminar Room 225, Suite 200, 124 Mount Auburn Street
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm EDT
The Breakdown with Erica Chenoweth and Steve Levitsky
Online Event
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
