Problem-Solving at the Community Scale: A Deweyan Approach to the Democratic Practices of Minoritized Groups within the United States, South Africa, and Australia
The democratic “recession” across the globe is emerging as a political hallmark of the 21st century. This is evidenced by the incremental breakdown of formal, political democratic practices and institutions among many nations, including in the North Atlantic states, as well as by the fear or anticipation of democratic erosion. This paper uses a pragmatist approach to demonstrate how, in the face of democratic breakdowns, resilient democratic practices are taking form in remarkably varied ways in the common structural context of settler-colonial nation-states that are nominally in stages of advanced democratic consolidation.
Katharina Liesenberg is a Democracy Visiting Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.
Michael Lucas is a Democracy Visiting Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.
Stefan Chavez-Norgaard is a Teaching Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Korbel School’s Douglas and Mary Scrivner Institute of Public Policy.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily represent the positions of the Ash Center or its affiliates.
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.
When former Vice President Mike Pence visited Harvard’s Institute of Politics for a discussion on “The Future of Conservatism and American Democracy,” he was introduced not just by a moderator, but by a longtime friend and admirer — Ash Center Senior Fellow Stephen Richer. A former Republican officeholder, Richer has often cited Pence as a personal role model for integrity and constitutional fidelity. Their friendship added a layer of warmth and sincerity to an evening that balanced deep ideological reflection with a spirit of civility and mutual respect.
Voting with the Las Vegas Raiders: The Impact of Allegiant Stadium as a Polling Location in 2024
Sports facilities are uniquely positioned to provide an enjoyable voting experience and strengthen civic engagement. A new report by Tova Wang, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice, explores the impact of stadium voting in 2024 at Allegiant Stadium, drawing widespread, bipartisan support from voters and election officials and strengthening the relationship between the Las Vegas Raiders and the surrounding community.
Allen Lab Fellow Hillary Lehr convened a Voter Experience Summit at Harvard’s Ash Center in March, bringing together 25 cross-sector experts to rigorously map the voter journey. This essay explores how that collaborative process could lay the groundwork for new interventions to understand and improve the experience of voting for all.
After Neoliberalism: From Left to Right brought together hundreds of leading economists, political scientists, journalists, writers and thinkers from across the political spectrum to explore and debate emerging visions for the future of the political economy.
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.