Feature
The official start of Summer is almost here, and Stephen Richer, Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy and former elected Maricopa County Recorder, shares his summer reading list with a range of books focused on his work of democracy and elections, as well as his personal favorites.
As an Ash Center Democracy Fellow, summer offers a unique opportunity to reflect, recharge, and reconnect with the ideas that shape our civic life. This curated reading list brings together thought-provoking works on the foundations, challenges, and evolution of democracy, alongside a selection of personal favorites. Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding of democratic theory, explore the lived experiences of communities grappling with change, or simply enjoy a compelling story, these books and articles offer both insight and enjoyment for the season ahead.
Patrick Rothfuss
The third book in one of the greatest fantasy series ever written (The Kingkiller Chronicle). Fourteen years in progress. I’m trying to will it into existence. IYKYK.
All new articles written by Jonah Goldberg. Because real conservatism still matters. So too does serious thinking. So does humor. Jonah’s got it all.
Tony Banout and Tom Ginsburg
University of Chicago has been the voice of sanity on campus speech. This book explains a lot of the university’s thinking.
Jane Austen
I reread it every summer. Because real literature still matters. The game has changed a bit. But the players are still basically the same. Although, ironically, I’m not sure the opening line is one of those everlasting truths (“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune…”)
Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Mai Corland
Third book in “The Broken Blades” fantasy series. I read a lot of fantasy, and this is one of the more enjoyable ones I’ve picked up lately. A bunch of flawed characters who get thrown together in a complicated alliance as they have very different motives to complete the same quest.
Jonathan Rauch
Jon is a friend, a Brookings scholar, a writer for The Atlantic, and consistently one of the most insightful social commentators in the country. He argues, to the surprise of his younger self, that a healthy Christianity is critical to American democracy. And we don’t currently have a healthy practice of Christianity.
Bill Belichick
When one is in the land of the Patriots, one must do as the Patriots do (did). BB+JH 4EVER.
Jocelyn Benson
Jocelyn is a friend, a fellow election administration person, and has collected a lot of interesting stories as Secretary of State of Michigan these past six years.
Podcast
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined by Jennifer Lemmerman, Chief Policy Officer at Project Bread, to discuss the impact the lapse in SNAP funding is having on individuals and families.
Podcast
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined on Terms of Engagement by Air Traffic Controller Jack Criss to discuss the real-world impact of the ongoing shutdown.
Podcast
This week, Danielle Allen joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement.
Podcast
This week, Danielle Allen joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement.
Commentary
Last week’s leak of the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” drew intense reactions across academia. Critics call it government overreach threatening free expression, while supporters see a chance for reform and renewed trust between universities and policymakers. Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, director of the Democratic Knowledge Project and the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, weighs in.
Commentary
Amid rising illiberalism, Danielle Allen urges a new agenda to renew democracy by reorienting institutions, policymaking, and civil society around the intentional sharing of power.
