Marshall Ganz
Rita E. Hauser Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society
Civic Engagement
At the Ash Center, we’re generating new ideas and insights for the future of civic engagement — everything from voter participation to democratic deliberation.
Related Programs
Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, American Politics Speaker Series, Nonviolent Action Lab, Reimagining Democracy Program
Civic engagement — from voting to volunteering — is the engine that drives democracy forward. Robust citizen participation at every level of government provides the feedback that democratic systems require to be responsive and productive.
But what happens when people are systemically shut out of deliberation? Can we boost declining voting rates? How will we create a culture of civic engagement in an increasingly digital, AI-influenced world?
These are the questions the Ash Center community works to answer.
Our programs generate novel ideas about making civic engagement more robust, enabling everyone to participate. Ash scholars are researching how citizens can better provide input into government programs, processes, and policies. Together, we are developing a blueprint for what the future of civic engagement can look like.
We encourage you to explore the below events, research, and commentary to learn more about our work.
Meet the Experts
Ruth Greenwood
Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
Archon Fung
Director, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation;
Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government
Pippa Norris
Paul F. McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics
Ariel Procaccia
Alfred and Rebecca Lin Professor of Computer Science
Stephen Richer
Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy, February 2025 - November 2025
Non-resident Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy, December 2025 - November 2026
Nicholas Stephanopoulos
Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law
Tova Wang
Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice
The Latest News, Research, and Resources
Commentary
A Sudden Change at the Top: Was the Democratic Party’s Transition Truly Democratic?
Never in American history has a party shifted course as quickly and effectively as the Democratic Party did this summer. The rapid transition from Biden to Harris has left many wondering: Was this process truly democratic?
Feature
In Denver, a Model for Jail-Based Voting
Across the United States, hundreds of thousands of people in jail retain their right to vote while being held in pretrial detention, having not been convicted of a crime.
Commentary
What is Kamala Harris’s Story and Why Does it Matter So Much?
“In public life, if you don’t claim authorship of your own story, others will claim it for you.”
Q+A
Exiled Venezuelan opposition leader on the election, the protests, and the future of the country
HKS research fellow Freddy Guevara MC/MPA 2024 remains optimistic about a democratic transition and that the July election was the beginning of the end for the Maduro regime.
Policy Brief
Celebrities Strengthening Our Culture of Democracy
This study provides an analysis and evaluation of how celebrity engagement impacts civic participation in the United States. When and why do celebrities decide to use their influence to encourage civic engagement? What difference do their actions make?
Commentary
Grassroots efforts to increase voting are gaining momentum in these states, even as other states make voting harder
Tova Wang argues that the past two years have also been groundbreaking in terms of advancing the right to vote.
Case Study
Jail-Based Voting in Denver: A Case Study
In this latest report on providing access to registration and voting for the hundreds of thousands of Americans being held in jails without having been convicted, Tova Wang looks at how Denver – and the State of Colorado – have become a model for the nation.
Feature
How Portland, Oregon Embraced Voting Reform — and Democratic Innovation
Portland, Oregon passed one of the most progressive voting reforms in the country. Max Kiefel, Nick Chedli Carter, and Archon Fung explore the motivating factors behind this big change.
Feature
What led to the rise — and then fall — of participatory democracy in Colombia?
Research by Democracy Postdoctoral Fellow Jamie Shenk highlights how referendums in Colombia served as a powerful tool to block the expansion of mining and oil enterprises before the practice was curbed by the country’s Supreme Court.
Occasional Paper
Beyond the Sound and Fury: The Landscape of Curricular Contestation in Texas
In this new Occasional Paper from the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, Hannah Kunzman and Danielle Allen offer a case study on contestation over K–12 civics curriculum in Texas.
Feature
From City Hall to the streets of Boston, Maya Alper MPP’24 highlights service delivery’s role in promoting democracy
By taking a new approach to its digital service delivery methods, Alper believes that Boston can harness democratic innovations to help heal the wounds left by the city’s legacy of racism and disinvestment.
Q+A
What role can sports teams play in 2024 voter turnout?
Ash Center Senior Researcher Tova Wang and NFL Network analyst Scott Pioli answer questions about how sports teams can foster civic engagement.
Case Study
Jail-Based Voting in the District of Columbia: A Case Study
Commentary
Nonwhite people are drastically underrepresented in local government
Elected representatives in government don’t always look like the people they serve.
Video
Problems at the Polls? Election Administration in the Midterms
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Institute of Politics, and HKS Black Alumni Association invited folks to watch a discussion with former West Virginia Secretary of State and current Institute of Politics Fellow Natalie Tennant, and Ash Center’s Tova Wang for a discussion on running an election in turbulent times.