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
Video
Getting Out the BIPOC Vote: Digital Strategies to Build Power
The Ash Center hosted a timely discussion with leading practitioners who are effectively integrating digital strategies with authentic power-building while navigating a never-before-seen civic environment.
Video
From Patients to Voters: Civic Engagement in Health Care
The Ash Center and the Center for Public Leadership recognized Civic Health Month and hosted a discussion on how healthcare workers are deepening civic engagement through voter empowerment, including how high levels of civic engagement can drive more equitable health outcomes.
Media Release
New report by Voting Rights Advocates, Practitioners, and Scholars Details Need for Universal Civic Duty Voting
Case Study
Leading Civic Engagement: Three Cases
Sharing Ideas Online: Remixing Policy to Drive Meaningful Action with Eric Wilson
The Ash Center hosted a workshop with Eric Wilson, Ash Center Technology and Democracy Fellow and Chief Digital Officer for America Rising, on how to get your ideas noticed online and build a strategy for results.
Getting Out the Intersectional Vote: Latinx Voters and Grassroots Power Building
The Ash Center hosted a conversation with Cristina Beltrán Ph.D., Associate Professor at New York University, and Antonio Arellano, Interim Executive Director of Jolt Action to explore the Latinx voter, the issues they support, and ways to engage this growing voting bloc.
Video
Running and Winning Down Ballot Races: Workshop with Run for Something
Ross Morales Rocketto and Manuel Espitia from Run for Something spoke at a workshop, hosted by Harvard’s Ash Center and Institute of Politics, on the nuts and bolts of running for down-ballot office.
Video
Reaching People Where They Are: Integrated Digital and Field Organizing with Daniel Marks
The Ash Center hosted a virtual workshop on April 7, 2020, with Daniel Marks, an Ash Center Technology and Democracy Fellow who serves as a Digital Manager at Color Of Change. Learn how digital campaigners can best uplift and assist field organizers in down-ballot races.
Video
A Full Census Count Amidst Pandemic
Counting every person in the census is critical to the proper functioning of a democracy. The Ash Center hosted a conversation with census experts for an update on the 2020 census.
Occasional Paper
Gender and Political Mobilization Online: Participation and Policy Success on a Global Petitioning Platform
Book
Democracy Reinvented: Participatory Budgeting and Civic Innovation in America
Policy Brief