News and Analysis
Read the latest news, commentary, and analysis from the Ash Center.
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Feature
How Do Legislators Think Democracy Should Work? Evidence from the United States and Germany
What kind of democracy do legislators want? This question was at the center of a recent discussion with Melody Crowder-Meyer, associate professor of political science at Davidson College, as part of the American Politics Speaker Series.
Commentary
Information Inequality Can Be a Matter of Life or Death
In this paper, Mary W. Graham, co-director of the Center’s Transparency Policy Project, explores the unintended information inequities that weaken the nation’s vital health and safety alerts. By examining three policies — wildfire alerts, drinking water reports, and auto safety recalls — she suggests common sources of inequality problems and steps policy makers are taking to remedy them.
Feature
Crime is nonpartisan and the blame game on crime in cities is wrong – on both sides
In their latest article for The Conversation, Justin de Benedictis-Kessner and Christopher Warshaw explain that there’s no empirical evidence linking crime trends to leadership by either political party.
Commentary
AI on the Ballot: How Artificial Intelligence Is Already Changing Politics
At a recent Ash Center panel, experts and AI developers discuss how AI’s influence on politics has evolved over the years. They examine the new tools available to politicians, the role of humans in AI’s relationship with governance, and the values guiding the design of these technologies.
Commentary
Weaponized AI: A New Era of Threats and How We Can Counter It
Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation Fellow Dr. Shlomit Wagman lays out a framework to address the threats artificial intelligence poses to global security and democratic institutions.
Commentary
The Cost of Truth: Stephen Richer on Standing Up for Democracy
Commentary
Give Students a Chance To Be on the Right Side of History
Archon Fung explores the history of student activism at Harvard and argues that such movements often bring a rare sense of “moral clarity” to universities nationwide — a crucial benefit of free speech and peaceful protest.
Commentary
Can Election Facility Tours Improve Voter Confidence?
American democracy has faced a crisis of trust in elections, fueled by denialism and movements like “Stop the Steal”. Former Maricopa County recorder and Ash Senior Practice Fellow, Stephen Richer, outlines a potential solution in election administration by offering election facility tours. Finding that witnessing the election process firsthand significantly boosted trust in its integrity, highlighting transparency as a key tool to rebuild voter confidence.
Media Release
Honoring Nations 2025 Semifinalists Selected for Excellence in Governance Award
The Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations program is pleased to announce the selection of 18 semifinalists for the prestigious 2025 Honoring Nations awards.