Q+A
In what ways does Inauguration Day 2025 symbolize the resilience or fragility of American democracy?
On January 20, 2025, as Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, the nation reached a critical turning point.
News and Analysis
Read the latest news, commentary, and analysis from the Ash Center.
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Video
El Salvador’s Presidential Elections and the Future of Democracy
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele was recently re-elected with more than 80% of the vote. While Bukele is credited with bringing the country’s crime rate to historic lows, he has also adopted increasingly authoritarian measures under the guise of fighting the country’s powerful gangs. Speakers analyzed the sources of Bukele’s popularity, the human toll of Bukele’s prolonged state of exception, and the threats to democracy in El Salvador.
Video
Why Citizens Don’t Hold Politicians Accountable for Air Pollution
This Global Challenges to Democracy Seminar Series event featured Tariq Thachil, Professor, Madan Lal Sobti Chair for the Study of Contemporary India; Director, Center for Advanced Study of India; University of Pennsylvania. Urban citizens in low-income democracies rarely hold elected officials accountable for toxic air. To understand why, Thachil discussed a recent paper co-authored by Shikhar Singh.
Video
India’s National Election: The Future of the World’s Largest Democracy
As India prepares for general elections beginning next month, the world’s largest democracy finds itself at an inflection point. With incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expected to maintain control of the country’s parliament, what can we expect from a third five-year term? What are the opportunities and challenges that a dominant BJP poses to India’s democracy? Is India’s democracy in decline, as some assert, or does it remain broadly competitive and inclusive and perhaps even a relative bastion of democracy’s promise?
Video
Confronting Dictators: Lessons from Egypt, Russia, and Venezuela
Panelists from the Nonviolent Action Lab discuss their experiences, lessons learned, and perspectives on their respective struggles, nations, and roles have evolved during their time at Harvard.
Feature
Five books and a podcast on sports, patriotism, and racial justice
This reading list from the Institutional Antiracism and Accountability Project explores the intersection of sports and racial justice, in the lead-up to their panel on March 19.
Video
Preventing Rebel Resurgence after Civil War
This Global Challenges to Democracy Seminar Series event featured Michael Weintraub, Associate Professor in the Escuela de Gobierno at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, and Director of the Security and Violence Area of the Center for the Study of Security and Drugs (CESED).
Video
GETTING-Plurality — “A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism”
This GETTING-Plurality Research workshop session features Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, Director of the Allen Lab, and presenting author of “A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism.” Allen was joined in conversation by commentator Rob Reich, McGregor-Girand Professor of Social Ethics of Science and Technology, Stanford
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.
Commentary
Crowd Counting Consortium: Israel/Palestine Protest Data Dashboards
To make it easier to find up-to-date information on pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protest activity in the United States since October 7, 2023, the Crowd Counting Consotium recently created a pair of interactive data dashboards separately covering the two.