Read the latest news, commentary, and analysis from the Ash Center.
Podcast
In the season finale, author and political theorist Laura Field joins co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to unpack the ideas and beliefs of the New Right and their impact on elections, race, and public debate.
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Podcast
Host Jay Ulfelder sits down with journalists Talia Jane, Raven, and Sean Beckner-Carmitchel to discuss the impact of independent journalism on protest activity and social movements.
Commentary
In his latest article for The Conversation, Archon Fung presents two key questions at the heart of these debates: Should campuses allow civil disobedience, suppress dissent, or seek peaceful solutions? And when, if ever, should police force be used against protests?
Podcast
Host Jay Ulfelder sits down with Joseph Brown, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Boston, to discuss a mass mobilization in Atlanta to stop a new a police training center amid environmental and community rights concerns.
Feature
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
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.
Feature
Developing and enforcing conflict of interest policies is no simple task for anti-corruption advocates and ethics officials alike. Archon Fung and Dennis Thompson help to better understand the problem and examine when risk is underestimated and when it is overestimated.
Podcast
Check out the podcast episodes from the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation’s Conference on the Political Economy of AI to glean insights from each panel.
Feature
This past semester, the Ash Center hosted discussions and debates on topics ranging from AI and democracy to the future of the Electoral College.
Feature
This semester, Ash Center researchers offered a solution to partisan gerrymandering, provided real-time data on protests across the country, outlined a pathway for better AI development, and more.