Archon Fung
Director, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation;
Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government
Reimagining Democracy Program
Reimagining our political institutions to meet the democratic challenges of today.
To confront the growing challenges to democracy around the world, it’s time for new ideas.
Democracy requires deep and structural changes to survive and grow. The Ash Center’s Reimagining Democracy Program provides scholars and those on the frontlines of our democracy with a space for generating ambitious ideas and practices to make democracy more resilient, responsive, and inclusive.
Meet the Team
Tova Wang
Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice
Christina Marchand
Senior Associate Director, Center-wide Democracy Initiatives
Jose Martinez
Program Manager
Jahaida Hernández Jesurum
Program Administrator
The Latest News and Research
Podcast
Is Fusion Voting Fair?
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer discuss whether fusion voting expands representation and strengthens smaller parties—or whether it muddies party lines and confuses voters.
Podcast
How will a lapse in federal food assistance impact millions of Americans?
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined by Jennifer Lemmerman, Chief Policy Officer at Project Bread, to discuss the impact the lapse in SNAP funding is having on individuals and families.
Podcast
From Congress to Kitchen Tables: Understanding the Impact of the Government Shutdown
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined on Terms of Engagement by Air Traffic Controller Jack Criss to discuss the real-world impact of the ongoing shutdown.
Podcast
Is Trump’s higher education compact a bad deal but a good opportunity?
This week, Danielle Allen joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement.
Commentary
Conservatism and the Future of Democracy
When former Vice President Mike Pence visited Harvard’s Institute of Politics for a discussion on “The Future of Conservatism and American Democracy,” he was introduced not just by a moderator, but by a longtime friend and admirer — Ash Center Senior Fellow Stephen Richer. A former Republican officeholder, Richer has often cited Pence as a personal role model for integrity and constitutional fidelity. Their friendship added a layer of warmth and sincerity to an evening that balanced deep ideological reflection with a spirit of civility and mutual respect.
Podcast
Trump Targets Domestic Terrorism, James Comey Indicted
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer speak with Alex Whiting, Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School and an expert on criminal prosecution.
Podcast
The Fight Over Free Speech
This week on Term of Engagement, co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer explore and debate the boundaries of free speech, threats to it, and the impact on our democracy.
Policy Brief
Voting with the Las Vegas Raiders: The Impact of Allegiant Stadium as a Polling Location in 2024
Sports facilities are uniquely positioned to provide an enjoyable voting experience and strengthen civic engagement. A new report by Tova Wang, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice, explores the impact of stadium voting in 2024 at Allegiant Stadium, drawing widespread, bipartisan support from voters and election officials and strengthening the relationship between the Las Vegas Raiders and the surrounding community.
Podcast
Trying to Understand Political Violence in the US
This week on Terms of Engagement, Alex Keyssar joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to examine the broader issue of political violence in the U.S.
Commentary
Ten ways to take down the political temperature
The intensification of political polarization in recent years has raised pressing concerns about the health of democratic discourse and the rise of political violence. Ash Center Senior Fellow Stephen Richer shares ten principles he believes provide a framework for fostering more constructive engagement: encouraging self-reflection, prioritizing substantive dialogue over hyperbole, and creating incentives that reward integrity and ideas rather than division.
Podcast
Court Blocks Trump’s Freeze of Harvard Funds — What’s Next?
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined by Andrew Crespo, Morris Wasserstein Public Interest Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, to discuss a recent court case that found the Trump Administration’s freeze of over $2 billion in federal grants to Harvard illegal.
Podcast
Terms of Engagement – Will President Trump Make the Trains Run on Time?
Former Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, now the Emma Bloomberg Professor of Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer.
Podcast
Terms of Engagement – Election Administration Fight Forms
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer discuss President Trump’s assertions about mail-in voting and what they portend for future elections and voter participation.
Podcast
Terms of Engagement – South Park and the Power of Political Parody
New York Times Opinion Columnist Michelle Goldberg joins Stephen Richer and Archon Fung to discuss “South Park” and the role political satires play in political discourse.