Research & Resources

Through our books, case studies, journal articles, papers, and surveys, the Ash Center is home to some of the world’s most advanced research and publications on issues related to democratic governance and self-governance.

To explore all research authored by Ash Center faculty, please visit the Harvard Kennedy School website. You can view the Ash Center’s open access policy here.

DOGE

Additional Resource

Understanding DOGE and Your Data

Over the past several weeks, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within the Trump Administration has been embedding staff in a range of United States federal agencies. These staff have gained access to data maintained by the federal government. This guide explains what is in the data, what DOGE is doing with it, and why it matters to all Americans.

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Policy Brief

The 2024 election saw Donald Trump make significant gains among young voters, increasing his support among 18- to 29-year-olds by 10 percentage points. This report aims to investigate the deeper issues at stake that are causing this historical shift.

Utah Digital Choice Act: Reshaping Social Media

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Utah Digital Choice Act: Reshaping Social Media

The bipartisan Utah Digital Choice Act aims to reform the social media ecosystem by giving users more choice and ownership over their personal data, while encouraging platform innovation and competition.

Information Inequality Can Be a Matter of Life or Death
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Policy Brief

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, examines how unintended information inequities undermine critical health and safety alerts. Focusing on three key policies — wildfire alerts, drinking water reports, and auto safety recalls — she identifies common roots of these disparities and highlights efforts by policymakers to address them.

United States Election and Post-Election Resources
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United States Election and Post-Election Resources

Election season is in full swing, and Election Day is fast approaching. The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation has compiled a list of election-related articles, resources, and events to keep you up to date.

Justice by Means of Democracy
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Book

Justice by Means of Democracy

From leading thinker Danielle Allen, a bold and urgent articulation of a new political philosophy: power-sharing liberalism.

The Power of Grassroots Organizing on Pro-Voter Reform
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Policy Brief

The Power of Grassroots Organizing on Pro-Voter Reform

Tova Wang and Melina Geser-Stark argue that while grassroots advocacy has been pivotal in advancing voting rights, it remains overshadowed by the perception that voter reform is the domain of political elites — a view this paper challenges by examining how grassroots efforts mirror modern social movements and drive the push for a more inclusive democracy.

Why US States Are the Best Labs for Public AI

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Why US States Are the Best Labs for Public AI

In a recent piece for Tech Policy Press, Allen Lab Senior Fellow Alex Pascal and Nathan Sanders outline how US states are well-positioned to lead the development of Public AI. State governments can act as “laboratories of twenty-first century democracy” to experiment with AI applications that directly benefit citizens.