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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.

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How Americans Navigate Voting Information Ahead of the 2026 Midterm Elections

The Shorenstein Center’s 2026 Voting Information Trends project—developed in collaboration with the National Internet Observatory at Northeastern University, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation’s Program on Democracy and the Informed Public, and The Civic Health and Institutions Project—provides new insights into the voter information landscape in the United States ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Among the resources, an interactive dashboard maps where Americans are finding voting information and learning about key aspects of the voting process—from sourcing polling locations to voter registration. Also included are a series of trends reports gauging perceptions of voting in the lead up to the 2026 midterm elections.

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How Americans Navigate Voting Information Ahead of the 2026 Midterm Elections
Captiol building with trend graphic

How Americans Navigate Voting Information Ahead of the 2026 Midterm Elections

The Shorenstein Center’s 2026 Voting Information Trends project—developed in collaboration with the National Internet Observatory at Northeastern University, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation’s Program on Democracy and the Informed Public, and The Civic Health and Institutions Project—provides new insights into the voter information landscape in the United States ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Among the resources, an interactive dashboard maps where Americans are finding voting information and learning about key aspects of the voting process—from sourcing polling locations to voter registration. Also included are a series of trends reports gauging perceptions of voting in the lead up to the 2026 midterm elections.

Digital Civic Infrastructure Initiative

Digital Civic Infrastructure Initiative

The Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation’s Digital Civic Infrastructure initiative aims to understand how technology can strengthen democratic agency through improving how civic voice is developed and gathered, how public input becomes policy, and how decisions get enforced and services delivered.

Open Course: Designing Democratic Engagement with AI

Open Access Resource

Open Course: Designing Democratic Engagement with AI

This free, self-paced course equips public officials with the skills to design, run and learn from meaningful engagement with communities.

Reimagining public understanding: Toward an institutional model
Two hands touching over a science network connection symbol.

Article

Reimagining public understanding: Toward an institutional model

In a new research article, Democracy Visiting Fellow Gordon Gauchat and co-author Kassandra Thompson offer an alternative framework for public understanding of science, focusing on “science’s role as a social system” shaped by institutional norms and practices, rather than traditional approaches centered on knowledge possession or trust in experts.

Massachusetts Municipal Leader Guide: Open Meeting Law in the Digital Age

Additional Resource

Massachusetts Municipal Leader Guide: Open Meeting Law in the Digital Age

As public officials increasingly turn to digital tools, this guide helps Massachusetts municipal leaders navigate Open Meeting Law and their everyday digital practice while safeguarding transparency.

American Indian Casino Operations and Firm Long-Run Employment and Sales
Billboard sign advertising the Desert Diamond casino.

Paper

American Indian Casino Operations and Firm Long-Run Employment and Sales

A new working paper by Randy Akee, Julie Johnson Kidd Professor of Indigenous Governance and Development, and co-authors examines the role of The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 in facilitating sustained private-sector growth for American Indian reservations through tribal casino development.

Contesting Repression in Divided Democracies: Can Counternarratives Reduce Support for Police Violence?
An image of 4 police officer shields.

Article

Contesting Repression in Divided Democracies: Can Counternarratives Reduce Support for Police Violence?

A new article in the American Journal of Political Science, co-authored by Yanilda María González, Ford Foundation Associate Professor of Public Policy and Ash Center affiliate, examines public attitudes toward police violence in Brazil. The authors find that while police discourse can increase public endorsement of violence, counternarratives from marginalized victims can be effective in reducing citizen support for repressive policing.