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.
Video
A recent event explored how sports have shaped movements for racial justice, gender equality, religious freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights and broader inclusion in the United States.
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Policy Brief
In 2023, federal investigators found nearly 5,800 children employed in violation of labor law — 2.5 times the number just five years earlier — cleaning “skull splitters” and “brisket saws” on meatpacking kill floors, running equipment in Hyundai and Kia supply plants, and working overnight shifts in bakeries supplying Frito-Lay and General Mills. Every case traces back to the same business model: major brands outsourcing labor through layers of contractors and staffing agencies, then professing outrage when children turn up on the factory floor. The Fair Labor Standards Act has banned this exact kind of work since 1938. So why is it the contractors, not the Fortune 500 names on the label, taking the blame?
Policy Brief
Additional Resource
On November 7, 2023, the Summit on AI and Democracy gathered experts across multiple institutions to discuss ongoing research, policy, and development efforts related to the recent advancements in artificial intelligence.
Policy Brief
Policy Brief
Additional Resource
“Reimagining Democracy for AI” by Aviv Ovadya was featured in the October 2023 Journal of Democracy.
Abstract: AI advances are shattering assumptions that both our democracies and our international order rely on. Reinventing our “democratic infrastructure” is thus critically necessary—and the author argues that it is also possible. Four interconnected and accelerating democratic paradigm shifts illustrate the potential: representative deliberations, AI augmentation, democracy-as-a-service, and platform democracy. Such innovations provide a viable path toward not just reimagining traditional democracies but enabling the transnational and even global democratic processes critical for addressing the broader challenges posed by destabilizing AI advances—including those relating to AI alignment and global agreements. We can and must rapidly invest in such democratic innovation if we are to ensure that our democratic capacity increases with our power.
Policy Brief
In this working paper, Stephen Goldsmith and Ryan Streeter argue that the Republican Party is philosophically adrift, and it has been for a while.
Article
This working paper aims to articulate an interdisciplinary research and practice area focused around bridging systems.
Policy Brief
The GETTING-Plurality Research Network submitted a series of memos which respond to various questions posed around the topics of bolstering democracy and civic participation; protecting rights, safety, and national security; and promoting economic growth and good jobs.