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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Book

When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day

When Democracy Breaks aims to deepen our understanding of what separates democratic resilience from democratic fragility by focusing on the latter.

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Privacy-Preserving Data Governance

Additional Resource

Privacy-Preserving Data Governance

This essay was adopted from a presentation given by Riley Wong at the Second Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy held on the campus of Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023. Convened with support from the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the conference was intended to bring together a diverse set of thinkers and practitioners to talk about how democracy might be reimagined for the twenty-first century.

Moving Beyond the Paradigm of “Democracy”: 12 Questions

Additional Resource

Moving Beyond the Paradigm of “Democracy”: 12 Questions

This essay was adopted from a presentation given by Claudia Chwalisz at the Second Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy held on the campus of Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023. Convened with support from the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the conference was intended to bring together a diverse set of thinkers and practitioners to talk about how democracy might be reimagined for the twenty-first century.

Permission and Participation

Additional Resource

Permission and Participation

This essay was adopted from a presentation given by Kathryn Peters at the Second Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy held on the campus of Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023. Convened with support from the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the conference was intended to bring together a diverse set of thinkers and practitioners to talk about how democracy might be reimagined for the twenty-first century.

GETTING-Plurality — “A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism”
Pins dot an indiscernible map

Video

GETTING-Plurality — “A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism”

This GETTING-Plurality Research workshop session features Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, Director of the Allen Lab, and presenting author of “A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism.” Allen was joined in conversation by commentator Rob Reich, McGregor-Girand Professor of Social Ethics of Science and Technology, Stanford

Who Gets Hired? Political Patronage and Bureaucratic Favoritism
Photo of Mai Hassan

Video

Who Gets Hired? Political Patronage and Bureaucratic Favoritism

During this talk, Hassan discussed her latest paper “Who Gets Hired? Political Patronage and Bureaucratic Favoritism,” which considers the relative importance of each source of biased hiring as an allocation problem between managers and politicians who have different preferences regarding public sector hiring and different abilities to realize those preferences.

The Double-Edged Sword of Algorithmic Governance: Transparency at Stake

Additional Resource

The Double-Edged Sword of Algorithmic Governance: Transparency at Stake

This essay was adopted from a presentation given by Niclas Boehmer at the Second Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy held on the campus of Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023.

Can We Talk? An Argument for More Dialogues in Academia
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Additional Resource

Can We Talk? An Argument for More Dialogues in Academia

This essay was adopted from a presentation given by Manon Revel at the Second Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy held on the campus of Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023.

Ensuring We Have A Democracy in 2076
Photo of the capitol building

Additional Resource

Ensuring We Have A Democracy in 2076

This essay was adopted from a presentation given by Aditi Juneja at the Second Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy held on the campus of Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023.