Ash Center logo

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.

A 'Vote Here' sign on the side of a road.

Working Together to Strengthen US Elections

As state and local election officials navigate complex problems, what practical solutions can strengthen their work today and equip them for the challenges ahead? A recent piece in electionline Weekly highlights the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation’s Executive Session on Elections and Election Administration, bringing together a small, bipartisan group of state and local election officials, academics, and experts to develop innovative strategies for addressing the most pressing challenges in election administration.

Read The Story

Filter by

  • Issue Areas
  • Programs
  • Format

Filters

Close

Filters

Issue Areas
Programs
Format

197 Items

of 22

Newest

Exploring Democratic Deliberation in Public Health: Bridging Division and Enhancing Community Engagement
A graphic of someone placing a ballot into a box with a red plus sign.

Article

Exploring Democratic Deliberation in Public Health: Bridging Division and Enhancing Community Engagement

Trust between citizens and the institutions that govern them is essential for effective policy, especially in public health. However, against a backdrop of escalating political polarization and rising levels of misinformation, there has been a stark decline in public confidence in government and health institutions.

CommUniversity Session: Sports, Activism, and Philanthropy
Screenshot from the event

Video

CommUniversity Session: Sports, Activism, and Philanthropy

Ash Center’s Tova Wang joined the CommNS and representatives from various professional sports organizations and their foundations to discuss the way athletes and teams are engaging in communities, causes, and giving processes.

Organizing and Mobilization during Democratic Backsliding
Protest on the lawn of the white house

Video

Organizing and Mobilization during Democratic Backsliding

In this webinar, panelists drew upon lessons from around the world about how civil society groups can protect and promote democracy and the rule of law during episodes of democratic backsliding.

Off Balance: How US Courts Privilege Conservative Policy Outcomes
photo of the US Supreme Court

Off Balance: How US Courts Privilege Conservative Policy Outcomes

In this paper, Maya Sen and her co-authors examine enduring features of the American federal judiciary that systematically favor conservative political and policy outcomes. By situating the United States within a comparative context, the authors argue that these structural aspects of the judiciary contribute to a consistent ideological bias toward conservatism in legal decisions.

Asking about Complex Policies
A screenshot of the cover of the article against a dark green background

Asking about Complex Policies

In this article, according to new research from Maya Sen and her co-authors, as political survey questions become more complex, people are more likely to choose the first options on a list, especially if they have less knowledge and the question is long—making it better for researchers to keep questions short rather than trying to simplify the wording.

Democratically elected leaders around the world are increasingly transforming into autocrats by systematically undermining the institutions that enabled their rise to power.
Photo of police lights flashing

Democratically elected leaders around the world are increasingly transforming into autocrats by systematically undermining the institutions that enabled their rise to power.

Many Republican candidates ran on a ‘Tough on Crime’ platform, but new research from the Ash Center’s Justin de Benedictis-Kessner, using 30 years of data, suggests elected officials have little impact on city crime rates.

A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism

Open Access Resource

A Roadmap for Governing AI: Technology Governance and Power-Sharing Liberalism

This paper aims to provide a roadmap for governing AI. In contrast to the reigning paradigms, we argue that AI governance should be not merely a reactive, punitive, status-quo-defending enterprise, but rather the expression of an expansive, proactive vision for technology—to advance human flourishing.