Podcast
Is Trump’s higher education compact a bad deal but a good opportunity?
This week, Danielle Allen joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement.
Case Study
From Crisis to Opportunity: How the City of Portland Embraced Democratic Innovation
In this case study of democratic innovation at the local level, the authors answer the questions: Why, in 2022, was voting representation and democratic reform firmly on Portland’s agenda? Did this shift contribute to Portlanders passing Measure 26-228?
Portland, Oregon recently passed Measure 26-228, which represents some of the most expansive voting reforms by a major American city in recent history. Instead of being elected in at-large districts, members of the Portland City Council will be selected from four multi-member districts, through ranked choice voting. This expands the number of City Council members from four to twelve.
This is a case study of democratic innovation at the local level. Portland adopted its “commission” form of government in 1913. Between 1917 and 2007, seven ballot initiatives attempted to reform this governance structure; however, they tended to focus on strengthening mayoral power rather than enhancing democratic representation and expanding voting rights. At the core of this case study is the question: Why, in 2022, was voting representation and democratic reform firmly on the agenda? Did this shift contribute to Portlanders passing Measure 26-228?
This analysis highlights the interplay between institutional structures and political agency. The opportunity for these reforms came from a permissive political environment, characterized by the widespread perception that Portland was “broken” alongside a broader context of racial reckoning amid the protest wave triggered by the murder of George Floyd. As the decennial charter review process commenced in late 2020, there was consensus across the spectrum on the need for governance reform. However, it was the Charter Review Commission that proposed the bundle of reforms included in Measure 26-228. This sparked opposition from local political elites and the business community, who were primarily concerned with strengthening the position of mayor. The authors identify a process of network building and community organizing that, at each stage of the reform process, proved critical to developing and passing the reform initiative.
This process was precipitated by a coalition of community organizations, local activists, and leaders, often connected to people of color, that acted as the key agents in the reform process. This, in and of itself, is a significant factor. In the authors’ view, it is relatively unusual for these types of organizations to successfully mobilize public support and pass reforms in the face of opposition from local political and business leaders.
More from this Program
Commentary
Conservatism and the Future of Democracy
When former Vice President Mike Pence visited Harvard’s Institute of Politics for a discussion on “The Future of Conservatism and American Democracy,” he was introduced not just by a moderator, but by a longtime friend and admirer — Ash Center Senior Fellow Stephen Richer. A former Republican officeholder, Richer has often cited Pence as a personal role model for integrity and constitutional fidelity. Their friendship added a layer of warmth and sincerity to an evening that balanced deep ideological reflection with a spirit of civility and mutual respect.
Podcast
Trump Targets Domestic Terrorism, James Comey Indicted
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer speak with Alex Whiting, Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School and an expert on criminal prosecution.
Podcast
Is Trump’s higher education compact a bad deal but a good opportunity?
This week, Danielle Allen joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement.
Commentary
Why I’m Excited About the White House’s Proposal for a Higher Ed Compact
Last week’s leak of the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” drew intense reactions across academia. Critics call it government overreach threatening free expression, while supporters see a chance for reform and renewed trust between universities and policymakers. Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, director of the Democratic Knowledge Project and the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, weighs in.
Commentary
Setting the 2025-26 Agenda for the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation
Amid rising illiberalism, Danielle Allen urges a new agenda to renew democracy by reorienting institutions, policymaking, and civil society around the intentional sharing of power.