Video  

Rethinking the US Constitution through a Participatory Process

What would it be like to really rethink our Constitution? In this webinar, we learned about participatory constitution building, a way of writing a new constitution with full public participation. Participatory constitution building is common around the world, but how it is designed and the process by which it is undertaken is critical to making it a success anywhere. We learned with experts on participatory constitution building globally, in Chile at this moment, and among tribal governments. What are the practices we might think about as we reconsider the strengths and weaknesses of our own constitution in this country?

Speakers included:

  • Erin Houlihan, Program Officer, International IDEA
  • Pamela Figueroa Rubio, Académica, Facultad de Humanidades – Universidad De Santiago
  • Joseph Kalt, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, HKS; Co-Director, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
  • Co-moderated by Archon Fung, Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government, Harvard Kennedy School
  • Pedro Arcain Riccetto, Democracy Visiting Fellow, Ash Center

Related Resources

Terms of Engagement – Matthew Baum on What Voters Fear, What They Don’t Know and Where They Look
Terms of Engagement main graphic with picture of Matthew Baum.

Podcast

Terms of Engagement – Matthew Baum on What Voters Fear, What They Don’t Know and Where They Look

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, new research raises an urgent question: are Americans operating within fundamentally different information realities? In this episode, Professor Matthew Baum examines what voters know about election rules, where they get their information, and how partisan divides shape perceptions of the voting process.

In Appearance Before Congress, Stephen Richer Testifies at House Hearing on Alleged Noncitizen Voting in New Jersey
Stephen Richer testifying before Congress.

Feature

In Appearance Before Congress, Stephen Richer Testifies at House Hearing on Alleged Noncitizen Voting in New Jersey

On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing featuring testimony from Stephen Richer, a former Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder, election administration expert and Ash Senior Fellow.

The hearing examined allegations that approximately 6,600 noncitizens were improperly registered to vote in New Jersey between June 2023 and June 2024.

 

More on this Issue

Allen Lab Fellow Spotlight: City Charters Are Deliberative Democracy’s Friends

Commentary

Allen Lab Fellow Spotlight: City Charters Are Deliberative Democracy’s Friends

Allen Lab Fellow Tyler Fisher examines the untapped potential of city charters as a vehicle for deliberative democracy, arguing that advocates should work to embed tools like citizen assemblies, participatory budgeting, and town meetings directly into the governing architecture of cities, institutionalizing deliberative democracy one municipality at a time.

Terms of Engagement Summer Reading List
A collage of book and report recommendations from the Terms of Engagement summer reading list.

Feature

Terms of Engagement Summer Reading List

Books, reports, and articles exploring the front lines of American politics and democracy, as featured on the Terms of Engagement podcast.

Reimagining Democracy 2026 Summer Reading List
A collage of book covers, podcasts, and reports from the Reimagining Democracy summer reading list.

Feature

Reimagining Democracy 2026 Summer Reading List

Tova Wang, director of research projects in democratic practice at the Ash Center, shares her top picks for summer reads focused on making democracy more resilient, responsive, and inclusive.