Additional Resource
Watch Roadtrip Nation’s Living Civics documentary and hear from leading universal civic learning experts on the power of narrative for civic engagement.
Roadtrip Nation’s Living Civics documentary is now available on the Roadtrip Nation Living Civics Watch Page. The documentary follows three roadtrippers as they explore how people from all backgrounds are working together to bridge divides and encourage civic leadership across generations. The watch page includes a link to the documentary and supplementary materials showcasing the roadtrip route and the Americans the roadtrippers met along the way.
In March 2026, Danielle Allen joined Louise Dube (iCivics), David McCullough (American Exchange Project), and moderator Emmalyn Pykles at the Civic Learning Week National Forum in Philadelphia, PA for a discussion of Roadtrip Nation’s latest documentary “Living Civics.” The panel explored how storytelling can help young people envision meaningful pathways into careers that further civic engagement and civic education.
Policy Brief
As technology reshapes how public officials communicate with their communities, this policy brief offers recommendations for modernizing Massachusetts Open Meeting Law to protect transparency and accountability while enabling the tools that expand access to government.
Paper
Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation authors offer the first comprehensive analysis of how Massachusetts municipalities are using technology to support civic engagement, government decision-making, and public service delivery.
Feature
As we celebrate America’s 250th, the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation is reflecting on how we arrived at this moment and where we are headed.
Article
In a recent essay for the American Journal of Public Health, Aditya S. Pawar, Democracy Visiting Fellow; Jon Alexander, former Non-resident Democracy Fellow; Archon Fung, Director of the Ash Center; and co-authors examine how public deliberation and representative engagement can shape more efficient and reliable public health policy.
Feature
Books, reports, and articles exploring the front lines of American politics and democracy, as featured on the Terms of Engagement podcast.
Additional Resource
Published as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights’ essay collection “Self-Evident Truths” gathers faculty and fellows across Harvard’s schools including the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, to examine how well America has fulfilled its promise that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights.
The included essays span democracy, technology, public health, immigration, climate, and more, providing a nuanced look at what is required to fully realize the nation’s founding ideals today.
