Harvard Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

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Harvard Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Harvard’s home for scholars, students, and practitioners dedicated to strengthening democracy. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center.

The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence and innovation in governance and public policy through research, education, and public discussion. Three major programs support our mission: the Program on Democratic Governance, the Innovations in Government Program; and the Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia.

Tune in to today's episode of Terms of Engagement, live on YouTube at 12:15 pm ET. Watch here ⤵️
10/20/2026

Tune in to today's episode of Terms of Engagement, live on YouTube at 12:15 pm ET.

Watch here ⤵️

As midterms are fast approaching and we get closer to Election Day,...

10/19/2026

Last week on “Terms of Engagement,” Miles Rapoport joined cohosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to discuss universal voting in the United States.

Rapoport, co-author of “100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting” (with E.J. Dionne), draws on his work as executive director of the 100% Democracy Initiative to discuss the movement’s mission to promote voting as both a fundamental right and a civic responsibility. Additionally, he examines the outcomes of universal voting in countries with mandatory participation in elections.

A recent article by Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership and Ash Center affiliate, and co-auth...
10/19/2026

A recent article by Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership and Ash Center affiliate, and co-author Yoshua Bengio, puts forth proposals to the U.S. Congress to advance safety and mitigate potential risks in AI development.
https://bit.ly/4hXoXcy

Lawrence Lessig and Yoshua Bengio suggest how to reduce serious risks without abandoning American technological leadership

In a recent New York Times interview, Pita Limjaroenrat, former leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party and Senior Democ...
10/15/2026

In a recent New York Times interview, Pita Limjaroenrat, former leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party and Senior Democracy Visiting Fellow, reflects on Thailand's political landscape and his experiences learning and teaching at Harvard Kennedy School.

An interview with Pita Limjaroenrat, the former leader of the Move Forward party.

A new paper offers a pipeline strategy to recruit, support and retain election administrators—by reducing barriers to en...
10/15/2026

A new paper offers a pipeline strategy to recruit, support and retain election administrators—by reducing barriers to entry, strengthening professional networks, improving workplace support and using workforce data to address burnout and prevent attrition.

This paper by members of the Ash Center’s Executive Session on Elections and Election Administration, Tina Barton, Judd Choate, Ruth Greenwood, Elizabeth Linos, Veniece Miller and Tammy Patrick, presents a comprehensive pipeline strategy to recruit, support, and retain election administrators—by...

10/13/2026

High voter turnout is often celebrated as a sign of a healthy democracy, with election officials viewing strong participation as evidence of public engagement and political legitimacy.

On last week's episode of Terms of Engagement, Professor Jason Brennan joined cohosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to examine whether higher turnout actually strengthens democracy.

Watch the full episode: https://ash.harvard.edu/resources/is-high-voter-turnout-a-good-thing/

Tune in to the latest episode of Terms of Engagement, now streaming on YouTube. Watch here ⤵️
10/13/2026

Tune in to the latest episode of Terms of Engagement, now streaming on YouTube.

Watch here ⤵️

This week on Terms of Engagement, Miles Rapoport joins cohosts Arch...

"The more a regime depends on AI, the more it depends on the people who keep AI running. ... For autocratic rulers, the ...
10/08/2026

"The more a regime depends on AI, the more it depends on the people who keep AI running. ... For autocratic rulers, the temptations of artificial intelligence may re-create the same trap they are seeking to escape," share Bruce Schneier and co-author.
https://bit.ly/4yaMfSb

How technology empowers—and imperils—dictators.

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