Additional Resource
Democracy demands new ideas.
Video
VIDEO—Democracy 250: The Impact of Sports on the History of Civil Rights in America
Commentary
Field Report: How AI Is Being Used in the 2026 Midterms
Harvard’s hub for research and teaching on democracy
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation develops ideas and fosters practices for equal and inclusive, multiracial, and multiethnic democracy and self-government.
Read more about our flagship programs here.
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From sovereignty and civil resistance to technology and elections, we are advancing democracy today while imagining a better version for tomorrow.
Latest News
Q+A
Vet the Vote: How Military Families and Veterans Are Strengthening Democracy
Ahead of Veterans Day, the Ash Center spoke with the leadership team at Vet the Vote about how their nonpartisan coalition empowers veterans and military families to continue serving their country as trusted poll workers.
Commentary
Field Report: How AI Is Being Used in the 2026 Midterms
Allen Lab Policy Fellow Hillary Lehr provides a late-October 2026 snapshot of the multiple ways that AI and the midterms are intersecting, including campaign use cases, policy issues, and voters’ use of LLMs.
Feature
Law Enforcement and Election Officials: Building Partnerships to Protect Elections
Amid rising threats, harassment, and political polarization, panelists at a recent Ash Center webinar discussed how law enforcement and election officials can collaborate to protect voters and election workers while safeguarding public trust.
Upcoming Events
One Country, Two Systems at a Crossroads: Hong Kong’s Opportunities and Challenges
In-Person Event
Ash Center Seminar Room 225, Suite 200, 124 Mount Auburn Street
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm EST
American Politics Speaker Series: The Electoral Power of Public Employees
In-Person Event
CGIS South, Room S250, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
Escaping Venezuela: Film Screening and Panel Discussion
In-Person Event
Starr Auditorium (B200) – Belfer Building, 2nd floor, Harvard Kennedy School
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST
