Terms of Engagement
From rank-choice voting to reconciliation, American democracy is headline news. Join Harvard Ash Center's Archon Fung and Stephen Richer for a weekly conversation about the latest developments in American politics. Blending perspectives from both the political right and left, Terms of Engagement addresses breaking news, providing insights from research and practice to deliver a unique perspective you won't hear anywhere else.
Episodes
Should Voting Be Mandatory in the U.S.?
This week on Terms of Engagement, Miles Rapoport joins cohosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to discuss universal voting in the United States. Rapoport is the co-author, with E.J. Dionne, of 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting. He serves as Executive Director of the 100% Democracy Initiative and discusses its mission to promote voting as both a fundamental right and a civic responsibili
Is High Voter Turnout a Good Thing?
It's axiomatic within most democracy and election administration communities that high voter turnout is a good thing, and higher turnout is a better thing. Secretaries of State brim with pride when over 80% of the state votes in a November presidential election. But does this actually matter? Is there any evidence that governance is better if more people vote? Is there any evidence that the p
Matthew Baum on What Voters Fear, What They Don’t Know and Where They Look
With the 2026 midterms approaching, a troubling question surfaces: are we living in two completely different realities?Professor Matthew Baum of Harvard Kennedy School joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to examine new research from the Shorenstein Center in collaboration with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation on Americans’ knowledge of voting regulations in the 2026 Voting
Does American Politics Have a Nazi problem?
Racist appeals in American politics used to require deniability. Increasingly, they don’t. Critics on both the left and the right are writing articles with titles like “The G.O.P. Has Gone Off the Deep End" (Jamelle Bouie, New York Times, September 16, 2026) and "The Republican Party Has a Nazi Problem" (Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, February 23, 2026).In this episode of Terms of Engagement, Archon F
Is Democracy Eroding from the Top?
Everyone agrees that democracy is in trouble. But almost everyone disagrees on why. Larry Bartels, the Vanderbilt political scientist who wrote “Democracy for Realists” and “Democracy Erodes from the Top,” has spent two decades arguing that the story we tell ourselves about democracy – that informed voters guide government and policy from the voting booth – is a myth. A corollary of his rejection
The Fight for the Student Vote: Campus Democracy Under Pressure
As college campuses gear up for another election cycle, a wave of nonpartisan efforts is registering students, training poll workers, and driving turnout at record levels. Yet these same efforts now face mounting resistance, including a Trump administration investigation into NSLVE, the primary data source tracking campus voting, and partisan accusations that get-out-the-vote work is politically m
Men Without Work: Is a Hidden Trend Fueling American Populism?
American men’s work rates have fallen relentlessly since the 1950s, with prime-age male labor force participation now approaching Depression-era lows—a trend political economist Nicholas Eberstadt has spent decades documenting. In this episode of Terms of Engagement, Eberstadt joins hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to unpack how this quiet collapse in male employment has shaped not just the ec
Flock Cameras, Privacy, and Democracy in the New Surveillance State
Criminal justice researcher Matthew Cavedon joins Terms of Engagement hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to discuss democratic and legal implications of Flock cameras. The company’s roughly 120,000 license-plate reading cameras in the U.S. are now able to log time, location, and vehicle details on a scale that makes comprehensive movement-tracking possible without a warrant. The episode explores
Amanda Carpenter on Democracy and Trump’s Golden Age of Corruption
In this episode of Terms of Engagement, Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy joins hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to examine how political corruption undermines democratic institutions and public trust, distorts policymaking, and makes citizens increasingly cynical about the democratic process. Carpenter, a former journalist and Capitol Hill staffer, alleges that President Donald Trump has
How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear
What does it take to stand up for what you believe in when your personal safety, security and even liberty are at stake? Ami Fields-Meyer, a political strategist and former senior policy advisor in the Biden-Harris White House, who spent the last two years crisscrossing the globe interviewing more than a hundred dissidents, organizers, and everyday people who chose to speak out despite real risk.
Thomas Hicks on the Gutting of the US Election Assistance Commission
Thomas Hicks was in the middle of booking his travel to an election conference when he received an email from the White House saying was no longer a commissioner of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission—the agency he had served for eleven years and chaired. Hicks’ firing is the first in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter, which gave the president power to dismiss
Kakistocracy, populism, and elites
Richard Hanania spent a decade as an influential voice on the online right — first pseudonymously in the alt-right, later as what New York magazine called "an intellectual muse of the Silicon Valley right." Then he watched his own ideas take power and, in his words, "was horrified at what I had helped create." His new book Kakistocracy is an argument that populism does not fail by accident but for
Mapping Risks to the 2026 Elections
The 2026 midterms are still months away, but a new tool shows where the trouble is most likely to erupt. Samantha Tarazi, co-founder and CEO of the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab (VRL), joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to walk through VRL's new Election Risk Heat Map, which scores every state and county in the country on "Election Risk Index" measured from 1 to 100.
This episode examines what t
The Battle for the Democratic Party
The Democratic Party is navigating a period of change as progressive candidates continue to gain national attention, from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City to Melat Kiros’s upset of 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. But are recent successes by Democratic Socialists and other progressive candidates evidence of a lasting political realignmen
An Optimistic Take on AI and Democracy
Optimism is in short supply these days in the backlash against AI systems and their potential effects on everything from the economy to the environment to society and democracy. But technologist and security expert Bruce Schneier believes that AI, if deployed in the public interest, can strengthen democracy and help citizens have a stronger voice in how they are governed.
Schneier, a Senior Fellow
America at 250: Rethinking U.S. Democracy at a Historic Inflection Point
America’s 250th birthday is both a milestone and a crossroads, so as both a political historian and a theorist, Harvard Kennedy School Professor Danielle Allen is the ideal guest for this special episode of Terms of Engagement. She joins hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to discuss thoughtful and original ideas on the past, present, and future of U.S. democracy
Allen, the director of the Allen
Terms of Engagement – The 2026 Midterms: Trust, Turnout, and a Shifting Electoral Landscape
What’s happening on the ground during an already-busy Congressional primary season? How much change and uncertainty has been the result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais? Are more voters registering, and what does it take to turn a civic bystander into a participant? The 2026 midterms seem to prompt a nearly endless array of questions. Andrea Hailey, who leads Vote.org,
Sinking Yachts: Can a Billionaire Backlash Save Democracy?
The United States is experiencing record levels of inequality amid the rising political and economic influence of finance, tech, and corporate leaders. But popular discontent from across the political spectrum is also growing, as issues including the impact of technology platforms, financial industry practices, and high-profile scandals involving prominent individuals are increasingly contributing
The End of the Voting Rights Act—and the Beginning of What?
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in the case of Louisiana v. Callais effectively dismantled Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which has been the primary tool for voting rights advocates to challenge racially discriminatory voting districts. Within days, states began altering maps, including in Louisiana where Republican Gov. Jeff Landry suspended a congressional primary—in which mail-in vot
Orban’s Ouster: Impacts on Budapest, Brussels, MAGA, and Beyond
Princeton University Professor Kim Lane Scheppele is a leading scholar of international constitutions who coined the term “Frankenstate” to describe the legal, but illiberal, tactics employed by autocrats seeking to consolidate power in constitutional democracies. She joins Terms of Engagement to explore the future of Hungary, Europe, and Trump in a world after the recent resounding defeat of Hung
How did the Democrats Lose Silicon Valley? Should They Try to Get it Back?
This special episode of Terms of Engagement featuring a conversation with political commentator and former Obama administration advisor Van Jones. explores what drove that change and what it means for the future of democracy, political power, and the influence of technology elites. The relationship between Silicon Valley and the Democratic Party has undergone a dramatic shift over the past decade,
Sedition, Partisanship, and the Future of American Justice
In early 2023, federal juries found members of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers guilty of seditious conspiracy, one of the most serious crimes under American law, for their role planning the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has moved to vacate those convictions, a legal maneuver that goes beyond the pardons he gave other January 6 defend
American Birthright: The Constitution, Citizenship, and Immigration
The American institution of birthright citizenship, which stems from English law and was codified in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, generally grants automatic citizenship to those born on U.S. soil. But in one of the first acts of his second term, President Donald Trump tried to end birthright citizenship for children undocumented immigrants and temporary workers—only to have his executiv
Navigating Unprecedented Politics: A Conversation with Kevin McCarthy
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy holds a unique vantage point on one of the most transformative eras in American politics. Having led a historic, 15-ballot effort to secure the Speakership in January 2023, McCarthy successfully steered the nation through critical moments, including negotiating a resolution to the debt ceiling crisis and passing bipartisan fiscal deals to prevent a government sh
Behind a Bipartisan Bid to Protect Election Integrity
For more than two centuries, the U.S. Constitution and legal precedent have held that elections, even for federal officeholders, are the administrative domain of state and local governments. But now President Trump and much of the Republican congress are pushing a federal bill mandating proof-of-citizenship requirements and other restrictions, which critics say would make it harder for millions of
Does ideological diversity improve campus culture?
The ideal college campus, the thinking goes, is a place where students and professors engage respectfully across the ideological gulfs that divide them. Yet free thought and expression are being squeezed from many sides: peer pressure from students and faculty, university leaders leery of the fallout from campus protests, and a presidential administration that has clear views about what kinds of s
Trump and His Billionaire Allies Make their Move on the Media
Father and son billionaire duo Larry and David Ellison, allies of President Donald Trump, are poised to add CNN and Comedy Central and soon TikTok US to their growing media empire. The Ellisons have already pushed CBS News’ programming to the Trump-friendly right, as fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos has done with the Washington Post's editorial page while laying off hundreds of journalists. Meanwhile
The Bombs to Ballots Fantasy: Can the Iran War Lead to Democracy?
The United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, killing the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other top officials in an airstrike on his presidential compound. But regime decapitation isn’t the same as regime change, which has been one of the Trump Administration’s stated goals for the conflict.
But even if the regime collapses, Boston College Associate Professor and cu
What Would Happen If Millennials and Gen Z Leaders Replaced the Gerontocracy?
The last two U.S. presidents have both faced questions of senility and cognitive decline while in office. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article on wealth distribution titled “Over 65? Congratulations, you own the economy.” Meanwhile, Millennials and members of Generation Z are finding it next to impossible to afford things older generations took for granted, like buying a home and
How Does Our Civil Rights History Shape the Future of American Democracy?
Unpacking the most pressing threats to American democracy requires deeper investigation of the historical currents shaping today’s civil rights battles. What lessons from the Civil Rights Movement remain relevant in addressing modern political conflicts? And if key voting protections continue to erode, where should the voting rights movement go from here?
In this episode, co-hosts Archon Fung and
Preparing for the Election Meltdown … or Not
The 2026 midterms are shaping up to be unlike any in recent history. While these elections traditionally serve as a standard check on the presidency, today’s landscape of federal pressures and localized flashpoints has many questioning if the old rules still apply. Are we looking at a routine political correction, or an unprecedented “election meltdown”?
In this episode, co-hosts Archon Fung and S
Inside Trump’s White House
Under President Trump, the White House looks different than ever before, from press relations to the construction of new ballroom. But how does the Trump White House actually operate—and has that approach begun to shift in 2026? Recent developments, including immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and clashes over the Kennedy Center, raise questions about whether the administration’s actions are d
So, Is It Fascism?
Few political labels are as charged as “fascism,” a term often used as an insult rather than an analytic category. But recent developments under the Trump administration have prompted a growing number of scholars and commentators to revisit the term and what it actually means, and to argue that it may be a fitting label for what’s happening in American politics today. In this episode, Archon Fung
Beyond MAGA: What Trump’s Coalition Really Looks Like
The red-hat-wearing crowd at a Trump rally has become one of the most enduring images in American politics. But according to nonprofit More in Common’s new report, Beyond MAGA: A Profile of the Trump Coalition, that picture hides a much more complex reality. Trump’s support comes from a coalition of groups with overlapping concerns but distinct identities, priorities, and worldviews. And less than
Can Venezuela Still Reclaim Democracy?
Once one of Latin America’s strongest democracies, Venezuela has endured years of economic collapse, humanitarian crisis, and authoritarian rule under Nicolás Maduro. In January 2026, a U.S. military operation captured Maduro, a move the Trump administration has characterized as an effort to remove a dictator and stabilize the country. However, questions remain about its legality and the path forw
What Does January 6 Mean Five Later?
The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol marked an unprecedented breach of democratic norms and further divided an already fractured public. Five years later, the events remain contested, as the Trump administration works to rewrite its history and debates continue over how it happened, who was responsible, and what its impact has been.This week, co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer welcome Mar
What Does the MAGA New Right Think?
The New Right blends ideas from podcasters, academics, and think tanks that push against democratic norms and multiracial inclusion. Some openly deny election legitimacy, while others promote visions of a society rooted in Christian nationalism. And yet many Americans know very little about who these figures are or what they actually believe.This week, co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer sit d
The Politics of the Epstein Files
The push to disclose the Epstein files has escalated into a highly charged political debate that has dominated recent news cycles. What began as a call for transparency around Jeffrey Epstein’s network has exposed deep rifts within both parties. On the right, populist voices are clashing with party leadership; on the left, Democrats are divided over whether the issue is a distraction or an overdue
Wait, Wait — What Happened?
From the deployment of the National Guard in D.C. to a new compact for higher education and the longest-ever government shutdown, the past few months have been packed with news. Join co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer in looking back at the last five months of headlines as they celebrate the twentieth episode of Terms of Engagement. Fung and Richer will reflect on some of the major themes the
Is America Ready to Vote by Phone?
Anchorage, Alaska, is pioneering mobile voting, allowing voters to cast ballots for municipal elections from their phones. If successful, Anchorage could offer a blueprint for the future of voting across America. But with election mistrust at record highs, will voters have faith in the accuracy of mobile votes?To discuss the latest news and the future of voting by phone, this week, co-hosts Archon
Is Fusion Voting Fair?
In the wake of New York City’s recent mayoral election, fusion voting is in the spotlight. Fusion voting—also called fusion balloting, cross-endorsement, or multiple-party nomination—is an election practice where two or more political parties nominate the same candidate for an office, allowing the candidate’s name to appear on the ballot lines of each endorsing party.Following the New York City ma
How will a lapse in federal food assistance impact millions of Americans?
For the first time in its 60-year history, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — often referred to as food stamps — ceased to distribute funds on November 1st due to the ongoing government shutdown. This lapse in funding leaves over 40 million Americans without the money they regularly receive to purchase food.This week on Terms of Engagement, co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Rich
From Congress to Kitchen Tables: Understanding the Impact of the Government Shutdown
The federal government shutdown, precipitated by Congress’s inability to reach consensus on a fiscal year 2026 budget, is nearing thirty days. The shutdown has brought some federal government programs to a grinding halt, while other government employees in essential roles continue to work with partial or no pay.One such worker is Jack Criss, an FAA Air Traffic Controller currently stationed at And
Just How Powerful Are Protests?
Over the weekend, millions of Americans took to the streets at over 2,600 ‘No Kings’ protest events. Organizers describe the movements as a push to protect democracy, protesting several actions by the Trump administration, while critics called the events a stunt and anti-American.Just how effective are protests? From the Tea Party to today, how have protest movements changed in American society? A
Is Trump’s higher education compact a bad deal but a good opportunity?
The Trump Administration’s new “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” was largely met with skepticism and criticism by university leaders, but Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, argues that we shouldn’t dismiss the opportunity the compact presents. While she asserts universities shouldn’
The Art of the Higher Education Deal?
Last week, the Trump administration introduced a new “compact” for select universities — a deal that promises priority federal support in exchange for greater alignment with the administration’s agenda. The government is billing it as a great deal, while critics see it as political interference in higher education. This week, Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined by Joseph Fishkin, Professor o
Trump Targets Domestic Terrorism, James Comey Indicted
Last week, President Trump signed a memorandum targeting “domestic terrorism and organized political violence.” It directs federal agencies — from the Department of Justice to the IRS — to investigate and prosecute groups and individuals accused of fostering political violence. While Antifa is named explicitly, the memo is widely viewed as focusing on what the administration calls “left-wing terro
The Fight Over Free Speech
Over the past week, comments about Charlie Kirk's assassination have resulted in several employees being sanctioned or fired. Notably, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel after he made comments on his late-night show; however, recent reports indicate his show is returning.Is free speech in decline in the U.S.? Are firings and sanctions a breach of the First Amendment, or are private employers simply exerci
Trying to Understand Political Violence in the US
The recent assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk drew impassioned responses from across America’s political spectrum. This week on Terms of Engagement, Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. Stirling, Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, will join Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to examine the broader issue of political violence in the U.S.—whether it is t
Court Blocks Trump’s Freeze of Harvard Funds — What’s Next?
On Wednesday, September 3rd, a federal judge in Boston found the Trump Administration’s freeze of over $2 billion in federal grants to Harvard illegal, ruling that the government violated the University’s First Amendment rights. The Trump Administration originally withheld the funds over allegations that Harvard failed to address antisemitism on campus. In response to the ruling, the administratio
Will President Trump Make the Trains Run on Time?
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced the federal government will reclaim management of Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, citing safety concerns, homelessness, and long-delayed repairs. He pledged new investment aligned with President Trump’s vision to revitalize the station and the city. Hours later, Deputy Secretary Steven Bradbury floated a similar move for Boston’s South
Election Administration Fight Forms: Trump vs. Mail-In Ballots and Voting Machines
President Trump recently announced on social media his plans to “lead a movement” to ban mail-in ballots and voting machines. Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, he outlined his intention to sign an executive order that would stop the use of mail-in voting and curb the use of voting machines, which he accused of being “highly inaccurate” compared to paper ballots.This week, Archon Fung and Stephe
From Cherry Blossoms to Checkpoints: Police Takeover, National Guard and Federal Agents Deploy in DC
Last week, President Donald Trump flexed the federal government’s power over the nation’s capital to address what he sees as a city “overtaken” by crime and homelessness. He invoked a power that allowed him to take over the city’s police department and deployed the National Guard and federal agents to patrol the city.This week, Juliette Kayyem, a national leader in homeland security and crisis man
South Park and the Power of Political Parody
The newest season of “South Park” premiered with a parody of President Donald Trump and in the second episode, a satirical jab at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since airing, the show’s lampooning of the current administration has drawn ire from the White House and praise from the President’s critics.This week, Michelle Goldberg, an opinion columnist for The New York
The Great American Redistrict-Off
Texas GOP lawmakers recently unveiled a new draft district map, created to flip several House seats from blue to red. In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced his intention to respond with a California map that favored Democrats, despite California’s existing independent redistricting commission. Maryland, Illinois, and New York could also be poised to engineer maps to produce more
Censorship by Settlement?
On July 23rd, Columbia University announced it reached a deal with the Trump administration that involves a $220 million payment; an agreement to suspend, expel, or revoke degrees from some 70 students; as well as a report to a monitor to ensure their programs “do not promote unlawful DEI goals.”What does this settlement mean for higher education? Are the First Amendment rights of Columbia and oth
Democracy: The Worst Form of Government — Except All the Rest?
Video Credit: Surrounded - 1 Progressive vs 20 Far-Right Conservatives (ft. Mehdi Hasan)
About Terms of Engagement From rank-choice voting to reconciliation, American democracy is headline news. Let’s talk about it. Join Harvard Ash Center's Archon Fung and Stephen Richer for a weekly conversation about the latest developments in American politics. Blending perspectives from both the political ri
ICE Expansion, Raids, Protests, and Democracy
Hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer discuss the expansion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), ongoing raids and deportations, protests, and the implications for democracy from government responsiveness to transparency and accountability. About Terms of Engagement
From rank-choice voting to reconciliation, American democracy is
headline news. Let’s talk about it.
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