Episodes

  • Will President Trump Make the Trains Run on Time?

    Will President Trump Make the Trains Run on Time?
    Sep 3 2025
    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 Station.Are these actions long-overdue investments in critical infrastructure—or signs of an expanding federal reach? This week, Former Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, now the Emma Bloomberg Professor of Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, joins Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement to discuss.About this Week’s GuestAnthony Foxx is the Emma Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership. He previously served as the 17th U.S. Secretary of Transportation where he led the agency’s effort to advance new transportation technologies, promote public private partnerships, and address past inequities in transportation decision-making using executive authority. Among his initiatives at the Department of Transportation (DOT) were releasing the world’s first national guidance on integrating driverless vehicles into the transportation system, successfully advocating for long-term transportation funding on a bipartisan basis, launching the agency’s first Smart City Challenge, advancing commercial uses of unmanned aircraft systems, starting the Build America Center to advance public-private partnerships in U.S. infrastructure and updating departmental guidance under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for the first time in 40 years. Under his leadership, transportation fairness became a requirement for discretionary grant-making, and, having deployed more than $30 billion in grants over his tenure, new examples of more equitable, context-sensitive transportation projects in urban and rural areas are still being planned or are under construction today. Other initiatives to promote greater fairness included a national design challenge known as Every Place Counts and a national summit of ordinary Americans to share best practices on impacting the public input process in local and state transportation decision-making.Prior to his tenure at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Anthony served as Mayor of Charlotte, the 54th and youngest in the history of the city. 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 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. Contact UsSend questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu. About the HostsArchon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.” About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationThe Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government. Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    29 mins
  • Election Administration Fight Forms: Trump vs. Mail-In Ballots and Voting Machines

    Election Administration Fight Forms: Trump vs. Mail-In Ballots and Voting Machines
    Aug 27 2025

    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 Stephen Richer discuss the assertions about mail-in voting and machines, the executive branch’s authority over elections, and what this portends for future elections and voter participation.

    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 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.

    Contact Us

    Send questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu.

    About the Hosts

    Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.

    Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.

    Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.”

    About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

    The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government.

    Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    35 mins
  • From Cherry Blossoms to Checkpoints: Police Takeover, National Guard and Federal Agents Deploy in DC

    From Cherry Blossoms to Checkpoints: Police Takeover, National Guard and Federal Agents Deploy in DC
    Aug 20 2025
    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 management, joined Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to discuss these latest developments and what they mean for Washington, D.C. and democracy more broadly.About this Week’s GuestIn academia, the private sector, government and media, Juliette Kayyem is a national leader in homeland security and crisis management. She is currently the Robert and Renee Belfer Senior Lecturer and faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Security and Global Health Projects at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Professor Kayyem also serves as a national security analyst for CNN where she has been described as CNN’s “go to” for disasters. A frequent contributor to The Atlantic, she has a weekly security segment on NPR’s Boston station WGBH.In government, she most recently served as President Obama’s Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. Previously, she was Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s Homeland Security Advisor, a role that included overseeing the National Guard. She is the recipient of many government honors, including the Distinguished Public Service Award, the Coast Guard’s highest medal awarded to a civilian. She has also served on the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Advisory Committee where she co-authored its strategic assessment of critical infrastructure and cyber security vulnerabilities.Video Credit: James Comer on Newsmax's Wake Up America, White House video posted on X, and footage of a man throwing a sandwich at federal agents. 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 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. Contact UsSend questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu. About the HostsArchon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.” About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationThe Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government. Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    32 mins
  • South Park and the Power of Political Parody

    South Park and the Power of Political Parody
    Aug 13 2025

    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 Times, joins Stephen Richer and Archon Fung to discuss these recent episodes and the role political satires, such as “South Park,” play in political discourse.

    About this Week’s Guest

    Michelle Goldberg is an opinion columnist at The New York Times, where she writes about politics and culture from a left-leaning, feminist point of view, though she tries to seek out stories that challenge her preconceptions. Goldberg is particularly interested in the rise of authoritarianism in both America and around the world, the state of the progressive movement, and the evolution of gender relations.

    Before joining The New York Times, Goldberg was a columnist at Slate, and her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Nation, The New Republic, and many other publications. Her first book, “Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism,” was about religious authoritarianism in American politics.

    Referenced in this Episode

    ‘South Park’ Skewers a New Kind of Sanctimony

    Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times

    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/opinion/south-park-trump-conservatives.html

    Video Credit: South Park, Season 27, Episode 1: “The Sermon on the Mount” (Paramount)

    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 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.

    Contact Us

    Send questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu.

    About the Hosts

    Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.

    Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.

    Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.”

    About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

    The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government.

    Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    32 mins
  • The Great American Redistrict-Off

    The Great American Redistrict-Off
    Aug 6 2025

    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 House seats likely to be won by Democrats.

    On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Harvard Law School’s Nicholas Stephanopoulos, Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law, joined Archon Fung and Stephen Richer on Terms of Engagement to discuss redistricting, how these map (re)drawing efforts will impact voters, and answer the question: Can we ever put a stop to gerrymandering in the US?

    About this Week’s Guest

    Nicholas Stephanopoulos is the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Stephanopoulos’s research and teaching interests include election law, constitutional law, administrative law, legislation, and comparative law. His work is particularly focused on the intersection of democratic theory, empirical political science, and the American electoral system. He is the author of Aligning Election Law (2024) and a coauthor of Election Law: Cases and Materials (7th ed. 2022). He has also written for popular publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Atlantic, New Republic, Slate, and Vox. He has been involved in several litigation efforts as well, including two partisan gerrymandering cases based on his scholarship and decided by the Supreme Court. He continues to work on litigation and advocacy as the Director of Strategy of Harvard Law School’s Election Law Clinic.

    Video: ABC10 and WTEN

    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 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.

    Contact Us

    Send questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu.

    About the Hosts

    Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.

    Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.

    Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.”

    About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

    The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government.

    Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    31 mins
  • Censorship by Settlement?

    Censorship by Settlement?
    Jul 30 2025
    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 other universities being infringed?This week, Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined by Suresh Naidu, Professor of International and Public Affairs and Jack Wang and Echo Ren Professor of Economics at Columbia University, to discuss what this deal portends for higher education, democracy, and free speech.About this Week’s GuestSuresh Naidu is Jack Wang and Echo Ren Professor of Economics and Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He has a B.Math in Pure Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, a MA in economics from the University of Massachussetts-Amherst, and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley. He was a Harvard Academy fellow from 2008-2010, and has been at Columbia since 2010. He works on political economy and historical labor markets. He has interests in the economic effects of democracy and non-democracy, monopsony in labor markets, the economics of American slavery, guest worker migration, and labor unions and labor organizing. He is external faculty at the Santa Fe Institute, a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and co-director of the Columbia Center on Political Economy.Referenced in this EpisodeSuresh Naidu, New York Times, “Columbia’s Administrators are Fooling Themselves” (July 23, 2025):https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/opinion/trump-columbia-deal-professor.htmlManhattan Institute Statement on Higher Education:https://manhattan.institute/article/the-manhattan-statement-on-higher-educationDavid Pozen, Regulation By Deal (July 23, 2025)https://balkin.blogspot.com/2025/07/regulation-by-deal-comes-to-higher-ed.htmlPBS Newshour Interview with Michael Roth, President, Wesleyan University (July 24, 2025)https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-columbias-settlement-with-the-trump-administration-means-for-higher-educationQ&A With Larry Summers, “The Best Day Higher Ed Has Had in a Year” Chronicle of Higher Education (July 24, 2025)https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-best-day-higher-ed-has-had-in-a-year Video Credit: PBS Newshour and The Princess Bride directed by Rob Reiner 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 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. Contact UsSend questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu. About the HostsArchon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.” About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationThe Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government. Music Credit: Straight...
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    32 mins
  • Democracy: The Worst Form of Government — Except All the Rest?

    Democracy: The Worst Form of Government — Except All the Rest?
    Jul 23 2025

    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 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.

    Contact Us

    Send questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu.

    About the Hosts

    Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT.

    Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.

    Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.”

    About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

    The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government.

    Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    31 mins
  • ICE Expansion, Raids, Protests, and Democracy

    ICE Expansion, Raids, Protests, and Democracy
    Jul 16 2025
    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. 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. Contact Us Send questions, ideas, and feedback to us at info@ash.harvard.edu. About the Hosts Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. His research explores policies, practices, and institutional designs that deepen the quality of democratic governance with a focus on public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He has authored five books, four edited collections, and over fifty articles appearing in professional journals. He received two S.B.s — in philosophy and physics — and his Ph.D. in political science from MIT. Stephen Richer is the former elected Maricopa County Recorder, responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings in Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States. Prior to being an elected official, Stephen worked at several public policy think tanks and as a business transactions attorney.  Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University. Stephen has been broadly recognized for his work in elections and American Democracy.  In 2021, the Arizona Republic named Stephen “Arizonan of the Year.”  In 2022, the Maricopa Bar Association awarded Stephen “Public Law Attorney of the Year.”  In 2023, Stephen won “Leader of the Year” from the Arizona Capitol Times.  And in 2024, Time Magazine named Stephen a “Defender of Democracy.” About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School, is Harvard’s hub for the study, discussion, and analysis of democracy. The Ash Center’s mission is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government. Music Credit: Straight to the Point, Music Media Group
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    31 mins