{"id":4402231137704,"date":"2025-07-15T13:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T13:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.philanthropy.com\/zwjiqavjjdzz\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T10:02:52","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T14:02:52","slug":"danielle-allen-interview-democracy-philanthropy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.philanthropy.com\/news\/danielle-allen-interview-democracy-philanthropy\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Pick Your Lane’: Democracy Advocate Danielle Allen\u2019s Advice for Philanthropy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Danielle Allen has what she calls a \u201cdouble-barrel\u201d approach to democracy reform. With the first barrel, the Harvard scholar and author wants to fix our systems of governance and elections that are no longer responsive to the concerns of the people. That means changes like increasing the size of the House of Representatives, introducing ranked-choice voting, and establishing 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The second barrel aims for change outside Washington. She believes civics education, bridge-building, and efforts to restore community can mend a civic culture torn apart by technology, dislocation, and polarization.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve actually got to work on institutions and culture at the same time,\u201d she said in a conversation with Chronicle<\/i> of Philanthropy<\/i> senior editor Drew Lindsay. Her message for philanthropy: \u201cPick a lane.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think philanthropists need to ask, \u2018Who am I? Which of those things is right for me?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Allen, the director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation<\/a> at the Harvard Kennedy School, recently spoke with Lindsay in The Commons in Conversation<\/a>, the Chronicle<\/i>\u2019s monthly interview series with leaders, advocates, and thinkers who are working to bring Americans together across divides.<\/p>\n

Listen to the conversation on Apple<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, or anywhere you get your podcasts. Or watch the discussion on the Chronicle of Philanthropy\u2019<\/i>s YouTube channel<\/u><\/a>. Below are some highlights, edited for clarity and brevity.<\/p>\n

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