The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School has launched a new initiative titled the Sports, Democracy, and Civic Health program. This initiative aims to explore the relationship between professional sports, sports fandom, and civic engagement in the United States.
Led by Tova Wang, who serves as the director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center, the program seeks to connect scholars, election officials, democracy advocates, sports organizations, leagues, athletes, and civic organizations. It will investigate how the sense of community and identity that sports foster can help to build trust, reduce polarization, promote civic participation, and strengthen connections among diverse groups.
### Goals of the Initiative
The Sports, Democracy, and Civic Health program focuses on three primary objectives:
1. Reframe the perception of sports from being solely an entertainment industry to a platform that fosters community and contributes to civic, democratic, and social well-being.
2. Compile and disseminate research and narratives that illustrate how being a sports fan can promote trust, compassion, social connection, and civic participation.
3. Provide actionable strategies for teams, leagues, athletes, civic organizations, and researchers to harness the unifying power of sports to enhance democratic engagement.
Wang emphasized the significance of sports in American life, noting that for many individuals, sports serve as a space where people from varying backgrounds come together around a common identity and purpose. This shared experience, she suggests, has potential as an invaluable yet underutilized resource for enhancing democracy in the United States.
The initiative builds upon over five years of work by the Reimagining Democracy Program, which has conducted research on how sports teams can leverage their fan bases and venues to boost voter engagement and participation in democratic processes.
The program has gathered a diverse group of contributors, including policy advisors, sports executives, professors, and community specialists. Some notable participants include Lara Brown, a political scientist; Michael Butterworth, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin; and Donte Stallworth, a former NFL player.
Further research and public programming related to this initiative are expected to be announced in the coming months.
### Why It Matters
This initiative highlights the potential of sports to serve as a vehicle for civic engagement and democratic participation. By harnessing the communal nature of sports, the program seeks to address issues related to social polarization and to promote active citizenship in America. As sports continue to play a significant role in American culture, understanding their impact on democratic engagement may provide new solutions to fostering a more connected and participatory society.
