Want to Fix Democracy? Start with Colleges, says Danielle Allen.
Thu Feb 05 2026
Higher education is in crisis. Trust in universities is low, tuition prices are out of reach for many Americans, and there are accusations of ideological bias on campus. Harvard University’s democracy expert Danielle Allen says this crisis is not just an educational problem, it threatens our entire country. Allen said she was excited to hear Trump calling for a new compact between the government and higher ed - but she has notes. This week on Say More, opinion page editor Jim Dao asks Allen about the roots of her interest in democracy and her answer takes us from ancient Greece to Cornel West’s Princeton office. Email us at saymore@globe.com.
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Higher education is in crisis. Trust in universities is low, tuition prices are out of reach for many Americans, and there are accusations of ideological bias on campus. Harvard University’s democracy expert Danielle Allen says this crisis is not just an educational problem, it threatens our entire country. Allen said she was excited to hear Trump calling for a new compact between the government and higher ed - but she has notes. This week on Say More, opinion page editor Jim Dao asks Allen about the roots of her interest in democracy and her answer takes us from ancient Greece to Cornel West’s Princeton office. Email us at saymore@globe.com.