Danielle Allen
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA USA
"Empowerment is the bedrock for human thriving."
Career Roadmap
Danielle's work combines: Politics, Education, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Classics
Princeton University
Graduate Degree
Philosophy
University of Cambridge
Doctorate
Philosophy
University of Cambridge
Graduate Degree
Government
Harvard University
Doctorate
Government
Harvard University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up with democracy in my bones—my granddad helped start one of Florida’s first NAACP chapters, and my great-grandparents on my mom’s side fought for women’s voting rights.
2.
I began my career as a professor at the University of Chicago, where teaching night classes for adults changed the way I understood the power of democratic texts like the Declaration of Independence.
3.
After losing my cousin in 2009 to gun violence, I committed my life’s work to making democracy serve and protect every generation.
4.
I launched my career as a political philosopher, but felt called to expand beyond academia and into public policy and advocacy for democratic renewal.
5.
A 9% approval rating for Congress was a wake-up call: our first branch of government was broken and I knew I had to help fix it.
6.
I founded the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation to explore how we can renovate democracy by empowering people and redesigning our political institutions.
7.
I’m currently teaching and guiding research at Harvard University, but my advocacy for democracy and civic education expands beyond the university as well.
