The Institutions of Democracy working group published a series of essays, "Six Ways to Reform Democracy" in the Boston Review’s September/October 2006 issue, “Seeds of Change.” With an introduction from Heather Gerken (Yale Law School), the essays offer six ideas to improve democratic governance in the United States.
In 2006, the National Security working group published How to Make America Safe (The Tobin Project), a compilation of scholars' papers on the topic. The papers advocate a broad strategy that combats terrorism on all fronts - not only on the battlefield - and that directs our resources toward the unique threats of the post-9/11 era. Such a strategy would, at a minimum, accomplish five key objectives:
In June 2006, the Tobin Project piloted its working group model during two full-day sessions. Eleven scholars from the National Security working group met in Cambridge with Congressman Ike Skelton (Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee), Congresswoman Jane Harman (Ranking Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence), and Rear Admiral Mark Ferguson (Chief of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Navy). Ten members of the Institutions of Democracy working group met in Washington, D.C.
In 2006, the Tobin project opened offices in Harvard Square as a place for staff to support scholars and for scholars to meet to exchange ideas. Three full-time staff were recruited and hired. The project engaged an editor and policy advisor part-time to provide additional support. The summer research assistant program began and brought in four research assistants from Harvard University, Brown University and Amherst College to assist in recruiting and supporting professors in their research.