Religion, Society and Security
The program views the development of the post-Soviet space through the prism of religion, ethnicity and other socio-cultural factors. Particular attention is paid to the role of Islam, problems of nationalism and the formation of political and economic elites. The program studies the situation in Central Asia and in the Caucasus, the position of ethnic minorities and inter-ethnic relations in various Russian regions, including Chechnya, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and Dagestan, and the sustainable development of the oil and gas producing countries of the Caspian basin.
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Translations
- Русский
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Militant Attack on Tsentoroi Village
The militant attack on Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov’s home village has shown the vulnerability of the Kadyrov regime, which is commonly considered the most successful in the North Caucasus and quite capable of guaranteeing stability.
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Russia and the Crisis in Osh
As Moscow grapples with the question of whether to intervene to stop the violence in southern Kyrgyzstan, it is forced to confront a vexing issue: can Russia utilize its political and military potential to help resolve local and regional conflicts in Central Asia?
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U.S. Should Avoid Backroom Deals on Kyrgyzstan
The U.N. special envoy to Kyrgyzstan is working alongside the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to bring a peaceful resolution to the crisis there. The United States should resist the temptation to engage in a backroom deal to decide Kyrgyzstan’s fate.
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Is a Regional Strategy Viable in Afghanistan?
President Obama has placed a greater emphasis on the need for a regional approach to Afghanistan. Leading experts analyze what a regional strategy would mean in practice through the eyes of key states, including Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and India, and what it could mean for U.S. policy.
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Afghanistan: A View from Moscow
Despite its importance, Russia’s perspective on the war in Afghanistan has typically been missing from previous analyses of coalition policy. Moscow views Afghanistan largely through the prism of security threats to itself and its Central Asian neighborhood.
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Building Relations with the Muslim World
The tense relations between the Muslim world and the rest of the world remain one of the biggest problems in global politics today. Moving forward, both sides must work together to recognize the inevitability of conflict and seek avenues for peaceful mitigation.
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Instability in Kyrgyzstan: The International Response
The international community can help bring much-needed stability to Kyrgyzstan, which has experienced violent ethnic clashes as its leaders lay the groundwork for Central Asia’s first genuine parliamentary democracy.
Featured Event
Kyrgyzstan: Challenges of the Upcoming Parliamentary Elections and Investigations into Ethnic Clashes
Following the June violence, Kyrgyzstan remains gripped by uncertainty surrounding rebuilding in the South and the upcoming parliamentary election. There is a strong potential for continued conflict in the country if these issues are not addressed.
Kyrgyzstan - Country in Transition
Experts & Staff
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Kristina Kudlaenko
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Alexey Malashenko
Alexey Malashenko, an expert on Russian and Eurasian politics, is also a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. -
Martha Brill Olcott
Olcott is professor emerita at Colgate University, having taught political science there from 1974 to 2002. Prior to her work at the Endowment, Olcott served as a special consultant to former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger.