About Us

Mission

The Jamestown Foundation’s mission is to inform policymakers and the broader community about events and trends in societies that are critical to the United States and its partners. Jamestown provides objective analysis and context, drawing upon indigenous and primary sources.

Programs

The Jamestown Foundation’s main publications are China Brief, Eurasia Daily Monitor and Terrorism Monitor. Click on the map below to explore them.

About Us

 

Origins

Founded in 1984 by William Geimer, The Jamestown Foundation made a direct contribution to the downfall of Communism through its dissemination of information about the closed totalitarian societies of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

William Geimer worked with Arkady Shevchenko, the highest-ranking Soviet official ever to defect when he left his position as undersecretary general of the United Nations. Shevchenko’s memoir “Breaking With Moscow” revealed the details of Soviet superpower diplomacy, arms control strategy and tactics in the Third World, at the height of the Cold War. Through its work with Shevchenko, Jamestown rapidly became the leading source of information about the inner workings of the captive nations of the former Communist Bloc. In addition to Shevchenko, Jamestown assisted the former top Romanian intelligence officer Ion Pacepa in writing his memoirs. Jamestown ensured that both men published their insights and experience in what became bestselling books. Even today, several decades later, some credit Pacepa’s revelations about Ceausescu’s regime in his bestselling book Red Horizons with the fall of that government and the freeing of Romania.

The Jamestown Foundation has emerged as a leading provider of information about Eurasia. Our research and analysis on conflict and instability in Eurasia enabled Jamestown to become one of the most reliable sources of information on the post-Soviet space, the Caucasus and Central Asia as well as China. Furthermore, since 9/11, Jamestown has utilized its network of indigenous experts in more than 50 different countries to conduct research and analysis on terrorism and the growth of al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda offshoots throughout the globe.

By drawing on our ever-growing global network of experts, Jamestown has become a vital source of unfiltered, open-source information about major conflict zones around the world—from the Black Sea to Siberia, from the Persian Gulf to Latin America and the Pacific. Our core of intellectual talent includes former high-ranking government officials and military officers, political scientists, journalists, scholars and economists. Their insight contributes significantly to policymakers engaged in addressing today’s newly emerging global threats in the post 9/11 world.

 

Nikolai Getman: The Gulag Collection

In 1946, an artist named Nikolai Getman was imprisoned in the Soviet Union’s GULAG, a system of forced labor camps across Siberia and the interior of the USSR. Upon his release in 1954, Getman commenced a public career as a politically correct painter. Secretly, however, for more than four decades, Getman labored at creating a visual record of the GULAG, which vividly depicts all aspects of the horrendous life (and death) so many innocent millions experienced during that infamous era. Getman’s collection is unique because it is the only visual record known to exist of this tragic phenomenon. In early 1997, The Jamestown Foundation learned of The Gulag Collection and that Getman was desperate to get the painting transported to the West; he feared that upon his death they would be destroyed. With the financial support of Jim Kimsey, The Jamestown Foundation brought the paintings to the United States, where in 1997 they were put on display in the U.S. Congress. The Collection remained with Jamestown until 2009, when it was permanently transferred to the Heritage Foundation, where it resides today (heritage.org).

 

Donor Privacy & Confidentiality Policy

Effective Date: January 2023

At The Jamestown Foundation, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our donors’ personal information. This Donor Privacy and Confidentiality Policy outlines our commitment to protecting donor data and privacy and describes how we collect, use, store, and share donor information. By interacting with our organization and providing your personal information, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

  1. Information Collection: We collect personal information from donors when they engage in activities such as making donations, signing up for our publications, newsletters, or participating in events. The information we collect may include:
    • Name, address, email address, and phone number
    • Donation history and contribution details
    • Payment information (credit card details, bank account numbers, etc.)
    • Communication preferences
  1. Use of Information: We use the collected donor information for the following purposes:
    • Processing donations and providing donation acknowledgements
    • Communicating with donors about our activities, events, and campaigns
    • Sending newsletters and other relevant updates
    • Conducting donor surveys and feedback requests
    • Internal record-keeping and analysis
  1. Data Security: We take reasonable measures to protect donor data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. We use industry-standard security practices to safeguard the information we collect, including encryption, secure networks, and access controls. However, please note that no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.
  2. Third-Party Disclosure: We do not sell, trade, or rent donor information to third parties. However, we may share certain data with trusted service providers who assist us in carrying out our activities, such as payment processors or email service providers. These service providers are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of the data and can only use it for the purposes specified by us.
  3. Donor Rights: Donors have the right to:
    • Access their personal information held by us
    • Request corrections or updates to their information
    • Opt-out of receiving future communications
    • Request the deletion of their personal information, subject to legal obligations

To exercise these rights or for any questions regarding this policy, donors can contact us using the provided contact information.

8. Data Retention: We retain donor data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law. When donor information is no longer needed, we securely dispose of or anonymize it to prevent unauthorized access.

9. Policy Updates: We may update this Donor Privacy and Confidentiality Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We encourage donors to review this policy periodically for any updates. The revised policy will be effective immediately upon posting on our website.

 

Zana K. Gulmohamad

Zana K. Gulmohamad is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Politics Department at the University of Sheffield in the UK, researching Iraqi and Kurdish politics, security... MORE

Ihor Kabanenko

Ihor Kabanenko is a retired admiral with the Ukrainian Navy. From 1983 to 1990, he served in the Soviet Navy in various positions up to... MORE

Sirwan Kajjo

Sirwan Kajjo is a Syrian-Kurdish analyst based in Washington, D.C. He writes extensively about Syrian and Kurdish politics.

Vali Kaleji

Dr. Vali Kaleji is an expert on Central Asia and Caucasian Studies in Tehran, Iran. His recent publications in Persian include: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization... MORE

Roy D. Kamphausen

Roy D. Kamphausen is the Director of the Washington, DC office, and Director of National Security Affairs at The National Bureau of Asian Research. He... MORE

Elsa Kania

Elsa B. Kania is an adjunct fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, where she focuses... MORE

Ashok Kapur

Dr. Kapur is Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo, Ontario. He is the author of Pokhran and Beyond, second edition in... MORE

Theodore Karasik

Dr. Theodore Karasik is the Fellow on Russian and Middle Eastern Affairs at the Jamestown Foundation. He is also currently a Senior Advisor to Gulf... MORE

Saban Kardas

Saban Kardas works as Assistant Professor of International Relations at the TOBB, Economy and Technology University in Ankara, Turkey.

Isaac Kardon

Isaac B. Kardon is a Contract Researcher at the Center for Strategic Research at National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies. The views expressed... MORE

Jesse Karotkin

Jesse Karotkin is a Senior China Analyst with the Department of the Navy. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and... MORE

Merle Kartscher

Merle Kartscher is a Yenching Scholar at Peking University.

Can Kasapoglu

Dr. Can Kasapoglu is a defense analyst.  Dr. Kasapoglu holds a M.Sci. degree from the Turkish Military Academy and a Ph.D. from the Turkish War College.... MORE

Aida Kasymalieva

Aida Kasymalieva is a leading expert from Kyrgyzstan who lives is Moscow and writes for RFE/RL and other outlets.

Kazuyo Kato

Kazuyo Kato is an associate with Armitage International.

Hiro Katsumata

Hiro Katsumata, Ph.D., is Research Associate of the Centre for Governance and International Affairs at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

Mark Katz

Mark N. Katz is a professor of government and politics at George Mason University. His recent publications include, “Osama bin Laden as Transnational Revolutionary Leader,”... MORE

Bernd Kaussler

Dr. Bernd Kaussler holds a MA and PhD from the University of St. Andrews and is currently Assistant Professor in Political Science at James Madison... MORE

Michael E. Kavoukjian

Michael E. Kavoukjian is a partner of the international law firm White & Case and chairman of the firm's Global Private Clients Group. The Firm... MORE

Harry Kazianis

Harry J. Kazianis serves as Managing Editor for the National Interest and Non-Resident WSD Handa Fellow, CSIS: PACNET. He previously served as Editor of The... MORE

Timothy Keating

Admiral Timothy Keating is a highly decorated, retired Admiral in the U.S. Navy and the former Commander of the United States Pacific Command (CINCPAC), where... MORE

Omar Kebbe

Omar Kebbe is a Middle East and North Africa Analyst at Navanti Group, a geopolitical risk firm specializing in hard-to-access areas, and graduate of George... MORE

Thomas E. Kellogg

Thomas E. Kellogg is Program Officer and Advisor to the President at the Open Society Institute.

David Kelly

Professor David Kelly is a Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore.

Jason Kelly

Jason Kelly is a research assistant at the RAND Corporation.

Emma Kelly

Emma Kelly is a recent graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a B.A. in Sociology and minors in International Relations and Political Science.... MORE

J. Bryan Kennard

J. Bryan Kennard is a senior Political Science student at Muskingum University.

Conor Kennedy

Conor Kennedy is an Instructor at the China Maritime Studies Institute of the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He received his MA... MORE

Thomas Kent

Thomas Kent is the former president and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and a specialist in Russian affairs and international journalism. In a lengthy... MORE

Aynur Kerimu

Aynur Kerimu is currently an analyst at The Jamestown Foundation. She is a recent graduate of Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service, where she... MORE

Nazery Khalid

Nazery Khalid is a Research Fellow at the Maritime Institute of Malaysia

Lydia Khalil

Lydia Khalil recently returned from Iraq where she worked as governance policy advisor for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. Prior to that, Lydia was... MORE

Afzal Khan

Afzal Khan is a political and terrorism analyst of the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. After many years as a Writer-Editor with the former U.S. Information Agency and... MORE

Mukhtar A. Khan

Mukhtar A. Khan is a Pashtun journalist based in Washington, D.C., covering the issues of Taliban and al-Qaeda in Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions. Since 9/11, he... MORE

Massoud Khodabandeh

Massoud Khodabandeh is a former member of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq, and mainly served in the organization's intelligence/security department. Khodabandeh left the Mojahedin in 1996 and currently... MORE

Mustafa Kibaroglu

Dr. Mustafa Kibaroglu teaches courses on international security and Turkish foreign policy in the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey.

Mikyoung Kim

Dr. Mikyoung Kim is a Faculty Researcher at Hiroshima Peace Institute/Hiroshima City University in Japan.

Alexander Kim

Alexander Kim is an expert on Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region.

Ryan Kinsella

Ryan Kinsella is a Research Associate for Russia at DGI. He has studied in Moscow and holds an M.A. in International Politics with a focus... MORE

Jacob W. Kipp

Jacob W. Kipp (1942-2021) retired from federal service in September 2009 and then worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Kansas. He received... MORE

Peter Kirechu

Peter Kirechu is the former director of the Conflict Finance and Irregular Threats Program at the Center for Advanced and Defense Studies (C4ADS). He is... MORE

Ksenia Kirillova

Ksenia Kirillova is an investigative journalist and analyst focused on analyzing Russian society and mechanisms of action of Russian propaganda (including in the US) along... MORE

Maryanne Kivlehan-Wise

Maryanne Kivlehan-Wise is director of the China Studies Program at CNA. The views expressed are her own and do not reflect the position of CNA... MORE

Ondřej Klimeš

Ondřej Klimeš is a researcher at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, where he focuses on China and Xinjiang politics, propaganda, and... MORE

David Knox

David Knox is a Senior Geopolitical and Military Affairs Specialist for the Department of Defense.

Eugene Kogan

Dr. Eugene Kogan is currently a guest researcher at the International Institute for Liberal Policy in Vienna. He is a defense industry analyst with expertise... MORE

Jiri Kominek

Jiri Kominek is an independent journalist based in Prague. Since 1993 he has covered business, political and security developments throughout Central and Eastern Europe, the... MORE

Natalia Konarzewska

Natalia Konarzewska is a graduate of University of Warsaw and is a freelance expert and analyst with a focus on political and economic developments in... MORE

Zaina Konbaz

Zaina Konbaz is currently a research assistant at the Middle East Institute (MEI). She has a master's degree in political science from George Mason University.... MORE

Srikanth Kondapalli

Srikanth Kondapalli is the Dean of School of International Studies and a Professor of China studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

Carlo Kopp

Carlo Kopp, Ph.D., is head of capability analysis with the Air Power Australia think tank, a research fellow in regional military strategy at the Monash... MORE

Sanna Kopra

Dr. Sanna Kopra is a Senior Researcher at the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, Finland, and a Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute,... MORE

Victor Korgun

Victor Korgun is a Doctor of Historical Sciences and Chief of the Afghanistan Department at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of... MORE

Maksut Kosker

Maksut Kosker is an Erbil-based Kurdish journalist and International Relations professional. He received his B.A. degree from Girne American University with a specialization in International... MORE

Daniel Koss

Daniel Koss is a research scholar and lecturer at Harvard’s Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations. He works on political parties and their history,... MORE

Panos A. Kostakos

Panos A. Kostakos is Ph.D candidate and teaching associate in the Department of European Studies and Modern Languages at the University of Bath. His main... MORE

Daniel Kostecka

Daniel Kostecka is a Senior China Analyst with the Department of the Navy. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and... MORE

Asbed Kotchikian

Asbed Kotchikian is a PhD candidate in political science at Boston University. His areas of interest include the post-Soviet South Caucasus and the Middle East,... MORE

Meaghan Koudelka

Meaghan Koudelka is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in southern Morocco and is an associate of the Institute for the Study of Counter-Terrorism... MORE

Annie Kowalewski

Annie Kowalewski received her MA from Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies. She focuses on PLA modernization, Chinese military strategy, and US defense policy in... MORE

Bartosz Kowalski

Bartosz Kowalski is an assistant professor at the Department of Asian Studies of the University of Łódź, Poland, and researcher of its Center for Asian... MORE

Nikolay Kozhanov

Nikolay Kozhanov is an academy associate at the Russia and Eurasia Program, Chatham House, and a visiting lecturer on the political economy of the Middle East at... MORE

Vitaly Kozyrev

Dr. Vitaly Kozyrev is an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Endicott College, Beverly, MA. He is an expert on Chinese-Russian relations... MORE

Johnathan Krause

Johnathan Krause's interests include exploring issues about Afghanistan and the Central Asian states.  He studied at the University of Wisconsin as a graduate student at... MORE

Onnik James Krikorian

Onnik James Krikorian is a journalist and consultant from the United Kingdom who has been based in the South Caucasus since 1998. He has worked... MORE

Mateusz Kubiak

Mateusz Kubiak is a managing partner at the Warsaw-based Esperis consultancy. He graduated in International Relations with an honors degree in East European Studies from... MORE

Maria Kucherenko

Maria Kucherenko is an analyst with the Ukrainian "Come Back Alive" Foundation.

Mykhailo Kukhar

Mykhailo Kukhar is a professor of macroeconomics at EMBA, MIM Business School, and a senior economist with Ukraine Economic Outlook.

Yasir Kuoti

Yasir Kuoti is a former consultant in the Institute of National Strategic Studies at National Defense University.

Yasir Yosef Kuoti

Yasir Yosef Kuoti is a Middle East Analyst at Navanti Group, where he currently works on Yemen affairs. He lived and traveled extensively throughout the Middle... MORE

Roman Kupchinsky

Roman Kupchinsky was born in Vienna, Austria and immigrated to the United States in 1949. He graduated with a degree in Political Science from Long... MORE

Katherine Kurata

Katherine Kurata serves the Special Competitive Studies Project as an Associate Director for Intelligence. Prior to SCSP, Katherine was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Moldova... MORE

Taras Kuzio

Taras Kuzio is a professor of political science at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy and an associate research fellow at the London-based think... MORE

Aleksandre Kvakhadze

Aleksandre Kvakhadze is a researcher of Caucasus region and terrorism based at Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS) as a research fellow.

Reuben Kyama

Reuben Kyama is currently an Erasmus Mundus scholar at the Department of Journalism and Publishing at City University, London. Prior to that, he spent six... MORE