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.

 

Brigadier Vijai K Nair

Brigadier Vijai K Nair VSM (retired) is a defense analyst specializing in nuclear strategy formulation and author of two books, including "Nuclear India."

Yani Najarian

Yani Najarian is an MA Candidate in Asian Studies at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and China Brief intern at The... MORE

M. D. Nalapat

Professor M. D. Nalapat is director of the School of Geopolitics of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.

Nathan Nankivell

Nathan Nankivell is Senior Researcher at the Office of the Special Advisor Policy at Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters. The views expressed are those of the... MORE

Shankara Narayanan

Shankara Narayanan is a junior at the University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, earning a B.A. in Political Science & History. In the summer of 2019,... MORE

Hani Nasira

Hani Nasira is an Egyptian writer who specializes in ideological movements. He is the author of several books, including Al-Qaeda and Jihadi Salafism: Intellectual Streams... MORE

Hamad Nazzal

Hamad Nazzal an in­de­pend­ent analyst-journalist who has extensive experience reporting from the Middle East for the U.S. government. He is a former writer for Middle... MORE

Daniel Neep

Daniel Neep is an Associate Fellow with the Middle East & North Africa Programme at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence & Security Studies... MORE

Naima Nefliasheva

Naima Nefliasheva has a PhD in history (Candidate of Historical Sciences) and is a docent and senior research fellow in the Center for Civilization and... MORE

Alexander Nemets

is a Russian researcher based in the United States who specializes in Russian and Chinese developments in defense and military reform as well as the... MORE

Judit Neurink

Judit Neurink is editor of the Middle East section at a Dutch daily. Neurink recently published a book on the Iranian terrorist group, the Mojahedin-e-Khalq,... MORE

Lan Anh Nguyen Dang

Lan Anh Nguyen Dang is a doctoral candidate at the Graduate School, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo), at the University of Hamburg.... MORE

Adam Ni

Adam Ni is the Co-Editor of China Neican, a policy newsletter on China issues. His focus includes China’s international relations, strategy and security issues. Previously,... MORE

Tarique Niazi

Tarique Niazi teaches Environmental Sociology at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. He specializes in Resource-based Conflicts. He may be reached via email: niazit@uwec.edu

Ozcan Nihat Ali

Dr. Nihat Ali Özcan is a security policy analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) and a lecturer at the TOBB University... MORE

Olevs Nikers

A Fulbright alumnus, Olevs Nikers earned his Master's degree in International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University, in... MORE

Magnus Norell

Magnus Norell, PhD is Director of the Center for the Study of Low-intensity Conflicts and Terrorism (CLIENT) and a Senior Analyst at the Swedish Defence... MORE

Eric Norman

Eric Norman is a freelance writer based in Azerbaijan.

Akbar Notezai

Akbar Notezai is a journalist with Dawn and is based in Quetta. He tweets at @Akbar_notezai.

Evgenii Novikov

Dr. Evgenii Novikov, an expert on Islam and on the politics and economics of the Persian Gulf region. Born in Kyrgyzstan of Russian parents, Dr.... MORE

Andrew R. Novo

Andrew R. Novo is a Professor of Strategic Studies at the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs and an adjunct professor at Georgetown... MORE

Siraj Nurali

Siraj Nurali is an independent analyst in Baku.

Navhat Nuraniyah

Navhat Nuraniyah is an analyst at the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC).

Seth Nye

Seth Nye is an Instructor with the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) at West Point's Practitioner Education Program and an Adjunct Professor at New York University... MORE

Pär Nyrén

Pär Nyrén is a fellow at the Stockholm Free World Forum and non-resident fellow at Sinopsis.