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.

 

Dhanwati Yadav

Dr. Dhanwati Yadav currently teaches Political Science at Dyal Singh College, Delhi University. She earned her PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

Chen Yali

Chen Yali is the Editor-in-Chief of Washington Observer, an independent Chinese-language weekly magazine on American foreign policy and politics based in Washington DC.

Yamazaki Amane

YAMAZAKI Amane is a Research Fellow at Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU), and a former Research Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA). He... MORE

Flora Yan

Flora Yan studies political science and communications at the University of Washington, where she has been conducting research on Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms.

Alan Yang

Alan Yang, Ph.D., is the grantee of Fellowships for Doctoral Candidates in the Humanities and Social Sciences (2006-2007) at the Center for Asia-Pacific Area Studies... MORE

Alan H. Yang

Dr. Alan H. Yang is an Assistant Research Fellow with the Institute of International Relations at National Cheng-chi University.

Andrew Nien-Dzu Yang

Andrew Nien-Dzu Yang is an Assistant Professor at National Sun Yat-sen University and a Senior Adviser for the Republic of China’s National Security Council. He... MORE

Zi Yang

Zi Yang is a Senior Analyst at the China Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Follow him on Twitter @ZiYangResearch.

Niva Yau

Niva Yau is a resident researcher at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and a Fellow at the Eurasia Program of the Foreign Policy Research Institute... MORE

Christopher Yeaw

Christopher Yeaw is an Associate Professor in the Warfare Analysis and Research Department at the U.S. Naval War College.

William Yuen Yee

William Yuen Yee is a research assistant with the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program and a consultant for the Rhodium Group. He is the... MORE

Roie Yellinek

Roie Yellinek received his PhD from Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. He is an associate researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, a... MORE

Marat Yermukanov

Marat Yermukanov is a journalist working for the Russian-language private newspaper "Panorama Nedely" in Petropavlovsk, North Kazakhstan, and is also a regional correspondent for the... MORE

Wai Ling Yeung

Wai Ling Yeung is a former head of Chinese Studies at Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

Daniel Yoon

Daniel Yoon is a Chinese linguist–analyst at DGI. He is a graduate of Tufts University and formerly a visiting student at the Fletcher School of... MORE

Toshi Yoshihara

Toshi Yoshihara is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and he previously held the John A. van Beuren Chair of... MORE

Michael Young

Michael Young is opinion editor at the Daily Star newspaper in Lebanon, and a contributing editor at Reason magazine in the U.S. He is a... MORE

Cathy Young

Cathy Young is a research assistant at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.

Maochun Yu

Yu Maochun, Ph.D., is Professor of East Asia and Military History at the US Naval Academy. Views expressed are his own.

Chihwei Yu

Chihwei Yu is an associate professor at the Department of Public Security, Central Police University, Taiwan, ROC, and an adjunct research fellow at the Institute... MORE

Jingdong Yuan

Dr. Jingdong Yuan is an associate professor at the Centre for International Security Studies, University of Sydney. His latest publication is “Beijing’s Balancing Act: Courting... MORE

Christopher Yung

Dr. Christopher Yung is the Donald Bren Chair of Non-Western Strategic Thought and Director of East Asian Studies at the US Marine Corp University. He... MORE

Rahimullah Yusufzai

Rahimullah Yusufzai is Resident Editor of The News International, a daily newspaper in Peshawar.