In The Media
Martha Brill Olcott
REQUIRED IMAGE
Paper
Roots of Radical Islam in Central Asia
The question of the relationship between Islamic believers and the state is a critical one; depending on how it is resolved, it either encourages, permits, or discourages the use of violence in the name of Islam.
Published on Jan 17, 2007
Source: Carnegie Endowment
In this Carnegie Paper, Roots of Radical Islam in Central Asia, senior associate Martha Brill Olcott explores the actions of regional Islamic communities, particularly in Uzbekistan, to protest against governments that are “both largely unresponsive and…[made up] almost entirely by those who reject the teachings of Islam” – actions that include the evolution of the jihadi movements and the rise of key Islamic clerics and leaders.
Olcott contends that “the question of the relationship between Islamic believers and the state is a critical one; depending on how it is resolved, it either encourages, permits, or discourages the use of violence in the name of Islam.”
Click on icon above for the full text of this Carnegie Paper.
Martha Brill Olcott, is senior associate in the Russian and Eurasian Program at the Carnegie Endowment. She specializes in the problems of transitions in Central Asia and the Caucasus as well as the security challenges in the Caspian region more generally.
About the Author
Martha Brill Olcott
Former Senior Associate, Russia and Eurasia Program and, Co-director, al-Farabi Carnegie Program on Central Asia
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.
- After Crimea: Will Kazakhstan be Next in Putin’s Reintegration Project?
- China’s Unmatched Influence in Central AsiaArticle
Martha Brill Olcott
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Escaping an Escalatory Spiral: Can Europe Avoid a War With Russia?Research
Nobody in the Kremlin fancies a fight with the whole European continent. Instead, the Russian leadership would be likely to opt for a short, targeted strike.
Maksim Samorukov
- Serbia Still Has a Steep Hill to ClimbArticle
After two years of mass protests, Serbia’s student-led movement has ousted Aleksandar Vučić. Now the Student List must prove it can deliver on its promises.
Dimitar Bechev
- How a U.S.-Russia Standoff Ended a Decades-Old UN Mission in Western SaharaCommentary
MINURSO’s renewal by the Security Council became highly politicized. Its expiration brings concerns about renewed violence and the future of demining efforts.
Sarah Yerkes
- Red Sea Mirage: Why Russia Is Still Waiting on a Military Base in SudanCommentary
Russia’s coveted Red Sea naval base has fallen victim to its erratic foreign policy.
Sergey Konyashin
- Turkey’s Four Headaches Are Also Europe’sArticle
Between stalled economic ties and a push for greater security cooperation, EU-Turkey relations remain uncertain. Ankara’s continued slide toward autocracy is the likeliest common denominator in these competing dynamics.
Marc Pierini
