In The Media
Martha Brill Olcott
Book
Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise
At the outset of independence 10 years ago, it appeared that democracy was beginning to take hold in Kazakhstan. A decade later, economic reform is mired in widespread corruption and a regime that flirted with democracy is now laying the foundation for family-based, authoritarian rule.
Published on Feb 15, 2002
Source: Washington
Advance Praise
"This detailed but accessible work will be the definitive work on the newly independent state of Kazakhstan."
—CHOICE
[Olcott]...is one of the most active and sought-after American scholars working on Central Asia."
—Middle East Policy
"[Olcott]...knows more about Kazakhstan than anyone else in the West."
—The New York Review of Books
"...not only shares the lucid insights and depth of a seasoned observer, it greatly enriches the literature on post-Soviet transitions."
—Foreign Affairs
"For years anyone interested in Kazakhstan has had no trouble picking the very best book on the subject: The Kazakhs by Martha Olcott. Now, at last, there's a real rival: shrewd and sensitive to the deep problems of post-Soviet politics, and—of course!—by Martha Olcott."
—Stephen Sestanovich, former Ambassador at Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary of State
"Olcott gives us the best up-to-date account of a transition to modernity that appears to have lost its way."
—Ronald Grigor Suny, University of Chicago
"A bible for understanding the country, written by a preeminent scholar."
—William Courtney, former Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia
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
- A New Generation Takes Power in NepalArticle
The incoming government has swept Nepal’s election. The real work begins now.
Amish Raj Mulmi
- After Ilia II: What Will a New Patriarch Mean for Georgia?Commentary
The front-runner to succeed Ilia II, Metropolitan Shio, is prone to harsh anti-Western rhetoric and frequent criticism of “liberal ideologies” that he claims threaten the Georgian state. This raises fears that under his leadership the Georgian Orthodox Church will lose its unifying role and become an instrument of ultraconservative ideology.
Bashir Kitachaev
- Tokayev’s New Constitution Is a Bet on Stability—At Freedom’s ExpenseCommentary
Kazakhstan’s new constitution is an embodiment of the ruling elite’s fears and a self-serving attempt to preserve the status quo while they still can.
Serik Beysembaev
- Why Has Kazakhstan Started Deporting Political Activists?Commentary
The current U.S. indifference to human rights means Astana no longer has any incentive to refuse extradition requests from its authoritarian neighbors—including Russia.
Temur Umarov
- The EU Needs a Third Way in IranCommentary
European reactions to the war in Iran have lost sight of wider political dynamics. The EU must position itself for the next phase of the crisis without giving up on its principles.
Richard Youngs
