Martha Brill Olcott – författare

At the outset of independence 18 years ago, Kazakhstan''s leaders promised that the country''s rich natural resources, with oil and gas reserves among the largest in the world, would soon bring economic prosperity. It appeared that democracy was beginning to take hold in this newly independent state. Nearly two decades later, Kazakhstan has achieved the World Bank''s ranking of a "middle economic country," but its economy is straining from the global economic crisis. The country''s political system still needs fundamental reform before Kazakhstan can be considered a democracy. Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise examines the development of this ethnically diverse and strategically vital nation, which seeks to play an influential role on the international stage. Praise for the previous edition of Kazakhstan:

"This detailed but accessible work will be the definitive work on the newly independent state of Kazakhstan."— Choice

"[Olcott]... knows more about Kazakhstan than anyone else in the West."— 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

In Uzbekistan, Central Asia''s most populous country, Islam has been an ever-present factor in the lives of its people and a contentious force for political officials trying to build a secular and authoritarian government.

In the Whirlwind of Jihad examines the intertwined and evolving relationships between religion, the state, and society in Uzbekistan from the late 1980s to today, encompassing the period from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the launch of the U.S.-led "war on terror" in neighboring Afghanistan. Martha Brill Olcott, the foremost expert on Central Asia, concludes that in an era of global communication and increased contact with international Islamic communities, a new role for Islam in Uzbekistan will ultimately emerge with implications beyond the country''s borders.

Tajikistan teeters on the brink of failure. This mountainous and landlocked country, the poorest in Central Asia, confronts the challenges of good governance and economic survival. These domestic struggles become even more problematic as international forces prepare to withdraw from neighboring Afghanistan, leaving Central Asian countries to ensure regional stability.

In Tajikistan''s Difficult Development Path, Martha Brill Olcott traces the political, economic, and social change following the country''s independence and international efforts to avert state collapse. The Tajik government''s commitment to reform has been inconsistent, and substantial foreign assistance provided since the end of the country''s civil war has not led to the desired economic and political development.

Olcott concludes that the Tajik leadership faces a serious dilemma: fully embrace reform or continue moving toward state failure. Tajikistan''s decision will have very real implications for this troubled region.