Faculty Directory

Background and Education

Founding chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program, a joint transatlantic research and policy center affiliated with SAIS in Washington, D.C., and the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm; was founding chairman of the Kennan Institute in Washington and served as vice president of Tulane University and president of the Aspen Institute and Oberlin College; was closely involved in planning the University of Central Asia and the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and is a trustee of the Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan; is a founding member of the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble of New Orleans, has written four books on the history and culture of that city, and launched the effort to found the Greater New Orleans Foundation; scholarly research interests include the countries of Greater Central Asia and their history, development and internal dynamic as well as U.S. policy toward the region; during the past decade, has returned repeatedly to the challenge of reopening continental-wide transport passing through Central Asia and Afghanistan, considering it key to success in Afghanistan; current research is on the history of the Ferghana Valley between the eighth and 11th centuries; holds four honorary degrees; Ph.D., history, Princeton University