Martha brill olcott biography of christopher

February 22, 2024 - Beth Brauer

Martha Brill Olcott, a part-time professor in James Madison College, passed away on Feb.

5, surrounded by family. Olcott was a leading scholar of nationality issues in the USSR, especially Central Asia as well as broader issues of Soviet governance and policy questions.

Martha brill olcott biography of christopher columbus

She is known for her many works on Central Asia, including her authoritative book on Kazakhstan.

Olcott’s scholarly and professional achievements were vast. She was a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which is where former JMC Dean Sherman Garnett worked closely with her.

It was through this connection that Olcott would eventually find her way to Michigan.

In 2011, Olcott visited MSU to teach a course on post-Soviet foreign policy. Olcott had previously taught political science at Colgate University from 1975 to 1998.

She continued on as a part-time visiting professor until her unexpected passing