Passing of William Zimmerman, scholar of Russian politics
April 29, 2025
It is with deep sadness that we share the news that William Zimmerman, Research Professor Emeritus in ISR’s Center for Political Studies (CPS), passed away on April 28, 2025.
Bill joined the CPS faculty in 1989 and served as the Center Director from 1996 to 2002. A distinguished scholar of Russian politics, his work offered invaluable insights into how attitudes toward markets, democracy, and foreign policy shaped, and were shaped by, Russia’s evolving political landscape. His scholarship also explored the idea of Russia as a “normal” country, examining how its development compared to broader global trends.