Much work is going on behind the scenes at the American Philosophical Society Press as it prepares for a relaunch. In particular, the journals programs will update the Society’s two venerable and highly regarded journals, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society and Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. Read more about our partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Press here.
Proceedings, first published in 1838, is a quarterly journal that includes papers read at the APS’s biannual Member Meetings, biographical memoirs of APS Members, and occasional peer-reviewed articles by prominent professionals, scholars, and scientists. Readers can also look forward to a new feature in Proceedings: field report essays from recipients of APS grants who have completed scholarly projects in the sciences and humanities. This fall will see the publication of a double issue of Proceedings with a return to quarterly issues in 2024.
The fall double issue will include an article on “Chief Manuel’s 1651 Timucua Letter: The Oldest Letter in a Native Language of the United States” co-authored by anthropologist George Aaron Broadwell and historian Alejandra Dubcovsky; David W. Maxey’s piece on “An Unsolved Mystery: Angelica Kauffman’s Elusive Self-Portrait”; Ron Fairman’s essay on “Lincoln and Marfan Syndrome” based on his presentation at the APS Member Meeting in April 2019; and several other works, including seven biographical memoirs of deceased APS Members.
Transactions is the oldest scholarly publication in North America, dating back to 1771 and covering various fields of study, ranging from 18th-century American history to the history of science, to various topics in the humanities and scholarly practice. Transactions, which had been publishing a combination of edited issues and monographs, will be moving to a quarterly, all-edited issue format beginning in 2024. The journal will draw its content from papers given at APS conferences and workshops, as well as a new annual issue selected from the APS blog, “Useful Knowledge,” with plans for possible issues drawn from thematically organized grantees’ field reports, similar to those scheduled to appear in Proceedings.
The theme of the first issue of Transactions that will appear in 2024 is “Indigenous Studies in Archives and Beyond: Relationships, Reciprocities, and Responsibilities,” edited by Jennifer O’Neal of the University of Oregon. Articles reflect important changes in various fields as institutions and researchers engage in innovative community-engaged projects that center and celebrate Indigenous history, culture, and ways of knowing. Most importantly, these essays show the importance of honoring the cultural, intellectual, and political sovereignty of Indigenous peoples by reconnecting, restoring, and returning collections to Native Nations and Indigenous communities.