Economic History Society

The Economic History Society exists to support research and teaching in economic and social history, broadly defined. It does this through publications, including the Economic History Review and a range of textbooks and study packs, through conferences and workshops, through the finance of research fellowships and research grants, and through bursaries and prizes for younger scholars. For further details, see Advantages of Membership.

The Society also acts as a pressure group working to influence government policy in the interests of history, alongside other societies, such as the Social History Society, the Agricultural History Society, the Urban History Group and the Association of Business Historians, and in concert with professional bodies such as the Royal Historical Society, the Historical Association, History UK (HE) and the Academy of Social Sciences. In addition, the Society regularly liaises with funding bodies such as HEFCE, SHEFC, the AHRC and the ESRC.

The Economic History Society is a registered charity which elects from amongst its members a Council of trustees that meets twice a year, in October and at the annual conference in March-April. Policy recommendations are brought to Council for approval by the Executive Committee which consists of the President, the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, the Managing Editor of the Economic History Review, two members elected from Council, and the Chairs of the various standing committees, including Conference, IT, Publications, Public Engagement, Schools & Colleges and Women’s. An Annual General Meeting is held at the Society’s annual conference where elections to Council take place and where Society policy and decisions, together with matters of wider concern to the membership, are discussed.

The objects of the Economic History Society (founded 1926), as stated in its Constitution, are:

to promote the study of economic and social history;
to establish closer relations between students and teachers of economic and social history;
to issue the Economic History Review;
to publish and sponsor other publications in the fields of economic and social history;
to hold an annual conference and to hold or participate in any other conference or meeting as may be deemed expedient in accordance with (a) and (b) above;
to co-operate with other organisations having kindred purposes.