What Membership in the European Society for the History of Science Offers

Updated

The European Society for the History of Science (ESHS) is a scholarly society founded in 2003 that promotes European cooperation in the history of science, technology, and medicine. Its members are located throughout the world, so membership is not limited to scholars based in Europe. If you are considering joining, the main draws are access to the society's official journal, participation in its scholarly networks, and connection to a global community working in your field.

Who the ESHS is for

The society's stated purpose is to promote European cooperation in the history of science, technology, and medicine. Its membership spans the world, which means it suits:

  • Established scholars in the history of science, technology, or medicine
  • Early career researchers, who have a dedicated network within the society
  • Anyone whose work touches on these fields and who wants a European-facing scholarly community

The site specifically invites early career scholars to join its early career network, so you do not need to be a senior academic to find a place in the society.

What you get as a member

The official journal

The ESHS publishes an official journal, and the site notes that it is published in Open Access. This is a meaningful detail: Open Access publication means the journal's content is freely readable rather than locked behind a subscription. If you join partly to support or access the society's journal, that is the relevant fact to weigh.

The early career network

If you are an early career scholar, the society offers a dedicated network you can join. This is the clearest structured benefit described on the site for researchers at the start of their careers, and it is worth pursuing directly if it matches your situation.

A worldwide scholarly community

Members are located throughout the world. For a society framed around European cooperation, that geographic spread means you are joining an international network rather than a purely regional one.

How to join

The site provides a "Become a member of the ESHS" entry point. The page also references subscribing, which indicates that membership involves a subscription arrangement. The site does not state a price on the material available here, so check the membership page directly for current fees and terms rather than assuming any particular cost.

To join, the practical path is:

  1. Go to the ESHS site and find the "Become a member" link.
  2. Review the membership terms and any subscription details listed there.
  3. Complete the sign-up through the society's own process.
  4. If you are an early career scholar, also look for the early career network sign-up.

Other things the society does

Beyond membership, the ESHS awards the Neuenschwander Prize; the 2026 recipient is Ana Simões. The society also maintains a news section and a contact channel for questions or suggestions. These are useful signals of an active society: prizes, current news, and a responsive contact point all suggest the organization is functioning rather than dormant.

Is it worth joining?

Join if you want a European-oriented scholarly home in the history of science, technology, or medicine, if the Open Access journal matters to you, or if you are an early career scholar looking for a network. The society's international membership means you can participate from outside Europe as well.

Before committing, confirm the current membership cost and terms on the ESHS site itself, since pricing is not specified in the material available here. If cost is a deciding factor, that is the one detail you should verify first.