Berghahn Books
Marion Berghahn established a new publishing house in 1994. The company began operations with a clear mission to serve the humanities and social sciences. It started as a New York-based entity before expanding its footprint to Oxford. This initial launch focused on scholarly books rather than commercial fiction or general trade titles. The early years centered on building a list of academic works that would support research in anthropology, history, and politics.
The press releases approximately 140 new titles every single year. Alongside these fresh publications, it produces around 80 paperback editions annually for wider distribution. A substantial backlist of nearly 2,500 titles remains available in print today. Many of these volumes receive reviews in Choice, a publication dedicated to evaluating academic resources. The company now digitizes parts of this extensive backlist through its online platform to ensure long-term accessibility.
Berghahn Journals has expanded its reach since making content available online in 2001. The division currently publishes over 40 journals covering fields like film studies and European history. In 2013, they launched an annual series called Advances in Research to complement their existing portfolio. These periodicals operate within the same social science and humanities domains as the book program. The growth reflects a strategic shift toward supporting ongoing academic discourse through regular publication cycles.
Industry bodies have honored specific titles with prestigious accolades over the last two decades. Projections received the AAP PROSE Award for Best New Journal in the Social Sciences and Humanities in 2008. Girlhood Studies won the same award the following year in 2009. This journal also secured a Highly Commended Certificate from the ALPSP Best New Journal Award in 2010. Such recognition highlights the quality of editorial work across their diverse range of scholarly publications.
The press joined Annual Reviews to release part of its journal content under the Subscribe to Open initiative. In 2019, Berghahn offered 13 titles in anthropology as potential candidates for this open access model. All selected titles became available as open content by 2020. By the 3rd of June 2021, they announced that Social Anthropology would join their open-access set starting with Volume 30 in 2022. Members of the European Association of Social Anthropologists voted overwhelmingly to leave Wiley and take their journal open access in a sustainable way.
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Common questions
When did Marion Berghahn establish the publishing house?
Marion Berghahn established a new publishing house in 1994. The company began operations with a clear mission to serve the humanities and social sciences.
How many new titles does Berghahn Books publish annually?
The press releases approximately 140 new titles every single year. Alongside these fresh publications, it produces around 80 paperback editions annually for wider distribution.
Which journal won the AAP PROSE Award for Best New Journal in the Social Sciences and Humanities in 2008?
Projections received the AAP PROSE Award for Best New Journal in the Social Sciences and Humanities in 2008. Girlhood Studies won the same award the following year in 2009.
What date did Berghahn announce that Social Anthropology would join their open-access set?
By the 3rd of June 2021, they announced that Social Anthropology would join their open-access set starting with Volume 30 in 2022. Members of the European Association of Social Anthropologists voted overwhelmingly to leave Wiley and take their journal open access in a sustainable way.
Where is the headquarters of Berghahn Books located?
It started as a New York-based entity before expanding its footprint to Oxford. The company began operations with a clear mission to serve the humanities and social sciences.