Current History
The first issue of Current History appeared on the 12th of December 1914. George Washington Ochs Oakes created this magazine to cover World War I as it unfolded. He was the brother of Adolph Ochs, who published The New York Times. The publication initially bore the title The New York Times Current History of the European War. It emerged from a desire to record history while it was still being made. Ochs Oakes believed that regular contributors should include historians and social scientists. He enlisted Albert Bushnell Hart, a historian at Harvard University, to organize the initial group of editors. This early team included names like George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill. Charles A. Beard and Allan Nevins also joined the ranks of contributing writers. Henry Steele Commager contributed his insights during these formative years. Grover Clark served as the Beijing correspondent for the fledgling magazine.
The New York Times Company published Current History until the year 1936. That same year, the editor Merle Tracy purchased the magazine. In 1939, an ownership group including Joseph Hilton Smyth acquired the publication. Smyth also bought other magazines such as The Living Age and The North American Review. His association with Current History ended in 1939, but legal troubles followed shortly after. He and two associates were convicted of acting as agents for the Japanese government without registering with the State Department. The conviction occurred in connection with their broader publishing activities. Current History addressed this episode in its October 1942 issue. The magazine maintained that Smyth did not control editorial policies during his brief ownership period. The New York Times reported on the 13th of November 1942, that three Japanese agents received seven-year terms. Since 1942, members of the Redmond family have owned the magazine. Daniel Mark Redmond serves as the current publisher.
A board of contributing editors guides the modern direction of Current History. Catherine Boone represents The London School of Political Science and Economics. Holly Case writes from Brown University while Uri Dadush contributes from Bruegel. Deborah Davis brings expertise from Yale University to the table. David B. H. Denoon teaches at New York University. Alexandra Délano Alonso is affiliated with The New School. Larry Diamond works at Stanford University and Michele Dunne at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Barry Eichengreen hails from the University of California, Berkeley. C. Christine Fair teaches at Georgetown University. Sumit Ganguly is based at Indiana University. Michael T. Klare writes from Hampshire College. Marwan M. Kraidy contributes from Northwestern University in Qatar. Joshua Kurlantzick works for the Council on Foreign Relations. Pamela McElwee is a professor at Rutgers University. Michael McFaul teaches at Stanford University. Rajan Menon writes from Lehigh University. Joseph Nye is a scholar at Harvard University. Ebenezer Obadare works for the Council on Foreign Relations. Michael Shifter leads the Inter-American Dialogue. Jeffrey Wasserstrom teaches at the University of California, Irvine. Joshua Lustig serves as the publication's editor.
Current History publishes monthly from September through May each year. Seven issues focus on specific world regions including China and East Asia. Other regional issues cover Russia and Eurasia, the Middle East, Latin America, Europe, South Asia, and Africa. One issue addresses current global trends while another tackles special themes like climate change or global governance. This practice of devoting each issue to a single region or theme began in 1953. The magazine maintains no institutional, political, or governmental affiliation. It operates out of Philadelphia. Each issue includes a chronology of major international events. Most editions contain a book review section alongside an article devoted to commentary. The publication has followed this structure consistently since the early 1950s transition.
The Journal Citation Reports listed Current History with an impact factor of 0.127 in 2014. This ranking placed it 149th out of 161 journals in the category Political Science. Within International Relations, it ranked 82nd out of 85 journals. These metrics reflect its standing within academic circles despite being one of the oldest extant United States-based publications. The journal remains dedicated exclusively to contemporary world affairs. Its longevity contrasts with many other periodicals that have ceased operations over the last century. Scholars continue to cite its work when analyzing modern geopolitical developments. The publication's influence persists through these measured academic assessments.
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Common questions
Who created Current History magazine and when did the first issue appear?
George Washington Ochs Oakes created Current History and the first issue appeared on the 12th of December 1914. He established the publication to cover World War I as it unfolded while recording history in real time.
What happened to Joseph Hilton Smyth after he acquired Current History in 1939?
Joseph Hilton Smyth was convicted of acting as agents for the Japanese government without registering with the State Department in connection with his broader publishing activities. The conviction occurred shortly after he bought other magazines such as The Living Age and The North American Review during his brief ownership period.
Which universities do contributing editors of Current History represent today?
Contributing editors include Catherine Boone from The London School of Political Science and Economics, Holly Case from Brown University, and Uri Dadush from Bruegel. Other scholars listed work at institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University, Yale University, and Georgetown University.
When does Current History publish issues each year and how many regional editions exist?
Current History publishes monthly from September through May each year with seven issues focusing on specific world regions including China and East Asia. Additional regional issues cover Russia and Eurasia, the Middle East, Latin America, Europe, South Asia, and Africa alongside global trends or special themes.
Who has owned Current History since 1942 and what is its current impact factor ranking?
Members of the Redmond family have owned the magazine since 1942 with Daniel Mark Redmond serving as the current publisher. The Journal Citation Reports listed Current History with an impact factor of 0.127 in 2014 placing it 149th out of 161 journals in the category Political Science.