Fordham University Press
The Fordham University Press opened its doors in 1907 as a division of Fordham University. It stands today as the oldest Catholic university press in the United States and ranks seventh-oldest across the entire nation. The organization began by publishing textbooks for education, law, philosophy, and psychology after the medical school closed in 1922. This shift placed the press under the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to further scholarly research and ideas. Founders intended the house to represent and uphold the values and traditions of the University itself.
For over one hundred years, the press operated from the Canisius Hall building on the Rose Hill campus. That location sat within the Bronx before March 2017 arrived to change everything. The office moved to the Lincoln Center campus in Manhattan during that month. This relocation marked the end of a century-long tenure at the original site. The move brought the headquarters to the heart of New York City while maintaining its academic mission.
Fordham University Press joined The Association of American Publishers trade organization in the Hachette v. Internet Archive lawsuit. This legal battle resulted in the removal of access to over 500,000 books from global readers. The press also became a founding charter member of the Association of Jesuit University Presses. It has been a member of the Association of University Presses since 1938. These memberships connect the small press to larger networks of academic publishing power.
The organization participated in the Hachette v. Internet Archive lawsuit regarding digital library access restrictions. Critics argued this decision removed access to over 500,000 books from global readers. The case highlighted tensions between traditional publishers and digital archives. Fordham University Press took a firm stance on protecting intellectual property rights. The outcome reshaped how libraries could share copyrighted materials online.
The American Literatures Initiative launched as a key program within the press operations. Another major effort called The Modern Language Initiative followed shortly after. These programs focus on humanities and social sciences publications. They aim to disseminate scholarly research and ideas across various disciplines. The initiatives support authors working in English literature and modern language studies.
Greek: An Intensive Course by Hardy Hansen and Gerald Quinn remains a bestselling publication today. Judith Butler wrote Giving an Account of Oneself for the press. John D. Caputo published Deconstruction in a Nutshell through their pages. Other titles include Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola by John C. Olin and Byzantine Theology by John Meyendorff. These works define the academic reputation of the house.
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Common questions
When did Fordham University Press open its doors?
Fordham University Press opened its doors in 1907 as a division of Fordham University. It stands today as the oldest Catholic university press in the United States and ranks seventh-oldest across the entire nation.
Where is Fordham University Press located now?
The office moved to the Lincoln Center campus in Manhattan during March 2017. This relocation marked the end of a century-long tenure at the original Canisius Hall building on the Rose Hill campus before that date.
Why did Fordham University Press join The Association of American Publishers trade organization?
Fordham University Press joined The Association of American Publishers trade organization in the Hachette v. Internet Archive lawsuit regarding digital library access restrictions. Critics argued this decision removed access to over 500,000 books from global readers while the case highlighted tensions between traditional publishers and digital archives.
What programs does Fordham University Press operate for humanities and social sciences?
The American Literatures Initiative launched as a key program within the press operations followed by another major effort called The Modern Language Initiative. These programs focus on humanities and social sciences publications to disseminate scholarly research and ideas across various disciplines.
Who wrote Greek An Intensive Course published by Fordham University Press?
Greek An Intensive Course was written by Hardy Hansen and Gerald Quinn and remains a bestselling publication today. Other notable titles include Giving an Account of Oneself by Judith Butler and Deconstruction in a Nutshell by John D. Caputo.