Isis (journal)
Encyclopedia
Isis is an academic journal
published by University of Chicago Press
. It focuses on the history of science
, history of medicine
, and the history of technology
, as well as their cultural influences, featuring both original research articles as well as extensive book reviews and review essays.
It was founded at Ghent
in 1912 by George Sarton
and is the official publication of the History of Science Society
, the primary professional society for the discipline of the history of science and technology
. It was not published between 1915 and 1918 because of World War I
; publication resumed in 1919 after Sarton was established at Harvard University
.
Contributions were originally in any of four European languages (English, French, German and Italian) but from the 1920s only English has been used. It is the oldest English-language journal devoted to the subject, and is published quarterly. Publication is partly supported by an endowment from the Dibner Fund. Two associated publications are Osiris
(founded 1936 by Sarton) and Horus, his bibliography on the history of science. For the first forty years Sarton was the editor of Isis.
) of the history of science is published annually as a fifth issue of Isis. This is a bibliography of recent publications in the history of science and related fields, including books, book reviews, and journal articles. Following the retirement of editor John Neu in 1999, the bibliography office moved to the University of Oklahoma
. The current editorial office is located at York University
in Toronto
.
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
published by University of Chicago Press
University of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
. It focuses on the history of science
History of science
The history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences....
, history of medicine
History of medicine
All human societies have medical beliefs that provide explanations for birth, death, and disease. Throughout history, illness has been attributed to witchcraft, demons, astral influence, or the will of the gods...
, and the history of technology
History of technology
The history of technology is the history of the invention of tools and techniques, and is similar in many ways to the history of humanity. Background knowledge has enabled people to create new things, and conversely, many scientific endeavors have become possible through technologies which assist...
, as well as their cultural influences, featuring both original research articles as well as extensive book reviews and review essays.
It was founded at Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
in 1912 by George Sarton
George Sarton
George Sarton was a Belgian chemist and historian who is considered the founder of the discipline of history of science. He left Belgium because of the First World War and settled in the United States where he spent the rest of his life researching and writing about the history of science...
and is the official publication of the History of Science Society
History of Science Society
The History of Science Society is the primary professional society for the academic study of the history of science.It was founded in 1924 by George Sarton and Lawrence Joseph Henderson, primarily to support the publication of Isis, a journal of the history of science Sarton had started in 1912....
, the primary professional society for the discipline of the history of science and technology
History of science and technology
The history of science and technology is a field of history which examines how humanity's understanding of the natural world and ability to manipulate it have changed over the centuries...
. It was not published between 1915 and 1918 because of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; publication resumed in 1919 after Sarton was established at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Contributions were originally in any of four European languages (English, French, German and Italian) but from the 1920s only English has been used. It is the oldest English-language journal devoted to the subject, and is published quarterly. Publication is partly supported by an endowment from the Dibner Fund. Two associated publications are Osiris
Osiris (journal)
Osiris is an annual peer-reviewed academic journal covering research in the history of science. It is published by the University of Chicago Press and was established in 1936 by George Sarton....
(founded 1936 by Sarton) and Horus, his bibliography on the history of science. For the first forty years Sarton was the editor of Isis.
Isis Current Bibliography
The Isis Current Bibliography (formerly the Cumulative BibliographyIsis (journal)
Isis is an academic journal published by University of Chicago Press. It focuses on the history of science, history of medicine, and the history of technology, as well as their cultural influences, featuring both original research articles as well as extensive book reviews and review essays.It was...
) of the history of science is published annually as a fifth issue of Isis. This is a bibliography of recent publications in the history of science and related fields, including books, book reviews, and journal articles. Following the retirement of editor John Neu in 1999, the bibliography office moved to the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. The current editorial office is located at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
Editors
- George SartonGeorge SartonGeorge Sarton was a Belgian chemist and historian who is considered the founder of the discipline of history of science. He left Belgium because of the First World War and settled in the United States where he spent the rest of his life researching and writing about the history of science...
(1913–1952) - I. Bernard CohenI. Bernard CohenI. Bernard Cohen was the Victor S. Thomas Professor of the history of science at Harvard University and the author of many books on the history of science and, in particular, Isaac Newton....
(1953–1958) - Harry WoolfHarry Woolf, Baron WoolfHarry Kenneth Woolf, Baron Woolf, PC, FBA, , born 2 May 1933, was Master of the Rolls from 1996 until 2000 and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2000 until 2005. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 made him the first Lord Chief Justice to be President of the Courts of England and Wales...
(1959–1963) - Robert P. Multhauf (1964–1978)
- Arnold Thackray (1979–1985)
- Charles E. RosenbergCharles E. RosenbergCharles E. Rosenberg is an American Professor of the History of Science and the Ernest E. Monrad Professor in the Social Sciences at Harvard University.-Biography:...
(1986–1988) - Ronald L. NumbersRonald NumbersRonald L. Numbers is an American historian of science. He was awarded the 2008 George Sarton Medal by the History of Science Society for "a lifetime of exceptional scholarly achievement by a distinguished scholar".- Biography :...
(1989–1993) - Margaret Rossiter (1994–2003)
- Bernard Lightman (2003–)
Abstracting and indexing
This journal is indexed in the following databases:- General Science Index
- Humanities Index
- America, history and life
- Chemical Abstracts ServiceChemical Abstracts ServiceChemical Abstracts is a periodical index that provides summaries and indexes of disclosures in recently published scientific documents. Approximately 8,000 journals, technical reports, dissertations, conference proceedings, and new books, in any of 50 languages, are monitored yearly, as are patent...
- Index MedicusIndex medicusIndex Medicus is a comprehensive index of medical scientific journal articles, published since 1879. It was initiated by John Shaw Billings, head of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office, United States Army...
- Mathematical ReviewsMathematical ReviewsMathematical Reviews is a journal and online database published by the American Mathematical Society that contains brief synopses of many articles in mathematics, statistics and theoretical computer science.- Reviews :...
- Engineering Index MonthlyCompendexCompendex, the computerized version of the Engineering Index, is a comprehensive engineering bibliographic database. Compendex is an index of engineering materials started in 1884, compiled by hand under the original title of Engineering Index. As Compendex it is now published by Elsevier. The...
- Science Citation Index ExpandedScience Citation IndexThe Science Citation Index is a citation index originally produced by the Institute for Scientific Information and created by Eugene Garfield in 1960, which is now owned by Thomson Reuters. The larger version covers more than 6,500 notable and significant journals, across 150 disciplines, from ...
- Social Sciences Citation IndexSocial Sciences Citation IndexSocial Sciences Citation Index is an interdisciplinary citation index product of Thomson Reuters' Healthcare & Science division. It was developed by the Institute for Scientific Information from the Science Citation Index....
- Arts and Humanities Citation IndexArts and Humanities Citation IndexThe Arts & Humanities Citation Index , also known as Arts & Humanities Search is a citation index, with abstracting and indexing for more than 1,300 arts and humanities journals, and coverage of disciplines that includes social and natural science journals. Part of this database is derived from...
- Current ContentsCurrent ContentsCurrent Contents is a rapid alerting service database from the Institute for Scientific Information, now part of Thomson Reuters, that is published online and in several different printed subject sections.-History:...
/Arts & Humanities