University Presses and Emerging Disciplinary Configurations and Orientations: An Exploration and Discussion

• Published in: Publishing research quarterly Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 39 - 51
• Main Authors: Hérubel, Jean-Pierre V. M., Goedeken, Edward A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.03.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic discourse; Cultural instruction; Humanities; Library Science; Methodology of the Social Sciences; Printing and Publishing; Scholarly communication; Social Sciences; University presses; University presses; Interdisciplinary; Area studies; Publishing; Disciplinary; Multidisciplinary
• ISSN: 1053-8801; 1936-4792
• DOI: 10.1007/s12109-018-09624-6

University presses publish books according to their respective publishing specializations and programming. Disciplinary interests supported by university presses align with their strengths and adaptation to the vicissitudes of the scholarly communication system. This discussion frames changes in humanities and social science disciplines published by university presses via examination of AAUP Directories for 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2017 to ascertain and clarify disciplinary alignments and changes in emphases over time. Special attention is focused on discussion of disciplinary emphases, including evolution of nomenclature and changes for multidisciplinary and area studies. Over the past 20 years, university presses have published scholarship reflecting the changes of disciplinary orientation captured in subject interests and emphases, evolving with disciplinary changes occurring in academia.