The future of learned associations in the humanities

This article is concerned with how six of the largest learned associations in the humanities perceive their own futures and the future of academic publishing, and is based upon informal interviews with representatives of these associations. The outcome of this research indicates that although these organizations are aware of the changing role of learned associations in relation to their members and a wider public, they are struggling to embrace the opportunities represented by the transition to electronic forms of interaction within scholarly communities, and are limited by the lack of funding available in the humanities and an historical commitment to traditional forms of publication and evaluation. In conclusion, this study proposes that the future of learned associations in the humanities is closely linked to the future of academic publishers working in these disciplines.