society for the social history of medicine

Who we are

Since its inaugural meeting in 1970, the Society for the Social History of Medicine (SSHM) has pioneered inter-disciplinary approaches to the history of health, welfare, medical science and practice. Consequently, our membership consists of those interested in a variety of disciplines, including history, public health, demography, anthropology, sociology, social administration and health economics.

Announcing SSHM 2026: In/Out

The SSHM Conference for 2026 is being held at the University of Leeds from 30 June to 3 July 2026. Calls for papers are now open until the 11th January 2026

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Roy Porter Prize

The deadline for this year’s competition has now passed. Do look again in the autumn for the 2025/6 competition entry form (the deadline for that competition will be 1st February 2026).

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Our Journal

Our journal, published by the Society for the Social History of Medicine, is concerned with all aspects of health, illness, and medical treatment in the past. It is committed to publishing work on the social history of medicine from a variety of disciplines.

The Society’s Book Series

Our book series explores the circumstances that promote health or illness, the ways in which people experience and explain such conditions, and what, practically, they do about them. Practitioners of all approaches to health and healing come within its scope, as do their ideas, beliefs, and practices, and the social, economic, and cultural contexts in which they operate. Methodologically, our series welcomes relevant studies in social, economic, cultural, and intellectual history, as well as approaches derived from other disciplines in the arts, sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Our series is a collaboration between Manchester University Press and the Society for the Social History of Medicine.

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The SSHM is a charitable organisation registered in the UK.

Charity Registration Number: 278414

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