Archives de sciences sociales des religions

Archives de sciences sociales des religions, commonly abbreviated as ASSR, is a peer-reviewed academic journal devoted to the study of religion through the social sciences. It is published by Éditions de l'EHESS and is associated with the scholarly environment of the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in France. The journal publishes research addressing religion as a social, historical, political, cultural and institutional phenomenon rather than restricting itself to confessional or theological perspectives. The publication began in 1956 under the title Archives de sociologie des religions. Its creation was associated with five scholars and intellectuals: Henri Desroche, Émile Poulat, Jacques Maître, François-André Isambert and Gabriel Le Bras. The journal was initially established under the auspices of the French National Centre for Scientific Research and was published by the Institut de Sciences sociales des Religions in Paris. Henri Desroche served as editor-in-chief until 1980, while Émile Poulat became one of the journal's significant contributors and participated in its editorial board. The title changed in 1973 to Archives de sciences sociales des religions. The new name reflected a broadening of disciplinary scope beyond sociology narrowly defined, encompassing approaches from anthropology, history, political science and related fields. Over time, the journal became a forum for both empirical studies and theoretical discussion concerning religious institutions, belief, secularization, ritual, religious communities, migration, politics and the interaction between religion and wider social change. ASSR originally appeared twice a year. Its later publishing schedule is quarterly, with a bibliographic bulletin issued in January and thematic or miscellaneous issues appearing in April, June and November. The journal publishes articles in French and English and may also publish work in Spanish. Its editorial program has included thematic issues on subjects such as the religious life of Creole peoples and the relationship between Islam and politics in post-communist countries. The journal has been characterized by scholars as an important institution in the development of sociology and social-scientific approaches to religion in France and beyond. David Martin described ASSR, together with Social Compass, as central to theory-building in the sociology of religion. Lionel Obadia identified it as a major French journal in the social sciences of religion. These assessments reflect the publication's role as a long-running research venue rather than a mass-market media brand. In 2023, ASSR moved to a diamond open-access model through OpenEdition Journals. Under this model, readers can access the journal without subscription charges and authors are not required to pay article-processing fees, according to the reference material. This transition expanded the journal's digital accessibility while preserving its identity as a scholarly, editorially reviewed publication. The journal therefore operates primarily as an academic publishing title, with its value derived from research quality, editorial continuity, disciplinary reputation and accessibility to scholars, students and institutions worldwide.

Archives de sciences sociales des religions was founded in France in 1956 under the title Archives de sociologie des religions. Its creation brought together five figures associated with the emerging social-scientific study of religion: Henri Desroche, Émile Poulat, Jacques Maître, François-André Isambert and Gabriel Le Bras. The journal was established under the French National Centre for Scientific Research and was initially published by the Institut de Sciences sociales des Religions in Paris. The original title emphasized sociology, but the journal's intellectual program developed across a wider range of disciplines. Its contributors examined religion through historical, anthropological, sociological and political perspectives, treating religious practices and institutions as elements of social life. Henri Desroche served as editor-in-chief from the journal's establishment until 1980. Émile Poulat was both an important contributor and a member of the editorial board, helping shape the publication's place in French scholarship on religion. In 1973, the journal adopted its current name, Archives de sciences sociales des religions. The change signaled a broader disciplinary identity and distinguished the publication from a narrowly defined sociology journal. The renamed journal continued to provide a platform for research on religious organizations, belief systems, ritual practices, secularization, political relations and the changing social forms of religion. The publication originally appeared semi-annually and later developed a quarterly schedule. Its editorial structure includes a bibliographic bulletin published in January, alongside thematic or general issues released during the year. Thematic projects have addressed subjects including the religious life of Creole peoples and relationships between Islam and politics in post-communist countries. Articles are published primarily in French and English, with occasional Spanish-language contributions. ASSR's influence comes from its continuity and specialist reputation. David Martin placed it, alongside Social Compass, among the journals that were essential to theory-building in the sociology of religion. Lionel Obadia described it as a major French journal in the social sciences of religion. The publication has consequently served both French and international academic communities, including researchers working across disciplinary and national boundaries. A significant recent change occurred in 2023, when the journal moved to a diamond open-access model through OpenEdition Journals. This made its content freely available to readers while avoiding article-processing charges for authors, as described in the reference material. The transition placed the journal within a more accessible digital publishing environment while retaining its peer-reviewed scholarly function. It remains an active specialist journal published by Éditions de l'EHESS.

• 2023

  Transition to diamond open access

  [1]Archives de sciences sociales des religionsen.wikipedia.org

  The journal became freely accessible through OpenEdition Journals under a diamond open-access model.

• 1980

  End of Henri Desroche's editorship

  [1]Archives de sciences sociales des religionsen.wikipedia.org

  Henri Desroche's tenure as editor-in-chief concluded after leading the journal from its founding period.

• 1973

  Title changed to Archives de sciences sociales des religions

  [1]Archives de sciences sociales des religionsen.wikipedia.org

  The journal adopted its current title, reflecting a broader social-scientific scope beyond sociology alone.

• 1956

  Journal founded as Archives de sociologie des religions

  [1]Archives de sciences sociales des religionsen.wikipedia.org

  The journal was established in France under the original title Archives de sociologie des religions, with Henri Desroche, Émile Poulat, Jacques Maître, François-André Isambert and Gabriel Le Bras associated with its founding.

A specialist, research-led academic journal positioned at the intersection of sociology, anthropology, history and other social sciences concerned with religion. Its identity is built on peer review, multilingual scholarship, thematic issues, long editorial continuity and open digital access.

• Peer-reviewed academic journal · 1956

  Archives de sciences sociales des religions

  The journal's principal offering is a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to social-scientific research on religion. It publishes studies using sociological, anthropological, historical and political approaches, and addresses religious institutions, communities, belief, ritual, secularization and religion's relationship with society. The journal publishes mainly in French and English, with occasional Spanish-language contributions. Its current publishing format is quarterly and includes both thematic and general issues.

• Scholarly bibliographic publication

  Bibliographic bulletin

  The January bibliographic bulletin is part of the journal's regular editorial schedule. It supports the research community by organizing and presenting bibliographic material relevant to the social sciences of religion.

• 2023

  Adoption of a diamond open-access publishing modelStrategy

  Background

  The journal moved its digital distribution to OpenEdition Journals and adopted a model intended to make scholarly content freely available.

  Action taken

  ASSR made its content available without reader subscription charges and without article-processing fees for authors, according to the available reference material.

  Aftermath

  The transition increased the journal's digital accessibility while maintaining its role as a peer-reviewed specialist publication.

  Source

1. 1Archives de sciences sociales des religionsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Éditions de l'EHESS: Archives de sciences sociales des religionseditions.ehess.fr