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Historical Note

Founded in 1955 and established as a quarterly in 1958, Daedalus is the journal of the American Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾ of Arts and Sciences. Each issue explores a theme from a variety of multidisciplinary perspectives in authoritative essays written by Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾ members and other experts. Daedalus became an open-access journal in 2021. Four quarterly issues comprise an annual volume; issues are published as No. 1 (Winter), No. 2 (Spring), No. 3 (Summer), and No. 4 (Fall).

From 1955–1958, Daedalus was a special feature of the, and published full papers presented at meetings by members but increasingly included submissions from non-members. Daedalus follows the ±Ê°ù´Ç³¦±ð±ð»å¾±²Ô²µ²õ’ numbering, initially appearing as Vol. 86, Nos. 1–4 (1955–1957), while Proceedings continued as Vol. 85 through 1958. Daedalus was still noted to be an issue of the Proceedings until 1963.

The Editorial office was initially located on the second floor of Brandegee House, 280 Newton Street, Brookline (the location of the Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾ from 1955–1981). In 1958, the editorial office moved to 7 Linden Street, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. In 1980, the office moved to its current home at the House of the Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾, 136 Irving St, Cambridge, MA.

Initially published by and with the co-sponsorship of Wesleyan University Press until the Fall of 1961, thereafter it was self-published, until an agreement was reached with MIT Press in 2003. Select issues were also published separately as books by various publishers. In 2021, Daedalus became open access; all issues are available for free on the Â鶹´«Ã½Íøվ’s website, on , and through .

Development of the issue was solely under the direction of the Editor of Daedalus, with some exceptions, until 2008. The Editor generally selected authors, invited their contribution, organized a planning and/or authors’ conference, and oversaw the publication of the journal.  In 2008, Daedalus followed a new model, with a rotating Guest Editor(s) with expert knowledge in the topic being explored. Today, the Guest Editors work in collaboration with the Editor-in-Chief.

Funding for the development of issues varied and included foundation, individual, state, and federal support

Scope and Content

Record Group XVIII: Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾ Publications. Daedalus, all contains multiple series, each comprised of records relating to individual issues of Daedalus.  Records were collected and maintained within the editorial office by the editor and their staff. Each series contains records relating to both general/administrative planning of the issue as well as author or meeting records relating to the development of content. Most commonly present are handwritten and typed correspondence, memos, other correspondence (including airmail, telegrams, copies of emails, etc.), meeting agendas, and typed drafts. Occasionally, a series will also contain proofs or audio recordings of author conferences.  

Arrangement

Finding Aids for each issue of Daedalus are listed chronologically. The list is updated as issues are processed, with more to come.  

Processing Information

Much of the work has been completed by Simmons Graduate Student interns, each focusing on one issue, under the guidance of Director of Archives Michele Lavoie and Archivist Maggie Boyd. 

Appendix

Note: Prior to 2013, the position of Editor of Daedalus (aka Editor of the Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾) had a three-year term limit but allowed unlimited immediately successive terms. No one held the position of Editor of Daedalus between 2008 and 2023, until Phyllis Bendell was named as Editor-in-Chief with no term limits

Editors-in-Chief of Daedalus

Walter Muir Whitehead (1955-1957)

Gerald Holton (1957-1963):

• First issue: Vol. 87, No. 1 (Winter 1958).
• Final issue: Vol. 92, No. 2, Perspectives on the Novel (Spring, 1963)

Stephen R. Graubard (1963-2001):

• First issue: Vol. 89, No. 1, The Visual Arts Today (Winter, 1960)
• Roles officially distinguished in Summer 1961 issue:
  • Editor of the Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾: Gerald Holton
  • Editor of Daedalus: Stephen Graubard
• Final issue: Vol. 130, No. 3, Italy: Resilient and Vulnerable, Volume II: Politics and Society (Summer 2001).

James Miller (2002-2008)

• First issue: Vol. 131, No. 1, On Inequality (Winter, 2002)
• Final issue: Vol. 137, No. 3, On Cosmopolitanism (Summer, 2008)

*Steven Marcus served as Editor of the Â鶹´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾ from 2002-2013.

Position was not filled from 2008-2023.

Phyllis Bendel (2023-present)

• First issue: Vol. 152, No. 3, Language & Social Justice in the United States (Summer 2023)

Managing Editors of Daedalus

• Stephen R. Graubard (1960-1963)
• Geno Ballotti (1963–1978)
• William H. Brubeck (1978–1981)
• Jeffrey Greene (1984–1985)
• Phyllis Bendell (1997-2023)