Term 2 and Taking Stock

Abstract

The first issue of The Social History of Alcohol and Drugs (SHAD) published under the University of Chicago imprint came out in spring 2019. At that time, we wrote of a “new era.” We expressed wonder at how our field was “flourishing like never before, expanding in fascinating and important directions with new voices and new topics.”As relatively new journal editors then, we felt the “present moment” held tremendous promise—and, evenmore, we expressed how thrills were inherent to working this specific field of history. Several factors contributed to that enthusiasm. One was the breadth and scope of drugs and alcohol scholarship (either in development, in press, or recently published). Another was the impending international meeting of the Alcohol and Drugs History Society (ADHS) in Shanghai, which, in the end, brought together so many thoughtful participants and also signaled that the organization need not operate exclusively within the intellectual or geographical parameters of the United States, Western Europe, or Canada. A third driver of enthusiasm was, quite simply, the field’s mix of researchers— their creativity in identifying fresh topics and methodologies, willingness to push against disciplinary boundaries, and determination to dig up original source materials. These reasons for excitement back in 2019 still motivate us. In 2022, SHAD continues to evolve. The editors-in-chief (us!) were reappointed by the ADHS for another four-year window. Our first “term”