ICOHTEC was founded in Paris 1968 when bitterness divided the nations in the Eastern and Western worlds. The intent was to provide a forum of scholars for the history of technology from both sides of the ‚iron curtain‘. It was con­stituted as a Scientific Section within the Divi­sion of the History of Science of the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IUHPST/DHST). The first President was E. Olszewski (Poland), with Vice-Presidents S. V. Schuchardine (USSR) and Melvin Kranzberg (USA). The first Secretary-General was Maurice Daumas (France), through whose ini­tia­tive the French government hosted the first inde­pendent symposium at Pont-a-Mousson (1970). Symposia have been held almost every year, and the proceedings of many meetings have been published, although in a variety of forms.

Whereas national organisations have their membership bases in their re­spective countries, ICOHTEC has its membership base mainly in Europe, but also in the Americas, Japan, India and Australia. Research activi­ties, in which ICOHTEC members co-operate, reflect this special interest. The issues are investigated on a comparative national basis, stressing aspects of co-operation between various nations, regions or institutions. The first statutes of ICOHTEC were approved in Paris in 1968; they were then amended in 1974, 1985, and 1993. For a complete version of the statutes click here.

Objectives

The aims are as stated in article four:

To establish close working relationships among specialists of different disciplines in order to foster interna­tional co-operation for the study and development of the history of technology;
To promote the study of appropriate historical subjects by establishing and extending the scholarly bases of the history of technology as well as by contributing to the resolution of certain contemporary national and international problems;
To facilitate research and documentation for scholars in all countries in the history of technology by exchange of information and the creation of the material means necessary for this objective.

How to join us? (click here)