Welcome to ESPRit

Welcome to the European Society for Periodical Research. Since its inception in 2009, ESPRit has proven its value as an international network for periodical researchers. We are proud of our inspiring annual conferences which bring together scholars from inside and outside of Europe and of the peer-reviewed Open Access Journal of European Periodical Studies (JEPS) which has entered its tenth year.

Until recently, ESPRit membership has been informal, consisting mainly of a subscription to our mailing list. In July 2019, a paid membership system was put into place. Periodical scholars who wish to support the Society, participate in its annual meetings, and benefit from discounts at future events, are kindly invited to register their membership by clicking on the button below.

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LATEST NEWS

2026 ESPRit Prize – Call for Nominations

ESPRit invites nominations for the 2026 ESPRit Prize, awarded biennially to recognise substantial contributions to the field of periodical studies. Eligible works completed between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025 may be nominated.
👉 Details and nominations: read more

Periodicals and the Law – Fifth ESPRit Online Seminar Series

ESPRit is pleased to announce a forthcoming seminar: on 19 February 2026, Dr Anna Kalinowska will explore English newsbooks and their reporting on the Polish-Lithuanian Sejm.
👉 Details and registration: read more

14th ESPRit Conference (Brussels, September 2026)

We are pleased to announce that the 14th Annual ESPRit Conference, entitled “Periodicals and the World”, will take place 9–11 September 2026 at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), Brussels.

👉 Full details and a call for papers are available on the conference page: read more

New JEPS Issue: Periodicals & Belonging (Vol. 10.1)

The latest issue of the Journal of European Periodical Studies explores how periodicals construct, maintain, and challenge ideas of community and belonging—an especially timely theme in today’s fragmented world. This issue is accompanied by a new episode of the JEPS in Conversation podcast

🎧 Listen to the podcast on SoundCloud
📖 Read the full issue online

New Seminar Series: JEPS in Conversation

JEPS in Conversation is a new online series from the Journal of European Periodical Studies, spotlighting fresh research and dialogue in the field of periodical studies.

Each session is followed by a podcast, freely available for listening.

👉 Click here for full details and to listen to the podcast series

ESPRit online seminars

In order to build our online ESPRit community, we regularly organise one-hour online seminars. For an overview of past seminars and to watch the recordings, please click here. Proposals for future seminars can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Migration from Listserv tot Google Groups

In December 2022, the European Society for Periodical Research has moved its news and mailing list service to Google Groups. The Listserv mailing list is no longer active. Please join our Google Group if you wish to receive information about our annual conferences, new issues of the Journal for European Periodical Studies and other news concerning ESPRit. Subscribers can also use the Google Group service to exchange information, ask questions, or share new publications with the periodical research community. More information.