The Center for the History of Society and Culture (CHSC) is a Research & Development unit accredited by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) (FCT) – UIDB/00311/2020. Its physical and administrative headquarters are in the University of Coimbra. It is a constituent of the University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

The Center was established in 1976 as a successor to the Centro de Estudos Históricos (Center for Historical Studies), created earlier in the decade. At first, it was associated to the Instituto Nacional de Investigação Científica (National Institute of Scientific Research) (INIC). Later, it was transferred to the Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica (National Committee of Scientific Research) (JNIC) and, in 1997, to the FCT.

Over almost five decades, its organisational model has proven stable, and it has contributed significantly to the advancement of historical knowledge. The Center’s activity has focused chiefly on cooperating within international research networks, supporting and/or conducting innovative knowledge transfer projects, and publishing several research works, most notably the Revista de História da Sociedade e da Cultura (Journal of the History of Society and Culture), published without interruption since 2001.

The CHSC follows policies of gender equality.