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A Retrospective on the Beginnings of JCCP and IACCP

The inaugural issue of the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology was published in March 1970, thus becoming the first time that a refereed journal in psychology completely and exclusively focused on culture. After more than a year of preparation, it was mailed to approximately 1,100 subscribers. This initial and encouraging list was a mixture of individuals and institutions who showed interest in its uniqueness and the masthead policies that the international and interdisciplinary Editorial Advisory Board helped to establish. Many are familiar with its history, but those new to its pages might appreciate a brief overview. Started as a quarterly, JCCP was the centerpiece of the Center for Cross-Cultural Research, which was formed in 1969 by a small nucleus of regular faculty members. The Center, an ad hoc and unfunded entity with no specific and official mandate, was housed in the Department of Psychology at Western Washington State College (now Western Washington University). I accepted the challenge of being its founding editor, having joined the faculty in 1968. Sage Publications, then a new and independent publishing company, soon showed interest in JCCP. At about the same time, a growing number of psychologists from many countries, independent of JCCP activities but with highly compatible interests, decided that it was time to form a coalition. Thus, for the first time in the history of psychology, a core group of psychologists from throughout the world, who shared an interest in how psychology and culture define each other, seized the initiative to form the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP). Its inaugural meeting was in Hong Kong in 1972. Shortly before that meeting, it was agreed via postal exchanges (e-mail and the Internet, now seemingly essential to the operation of any journal, were still science fiction) that JCCP would become an official publication of IACCP, Sage would become its publisher, and ownership would be retained by Western Washington University. This arrangement proved to be mutually advantageous for many years. From 1970 through 1994, JCCP was published as a quarterly. In 1995, bimonthly publication began because of continually increasing submission of quality manuscripts. In 2001, the trim size increased dramatically (to its current dimensions) and provided a 15% to 20% increase in usable printed space. Then, in 2003, Sage made an overture to purchase the copyright of JCCP from Western Washington University. Lengthy negotiations resulted in transferring the copyright to Sage. Financial arrangements were agreeable and the sale was finalized in May 2004. To me, it was especially important and noteworthy that this transaction provided IACCP with an annual financial base that has benefited many psychologists, especially younger ones, throughout the world. For instance, awards for research by young scholars, support for travel to the association’s conferences, and funding of well-known scholars to give timely invited speeches to enhance interest in the field were finally made possible. This transaction was immediately followed by Sage and IACCP entering into a renewable 10-year publishing agreement. The agreement, now in its 5th year, stipulates that Sage is responsible for all printing, subscription, advertising, and business matters and that