The Yearbook of the "Gheorghe Şincai" Institute for Social Sciences and the Humanities of the Romanian Academy (ISSN 1454-5284) is a yearly academic publication. Issued in 1998 the journal accepts for publication articles in Romanian, English, French or German. It has special sections dedicated to early modern, modern, and recent history, cultural studies, literary studies, and book reviews. The Yearbook is a peer reviewed journal. The editorial board reserves the right for a final decision on publication and can either resend the article for revision according to the requirements of the journal or can reject the article altogether. The journal does not accept for publications articles that have been published, are in publishing or were submitted for publication to other journals or books.

Gheorghe Sincai Institute for Social Studies and the Humanities was founded in 1957 in Târgu Mureş. As a branch of the Romanian Academy it was meant to concentrate on history of the central and south-eastern Transylvania. After almost a decade from its inauguration, in 1966 the research profile of the institution diversified by adding up a new philological department. In 1967 the institution was renamed in The Center for History, Philology and Art History. After only three years, in 1970 the institute received a new name: The Centre for Social Sciences, alongside becoming subordinate to the Academy of Social and Political Sciences. After the political changes post-1989 the Center of Social and Political Sciences was overtook by the Romanian Academy, decision sanctioned by the normative act Nr. 256 from March 8th, 1990, being once again renamed as the Institute for Social Studies and the Humanities Gheorghe Sincai.

In its over 50 years of existence particular attention was paid to major topics such as the Transylvanian history as well as the Romanian culture and civilization in European context. Scholars in ancient history concentrated on the Neolithic settlements from the Mures area. Others have dedicated their research to the Romanians ethnogenesis by evaluating the role played by the Celts and Germanic population to this process. In this respect one must mention the outstanding scientific productions of Valeriu Lazar, Repertoriul arheologic al judeţului Mureş (The Archaeological repertory of Mures County) and Adrian Husar’s Celţi şi germani în Dacia romană,(Celts and Germans in Roman Dacia), both awarded by the Romanian Academy.

Other researchers like Szabo Miklos and Simon Zsolt have dealt with medieval economic history, particularly agriculture and mining standing consistently into their attention. Going almost 40 years back in time, in this institute had been first initiated a new systematic research of the medieval intellectuals. In time, the Transylvanian intellectuality has become a major research theme of the Institute. Consequently, the attendance of young Transylvanians at the western universities during 1521-1700 turned into a vast research field. Changes in the religious transformation with effect on the confessional denomination and the modernization process generated transformations within the Transylvanian society. Their outcome was pursued in studies which chronologically referred to 1700-1918 timespan. Here is to mention the volumes of the historians Szabó Miklós (and Szögi László), Erdelyi peregrinusok (Transylvanian pilgrims), Cornel Sigrmirean, Istoria formării intelectualităţii româneşti din Transilvania şi Banat în epoca modernă (The history of the Romanian intelectuality in Transylvania and Banat) - awarded with the „Gheorghe Bariţiu” prize of the Romanian Academy -, Fundaţia Gojdu. 1871-2001 (Gojdu Foundation, 1871-2001); Intelectualitatea ecleziastică. Preoţii Blajului, 1806-1948 (The eclasiastical intelectuals. The Blaj clegymen, 1806-1948); Ioan Chiorean, Intelectualitatea din Transilvania în epocile premodernă şi modernă (Transylvanian intellectuality during premodernity and modernity) etc. Avram Iancu, Iosif Hodoş, Alexandru Papiu Ilarian, Andrei Şaguna, Paul Vasici, Teodor V. Păcăţian and other Transylvanian personalities, the formation of the Transylvanian intelligentsia in Central and Western European Universities had been also consistently studied.

A special research field is concerned with the church and ecclesiastical history. Scientific investigations conducted by Corina Teodor, in her Coridoare istoriografice. O incursiune în universul scrisului ecleziastic românesc din Transilvania anilor 1850-1920 (Historiographical coridors. An incursion in the Transylvanian Romanian eclesiastical writing 185-1920) was awarded by the Romanian Academy. Other researchers dealing with related topics are Anca Şincan, Carmen Dorlan and Cornel Sigmirean.

Scientific board:

Dr. Cornel Sigmirean, President, Director of the Institute since 2008

Dr. Nicoleta Sălcudeanu, Secretary of the Scientific board

Dr. Carmen Andraş

Dr. Corina Teodor

Dr. Simon Zsolt

Drd. Marian Zăloagă

Drd. Anca Şincan