The society organizes an annual three-day conference in January, normally held at St Hugh's College, Oxford, which is attended by scholars from across the world.
It also offers a range of fellowships and bursaries to support research into eighteenth-century history, literature, and culture.
In its early years, many BSECS members were academics working in modern language studies, particularly in French literature and philosophy.
Over time, BSECS began to attract a more diverse membership and by the 1980s members were drawn from scholars working across the humanities and more frequently in English than in French.
Past presidents include: 2021 Brycchan Carey 2018 Caroline Warman 2015 Matthew Grenby 2013 Jeremy Gregory 2010 Michael Burden 2008 Penelope Corfield 2006 John Dunkley 2004 Frank O’Gorman 2002 Derek Hughes 2000 Janet Todd 1998 Brean Hammond 1990s David Williams, Anthony Strugnell 1980s Dennis Fletcher, Haydn Mason, Pat Rogers 1970s Vivienne Mylne 1971 Robert Niklaus