The Scottish Society of Economists was formed in 1897, its first president being Joseph Shield Nicholson of the University of Edinburgh.
[4] Economists from the (then) four Scottish universities and the Dundee School of Economics met in Edinburgh where a constitution, drawn up by Fraser Noble,[1] was agreed.
[4] The new president, Alexander Cairncross, urged social scientists of all kinds to join, arguing that economics on its own is "emasculated".
[1] In its early years, the emphasis of the reformed society, reflected in the content of its journal, was on Scottish issues, applications of economics, and writing for a non-professional audience.
[3][1] From the 1950s to the 1990s, the emphasis changed and became more technical, focusing less on Scottish issues and applied economics but attracting far more international contributions and recognition.