The Journal of Ottoman Studies has been published internationally without interruption since 1980, bringing together scholars not only from different countries but also from diverse schools of thought, thereby introducing pluralism – an enduring legacy of the Ottoman worlds – into today's academic environment. As its founder, Nejat Göyünç (1925-2001), stated in his introduction to the first issue of the journal, the aim of the journal is "to bring together the growing number of Ottoman scholars within this publication, to encourage them by presenting the valuable studies of young researchers, to help them gain recognition, and to make their work known to the wider scholarly world."

In addition to Nejat Göyünç, the journal began publication in 1980 under the academic direction of Halil İnalcık and Heath Lowry. Today, in addition to İnalcık and Lowry, the journal's editorial board includes İsmail Erünsal (since issue 10 [1990]), Feridun M. Emecen (since issue 22 [2003]), Bilgin Aydın (since issue 30 [2007]), Rhoads Murphey and Baki Tezcan (since issue 35 [2010]), Seyfi Kenan (since issue 44 [2014]), and Ali Akyıldız (since issue 45 [2015]).

The late Nejat Göyünç, who always supported and encouraged young scholars and who embodied the aims and spirit of the journal in his own character, expressed his hope that "just as the Ottoman Empire was the common property of many nations living in the Middle East and the Balkans, Ottoman Studies will continue to live through the contributions of all Ottoman scholars and serve as an element bringing them closer to one another".

Ottoman Studies, whose first thirty-four issues (1980-2009) were published by İsmail Özdoğan (d. 2012), the owner of Enderun Bookstore and an indispensable figure for Ottoman researchers.  The journal has been appearing twice a year since 2004, was transferred to ISAM in 2010. Today ISAM still continues to bring Ottoman researchers from all over the world closer together through the richness of its library and its openness to all researchers.

Since its 43rd issue in 2014, Ottoman Studies has been jointly published by Istanbul 29 Mayıs University and the Centre for Islamic Studies (ISAM) as a collaborative academic journal.