To this end, I asked a few pointed questions. STC is the world's largest professional association for technical communicators, with over 18,000 members in 29 countries. STC has chapters in 8 countries, though most of the members and chapters are in the US and Canada. Thus, STC is considered an international rather than a national society. STC maintains intersociety relations with numerous related societies to exchange information about events of interest to our members.
Chapters occasionally hold joint meetings or consecutive conferences with related societies.
Many STC members are also members of other professional societies. Thus STC's goal is to work cooperatively with other related groups to advance the profession. STC chapters are started when a group of at least 15 members petition the board for approval. STC does not set strategic goals at the Society level of starting, or not allowing, chapters in any particular locality. In STC's view, individual technical communicators can decide for themselves whether active participation in STC, in another professional group, or in both or none would best serve their professional interests.