Additional Information

Course Number

ARCHY 467 A

Course Level

Course Description

Archaeological practice raises profoundly challenging ethics issues. With the majority of employed archaeologists now working in culture resource management many find themselves caught between the goals and standards of their profession and the demands of diverse employers, oversight agencies, and stakeholders. Further conflicts arise between research goals and the commitments entailed by a conservation ethic; these are especially sharply drawn in debate about the professional use of looted or commercially traded material. But most urgent and most transformative are the issues of accountability raised by descendant communities, especially Indigenous, Aboriginal and First Nations communities who regard archaeological sites and artifacts as their cultural heritage and may see little value in archaeological research. So the central question we address in this seminar is: to whom and to what are archaeologists accountable? In particular: What responsibilities do archaeologists have to those whose cultural heritage they study? Do archaeologists have an obligation to protect the archaeological record – to “save the past for the future” – and how is this balanced against a commitment to the goals of inquiry? Is it legitimate to work with looted and/or commercially traded archaeological material? How should archaeologists navigate conflicts between the demands of those they work for and the range of other stakeholders to whom they are accountable? [Selection from course description. Please see complete description at URL provided.]

Syllabus Available

No

Notes

Please contact instructor for further information.

Additional tags: ethical case studies; ethical codes; research ethics; Culture Resource Management

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

• Adequate Preparation for Research Projects
• Appropriate Dissemination of Research
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Colleagues, Employees, and Students
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Employers and Clients
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to the Public
• Integrity of Research Methodology
• Maintaining Continuity of Records
• Procedures for Field Survey or Excavation
• Specimen and Research Record Storage

CIfA Codes

• Principle 1: Adherence to ethical and responsible behaviour in archaeological affairs
• Principle 3: Responsibility for acquiring and recording reliable information of the past in archaeological research
• Principle 4: Responsibility for the availability of archaeological results within reasonable dispatch
• Principle 5: Recognition of aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers in all matters of employment

Keywords & Terms

• Accountability
• Adequate Preparation
• Anti-Commercialization
• Conflicts of Interest
• Consultation/Partnership with Affected Groups
• Consultation/Partnership with Indigenous Peoples
• Culturally Significant and/or Sacred Sites, Objects, and Places
• Employer/Client Relationships
• Equity and Representation; Discrimination and Harassment
• Impact on Communities - Local, Descendant, etc.
• Indigenous, Tribal, Aboriginal Rights
• Integrity of Research Methodology and Field Procedures
• Local, State, Federal, and Tribal Laws
• Management of Cultural Resources, Heritage, History
• Ownership
• Preservation of Archaeological Resources
• Professional Standards
• Promotion of Archaeological Research/Archaeology as Scientific Discipline
• Public Interest, Collaboration, Education, and Outreach
• Repatriation
• Respect for and Responsibility to Affected Groups
• Standards of Data Collection, Recordation, Analysis
• Stewardship
• Transparency

Topics & Issues

• Antiquities Trade
• Conservation and Ethics
• Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
• Descendant, Resident, and Stakeholder Communities
• Ethical Case Studies
• Ethical Dilemmas
• Ethical Responsibilities of Archaeologists
• Ethics of Collecting
• Heritage Management
• Historic/Cultural Resource/Site Preservation
• Human Rights and Social and Economic Inequalities
• Indigenous Archaeology: Perspectives and Issues
• Professionalism and Professional Standards