Due 15 May: Please do the survey for the Revision of the SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics

[Ben Marwick]

Hi everyone,

I'm part of a task force that is currently surveying archaeologists (members and non-members) about how to update the Society of American Archaeology's 'Principles of Archaeological Ethics'. This is relevant to our interest group because it is an important opportunity for us to tell the SAA that open access, open data, and open methods are ethical issues that need to be recognized in the SAA's ethical guidance to its membership.

Please complete the survey before it closes on 15 May 2020. My role on the task force is to lead the data analysis, and I'm determined to do this in the most open and transparent way possible so that everyone can see the results. The task force will also host a webinar event for members to discuss, and we plan at least one publication to communicate the results. 

As you may be aware, sentiment toward the SAA is generally very negative at the moment, so I expect the SAA board will be urgently looking for new directly in the results of this survey. This is an ideal opportunity to communicate your views on what moral values the Society needs to focus more on, and raise the visiblity of open science issues among archaeologists. 

The SAA is interested to get responses from descendant communities, avocational archaeologists and other groups outside of academia and CRM. Please forward this email, or your own invitation to the survey, to the communities you work with to help ensure the SAA Board sees a diversity of responses that reflect the full spectrum of archaeological practice. 

I include the original email from the SAA president below, and here is a short url to the survey: https://bit.ly/saa-tf2-ethics-survey 

Warmly,

Ben

Dear SAA Member:

I am writing to you to introduce you to and invite you to participate in a survey designed to gather your thoughts and opinions about the revision of our Society’s ethical principles.

In 1996, the SAA Executive Board adopted the Principles of Archaeological Ethics, as proposed by the SAA Ethics in Archaeology Committee. These principles guide archaeologists "in negotiating the complex responsibilities they have to archaeological resources, and to all who have an interest in these resources or are otherwise affected by archaeological practice" (Lynott and Wylie 1995:8). These principles are one of the foundational documents for the Society and are meant to express the members’ views on the ethical practice of archaeology.

In Fall 2018, the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) board of directors created the Task Force on the Revision of the SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics: Stage 2 (TF 2). The main task of TF 2 is to develop and deploy this membership survey to collect feedback on the current ethical principles and suggestions for revision. After the survey, a webinar and virtual listening session and other activities to collect public comments will follow. In addition to seeking feedback on existing principles, this survey aims to collect feedback on membership attitudes towards organizational ethics as an aspirational code or as a living document. The main objectives of the survey are to gather membership feedback on revising the SAA Code of Ethics and to compile data with preliminary interpretations to guide Task Force 3 in its mission to revise the Ethics, in both content and form, if it is the wishes of the membership to do so. It is anticipated that the survey will take you 15-20 minutes to complete.

You can access the survey by clicking on this link:

Task Force (TF) on the Revision of the SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics: Stage 2

Or you can cut-and-paste this URL into your preferred web browser:

http://unf.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aeEvnYOYCFKw5Df

The membership of TF 2 thanks you for taking the time to complete this survey.

Sincerely,

Joe Watkins, Ph.D., RPA

President