29th June 2006, 07:14 PM
I think some of the posts above are a bit pessimistic and dismissive of how archaeology regulates itself.
We don't have a single, uniform set of rules and an official body that enforces them. However, as a profession we do have a fairly strong consensus on what constitutes ethical behaviour and there is a lot of peer pressure to stick within its limits (doesn't always work, of course).
Insofar as this has a written expression, it is in the Code of Conduct and the Standards and Guidance published by the IFA, which are broadly accepted throughout the profession even by those who don't like the IFA and won't join.
Enforcement is generally weak, because membership of the IFA is not compulsory, and because the IFA doesn't (and couldn't) do pro-active policing (the same applies to all other professional institutions in Britain). However, there are complaints and disciplinary procedures for IFA members, which can lead to reactive sanctions.
Under some circumstances, even some non-members may be subject to the IFA standards, through contractual or curatorial requirements - but these cannot be enforced through the IFA disciplinary process, only through contractual or planning processes.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
We don't have a single, uniform set of rules and an official body that enforces them. However, as a profession we do have a fairly strong consensus on what constitutes ethical behaviour and there is a lot of peer pressure to stick within its limits (doesn't always work, of course).
Insofar as this has a written expression, it is in the Code of Conduct and the Standards and Guidance published by the IFA, which are broadly accepted throughout the profession even by those who don't like the IFA and won't join.
Enforcement is generally weak, because membership of the IFA is not compulsory, and because the IFA doesn't (and couldn't) do pro-active policing (the same applies to all other professional institutions in Britain). However, there are complaints and disciplinary procedures for IFA members, which can lead to reactive sanctions.
Under some circumstances, even some non-members may be subject to the IFA standards, through contractual or curatorial requirements - but these cannot be enforced through the IFA disciplinary process, only through contractual or planning processes.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished