Interesting-

1. Maintenance of the dominance of Political and social elite influence upon 
the processes of historic preservation is unethical. From political 
appointed SHPOs to catering to the whims of "societies" historical and other 
just because
they have money. If archeology is to be a science it should operate as a 
science and not as a slave to politics and status. I find professional 
archeologists are unwilling to make waves and feel this is a tragedy.

2. It is unethical imho to treat archeology as a point by point, site by 
site pursuit. It needs to be invoked as a lifeway for all citizens just as 
the ecological movement has developed. Archeologists need not be government 
contractors
so much as doctors on call making house calls. Everyone should practice an 
archeologically informed lifestyle just as they practice awareness of 
pollution and other ecological issues. History needs to be part of the
real estate transfer record for each property conveying it from deed to 
deed. We can not afford to concentrate where the most money is but in the 
work that will allow more work to be done for the limited money. Harnessing 
the entire population in an archeologically informed lifeway will help us to 
do much more work than we can do with the limited funding that we have now. 
Some archeologists are indeed helping to bridge the gap but often on a site 
by site basis not so much on developing a network for lifeway's.

Ok brain storm IMHO what do you think.....?

Conrad Bladey
Professional Archeologist
Peasant

-----Original Message----- 
From: Ryan Kennedy
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2012 2:20 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: ethics question

Hello all,
As part of an archaeological ethics course I have been asked to observe 
and/or participate in an ethical conversation on a listserv, forum, etc. I 
thought it could be interesting to poll Histarch with a simple, two-part 
question:

1) What do you think is the single most important ethical concern for 
archaeologists today?

2) Very briefly, how do you define yourself as an archaeologist? (ie what 
sector do you work in, etc.)

Your answers will be used only to stimulate discussion in class, and I won’t 
share any personal or identifying information. Also, please feel free to 
shoot me an email off-list if you would be more comfortable doing so.

Thanks in advance to those of you who respond,
Ryan