Editors’ Page: Defining Ethics

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In Editor’s Page: The Two Faces of AIA, Managing Editor Jack Meinhardt wrote about a young scholar who was told he would have to resign from our Editorial Advisory Board if he wanted to serve in any official capacity with the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). Moreover, his career would be hurt, so he was told, if he maintained an official connection with Archaeology Odyssey.

Since then, the AIA’s position has been clarified. Members of its Governing Board must sign a pledge that they will abide by the AIA’s Code of Ethics. That is why, in order to be a member of the Governing Board, you cannot be a member of our Editorial Advisory Board.

Upon hearing this, I promptly looked at a copy of the AIA’s Code of Ethics. The only provision that even arguably applies to this situation states as follows:

“Members of the AIA should … refuse to participate in the trade of undocumented antiquities and refrain from activities that enhance the commercial value of such objects.”^a

The AIA has decided that our acceptance of ads from antiquities dealers violates this provision of its Code of Ethics. Therefore, members of its Governing Board who sign a pledge to obey this code cannot serve on our Editorial Advisory Board. Q.E.D.

But it’s OK to write for us! I guess consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

But that’s not the worst it. The AIA’s Code of Ethics does not just apply to the Governing Board. Any AIA member who violates this code is guilty of unethical behavior. That means that our entire Editorial Advisory Board is guilty of unethical behavior.

Take a look at our Editorial Advisory Board in the masthead at right. It includes a former director of the Jordanian Antiquities Department, the head of Tel Aviv University’s Institute of Archaeology, a professor of Assyriology at Yale, a professor of Egyptology at the Johns Hopkins University, a professor of Classics at Harvard, the head of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, the director of the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, a former head of the William F. Albright School of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem, and on and on.

All unethical scholars?

Moreover, the code presumably applies to everyone—not just AIA members—since it defines unethical behavior itself. On that basis, Archaeology Odyssey and our sister magazine Biblical Archaeology Review are unethical. So is the Washington Post, which also carries antiquities ads. Presumably other prominent newspapers (and magazines) are unethical on this basis as well.

It’s one thing to disagree with our policy on accepting ads from antiquities dealers. This is a matter for legitimate debate. We have articulated our position on a number of occasions, and we have invited the AIA to jointly sponsor a conference on how to stop—or at least reduce—archaeological looting. But to brand all people who disagree with the AIA 063position unethical and unfit for official company is quite another matter.

We do not believe that most members of the AIA agree with this policy. We hope that on occasion rank-and-file members, not just the current AIA leadership, will have the opportunity to voice their opinion on this matter. Perhaps the AIA would allow its members to vote on this question: Is it unethical to serve on the editorial advisory board of a magazine that accepts antiquities ads?

In Editor’s Page: The Two Faces of AIA, Managing Editor Jack Meinhardt wrote about a young scholar who was told he would have to resign from our Editorial Advisory Board if he wanted to serve in any official capacity with the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). Moreover, his career would be hurt, so he was told, if he maintained an official connection with Archaeology Odyssey. Since then, the AIA’s position has been clarified. Members of its Governing Board must sign a pledge that they will abide by the AIA’s Code of Ethics. That is why, in order to be […]