Ethics in Archaeology

1

Archaeology 4620

Ethics in Archaeology

Spring 2010

MW 2:00-3:20 pm

Lisa Nagaoka

ENV 210C

Office hours: MW8:00-9:00 pm, or by appointment.

E-mail:

Phone number: 565-2510

Course Description and Goals

This class explores the ethical, legal, and practical dimensions of ‘doing’ archaeology today. By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Identify the conflicting perspectives leading to ethical dilemmas.
• Propose solutions for these problematic situations.
• Evaluate proposed and actual solutions to ethical conflicts.

Course Structure and Grading

Journal Keeping25%

Group Outlines15%

Exams 60%

Class Structure

Since this is an ‘issues’ course, it is important to recognize that there is often no ‘right’ answer to the issue. Thus, it is important to get as many perspectives as possible to the topics to be covered to understand where the conflicts arise. You will get these different viewpoints from the readings and from discussions with your fellow students.

The course workload will focus on reading articles, evaluating them in the context of a particular problem, and discussing and synthesizing the information and viewpoints. For each class period, students are responsible for reading a set of articles covering a specific topic. Then during class, students will work in small groups on a particular problem and write an essay as a group. As a class we will then discuss your ‘answers’ to the issue at hand.

Readings and Journaling

The readings provide background information, case studies, and different viewpoints on the topic of the day. The y are the backbone of the course content. Thus it is important not only to have read the articles for comprehension but to have thought about the importance of the readings in relation to each topic. To achieve this, we will use blogging or journaling as a means to make those connections.

"Writing is thinking". And writing down your thoughts about readings and topics will help solidify what you do and do not understand about the topic. Keeping a journal is means of documenting your thinking. The journal can be handwritten or digital. For example, a blog is a kind of digital journal. In this case, your writings will be private and not be posted to the web. The required content of the journal entries may vary depending on the topic and/or the readings. For some readings, you may be asked simply to write down questions about the readings. For others, you may be asked to make connections to previous readings or to evaluate some ethical aspect of the readings. Each entry should have the day of the week, date, time and topic (e.g., Mon, Jan 18, 9:30 am, international looting).

Each week you should have number of entries. You will need to make entries for the class readings before you come to class so that you are prepared for class. This means that the readings should be done ahead of time to allow you to think about the articles. If you do not allow yourself that time, then the process will become busy work. In addition, you should have entries that summarize both your group's discussions about a topic as well as the class discussion. Your journal will be checked randomly. The journals will be important sources of information for your exams and will be turned in at the same time as the exams.

Group Work

Each class period you will work with two other students on a question that will ask you to synthesize, analyze, and/or evaluate the information presented in the readings for that day. The essay question will be handed out with the reading questions the week prior to when that topic begins. Each group will turn in a copy of their outline to be graded on the plus-check-minus scale.

The groups will be set up randomly and will be changed twice during the semester so that you have a chance to work with different groups of students and gain different perspectives.

Discussion

The last part of the class will be spent discussing every group’s answers or solutions to the issue of the day. This will allow you to see other perspectives on the same issue.

Exams

There are threetake-home essay exams. The exams will ask you to evaluate a particular ethical dilemma. You should draw upon the reading materials, group work and discussions for this task. The essays should be well-organized and thorough, and most importantly thoughtful.

Class Absences

ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. You are allowed one unexcused absence. For unexcused absences beyond this, you will lose 2% of your grade for each absence. After 5 unexcused absences you will receive a ‘WF’ and be dropped from the class.

If you have a legitimate excuse for missing class (e.g, illness, family issues, etc.), please try to notify me ahead of time so we can make alternative arrangements to take the reading quiz. I am easily accessible via e-mail. If you miss class, you are responsible for obtaining the information covered in class from other students.

Extra Credit

It is the policy of the Department of Geography not to allow extra credit assignments. Extra credit is defined as any form of additional class related work that is not specified on the course syllabus as a component in determining the final grade for a class. Thus, there are no extra assignments that you can do to raise your grade. This is different from bonus points, which can be awarded on existing assignments or exams.

The Department of Geography, in cooperation with the Office of Disability Accommodation, complies with the American with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written accommodation request before the 12th day of class.

Reading Schedule

Week: Date / Topics / Reading
1: Jan 20 / What is Archaeology? / King 2005Chapters 1-4
2: Jan 25 / Ethical Thinking / Paul & Eller 2006
2: Jan 27 / Ethics in Archaeology / Wylie 2003
3: Feb 1 / Archaeological Codes of Ethics / Davis 2003; Lynott 2003; Vitelli 1996
3: Feb 3 / Cultural Resource Management (CRM) / Bergman & Doershuk 2003
4: Feb 8 / CRM continued / King 2005Chapters 5-7
4: Feb 10 / Significance in CRM / Dunnell 1982; Tainter & Bagley 2005; Altschul 2005
5: Feb 15 / Tribal CRM / Stapp & Burney 2002; Watkins 2000 Chapter 6
5: Feb 17 / CRM Gone Awry / Davila 1999; Downey 2002; Valdez 2004;ROPA Decision; Mapes 2005
6: Feb 22 / Avoiding Problems in CRM / Darby & Longenecker
TAKE HOME EXAM: Due 3/1
6: Feb 24 / Repatriation / Thomas 2000 Chapters 21-23
7: Mar 1 / Repatriation: Native Perspectives / Echo-Hawk 2000; Watkins 2003; Singleton & Orser 2003
7: Mar 3 / Repatriation: Archaeologists’ Views / Clark 1996; Kakos 1997; Mason 1997; Meighan 1996; Worl 1995; Zimmerman 1996
8: Mar 8 / Repatriation: International / Smith & Burke 2003; Watkins 2000 Chap 10
8: Mar 10 / Kennewick Man / Thomas 2000 Chapters 24;Watkins 2000 Chapter 9
TAKE HOME EXAM: Due 3/24
9: Mar 22 / Looting: National / Hollowell-Zimmer 2003; Warren 1999
9: Mar 24 / Looting Examples / Early 1999; Fagan 1996; Harrington 1996
10: Mar 29 / Looting: Native Perspectives / Cast & Perttula 2002; Longenecker & Van Pelt 2002; Nichols et al. 1999
10: Mar 31 / Looting Prosecution / Munson et al. 1995; US Army Corps of Engineers
11: Apr 5 / Looting: International / Brodie & Gill 2003; Hingston 1999
11: Apr 7 / International Examples / Pendergast & Graham 1999; Rose & Acar 1996; Ciochon & James 1999
12: Apr 12 / International Collectors’ Views / Alexander 1990; Griffin 1999; Harris 199; various authors
13: Apr 19 / International Native Perspectives / Brent 1999; Atwood 2003
13: Apr 21 / Looting; Subsistence Digging / Matsuda 1998; Staley 1993
14: Apr 26 / Museum ethics / Barker 2003; Shestack 1999
14: Apr 28 / Curation & Deaccessioning / Bustard 2000; Nelson & Shears 1996; Thomason 2000; Trimble & Marino 2003
15: May 3 / Curation & Deaccessioning / Maxwell Museum of Anthropology; Sonderman 1996
TAKE HOME EXAM: Due 5/10

Readings

What is Archaeology? - W Jan 20

King, Thomas F.

2005Chapter One: What's This All About? In Doing Archaeology, pp. 11-21. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

2005Chapter Two: Why Do Archaeology? In Doing Archaeology, pp. 22-37. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

2005Chapter Three: Principles and Practice. In Doing Archaeology, pp. 38-62. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

2005Chapter Four: What’s It Like? The Practice of Archaeological Research. In Doing Archaeology, pp. 63-82. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

Ethical Thinking - M Jan 25

Paul, Richard and Linda Elder

2006The Thinker's Guide to Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning. Foundation for Critical Thinking, Dillon Beach, CA.

Ethics in Archaeology - W Jan 27

Wylie, Alison

2003On Ethics. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 3-15. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Archaeological Codes of Ethics - M Feb 1

Davis, Hester A.

2003Creating and Implementing a Code and Standards. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 251-260. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Lynott, Mark

2003The Development of Ethics in Archaeology. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 17-27. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Vitelli, Karen D.

1996Appendix A: Statements on Archaeological Ethics from Professional Organizations. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 253-265. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Cultural Resource Management (CRM) - W Feb 3

Bergman, Christopher A. and John F. Doershuk

2003Cultural Resource Management and the Business of Archaeology. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 85-97. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

CRM continued - M Feb 8

King, Thomas F.

2005Chapter Five: Archaeology in Cultural Resource Management. In Doing Archaeology, pp. 83-96. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

2005Chapter Seven: Key Issues in Cultural Resource Management. In Doing Archaeology, pp. 123-139. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

2005Chapter Six: Who Does What? Archaeological Roles in Cultural Resource Management and Beyond. In Doing Archaeology, pp. 97-122. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

Significance in CRM - W Feb 10

Altschul, Jeffery H.

2005Significance in American Cultural Resource Management. In Heritage of Value, Archaeology of Renown, edited by Clay Mathers, Timothy Davrill and Barbara J. Little, pp. 192-210. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.

Tainter, Joseph A. and Bonnie Bagley

2005Significance in American Cultural Resource Management. In Heritage of Value, Archaeology of Renown, edited by Clay Mathers, Timothy Davrill and Barbara J. Little, pp. 58-73. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.

Dunnell, Robert C.

1984The Ethics of Archaeological Significance Decisions. In Ethics and Values in Archaeology, edited by Ernestine L. Green, pp. 62-74. The Free Press, New York.

Tribal CRM - M Feb 15

Stapp, Darby C. and Michael S. Burney

2002Chapter Five: Case Study: The Cultural Resource Protection Program of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In Tribal Cultural Resource Management, edited by Darby C. Stapp and Michael S. Burney, pp. 72-90. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Watkins, Joe

2000Chapter 6. Navajo Cultural Resource Management. In Indigenous Archaeology, edited by Joe Watkins, pp. 93-103. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

CRM Gone Awry - W Feb 17

Davila, Florangela

1999Battle over Semihamoo Bones. Seattle Times Dec 19.

Downey, Roger

2002A Really Great Guy. Seattle Weekly Mar 7-13.

Valdez, Karlie M.

2004Judge Lasnik Approves Settlement of Lawsuit by the Lummi Nation to Recover Ancestral Remains. Trial News: Washington State Trial Lawyers Association 40(3):17, 23.

Register of Professional Archaeologists

2003ROPA Standards Board Decision Regarding the Complaint Against Dr. Gordon C. Tucker, Jr., RPA

Mapes, Lynda V.

2005"Walking Together" Meant Walking Away from Project. In The Seattle Times, Seattle.

Avoiding Problems in CRM - M Feb 22

Stapp, Darby C. and Julia Longenecker

Preventing Archaeological Disasters. Association for Washington Archaeology Newsletter.

Repatriation – W Feb 24

Thomas, David Hurst

2000Chapter 21. Legislating the Skull Wars. In Skull Wars, pp. 209-223. Basic Books, New York.

2000Chapter 22. Tribal Affiliation and Sovereignty. In Skull Wars, pp. 225-238. Basic Books, New York.

2000Chapter 23. Speaking of Oral Tradition. In Skull Wars, pp. 239-253. Basic Books, New York.

Repatriation: Native Perspectives – M Mar 1

Echo-Hawk, Roger C.

2000Exploring Ancient Worlds. In Working Together: Native Americans and Archaeologists, edited by Kurt E. Dongoske, Mark Aldenderfer and Karen Doehner, pp. 3-7. Society for American Archaeology, Washington, D. C.

Singleton, Theresa A. and Charles E. Orser, Jr.

2003Descendant Communities: Linking People in the Present to the Past. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 143-152. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Watkins, Joe

2003Archaeological Ethics and American Indians. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 129-142. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Repatriation: Two Sides to the Coin – W Mar 3

Clark, G. A.

1996Nagpra and the Demon-Haunted World. SAA Bulletin 14(5).

Kakos, Peter J.

1997Letters to the Editor. SAA Bulletin 15(2).

Mason, Ronald J.

1997Letters to the Editor. SAA Bulletin 15(1):3.

Meighan, Clement W.

1996Burying American Archaeology. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 209-213. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Worl, R.

1995The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Common Ground 7(3).

Zimmerman, Larry J.

1996Sharing Control of the Past. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 214-219. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Repatriation: International Views – M Mar 8

Watkins, Joe

2000Chapter 10. Repatriation in a Global Perspective. In Indigenous Archaeology, edited by Joe Watkins, pp. 155-168. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Smith, Claire and Heather Burke

2003In the Spirit of the Code. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 177-197. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Repatriation: Kennewick Man – W Mar 10

Thomas, David Hurst

2000Chapter 24. An Archaeology without Alienation. In Skull Wars, pp. 255-267. Basic Books, New York.

Watkins, Joe

2000Chapter 9. "The Ancient One" Of Kennewick. In Indigenous Archaeology, edited by Joe Watkins, pp. 135-154. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Looting: National Views - M Mar 22

Hollowell-Zimmer, Julie

2003Digging in the Dirt - Ethics And "Low-End Looting". In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 45-56. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Warren, Karen J.

1999A Philosophical Perspective on the Ethics and Resolution of Cultural Properties Issues. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 1-25. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Looting Examples - W Mar 24

Early, Ann M.

1999Profiteers and Public Archaeology: Antiquities Trafficking in Arkansas. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 1-25. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Fagan, Brian

1996Black Day at Slack Farm. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 39-46. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Harrington, Spencer P. M.

1996The Looting of Arkansas. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 90-105. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Looting: Native Views – M Mar 29

Cast, Robert and Timothy K. Perttula

2002The long-term looting of Caddo Indian sites on federal property in northeastern Texas. Cultural Resource Management 2:26-28.

Longenecker, Julia and Jeff Van Pelt

2002Tribal perspectives in the war against looters. Cultural Resource Management 2:29-32.

Nichols, Deborah L., Anthony L. Klesert and Roger Anyon

1999Ancestral Sites, Shrines, and Graves: Native American Perspectives on the Ethics of Collecting Cultural Properties. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 27-38. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Looting: ARPA Prosecution – W Mar 31

Munson, Cheryl Ann, Marjorie Melvin Jones and Robert E. Fry

1995The GE Mound: An ARPA Case Study. American Antiquity 60(1):131-159.

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District

2004Fact Sheet. Unauthorized Archaeological Excavation – LakeWhitney, U. S. District Court Case, Western District of Texas, Waco Division

Looting: International – M Apr 5

Hingston, Ann Guthrie

1999U.S. Implementation of the Unesco Cultural Property Convention. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 129-147. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Brodie, Neil and David Gill

2003Looting: An International View. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by Larry J. Zimmerman, Karen D. Vitelli and Julie Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 31-44. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Looting: International Examples – W Apr 7

Pendergast, David M. and Elizabeth Graham

1999The Battle for the Maya Past: The Effects of International Looting and Collecting in Belize. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 51-60. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Ciochon, Russell and Jamie James

1996The Glory That Was Angkor. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 117-127. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Rose, Mark and Ozgen Acar

1996Turkey's War on the Illicit Antiquities Trade. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 71-89. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Looting: Collectors’ Views –M Apr 12

Alexander, Brian

1990Archeology and looting make a volatile mix. Science 250:1074-1075.

Various authors

1990Letters: Archaeology and looting: Preserving the record. Science 251:498-499.

Griffin, Gillette G.

1999Collecting Pre-Columbian Art. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 103-115. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Harris, Leo J.

1999From the Collector's Perspective: The Legality of Importing Pre-Columbian Art and Artifacts. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd Ed., edited by Phyllis Mauch Messenger, pp. 155-175. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

International Looting: Native Views – M Apr 19

Brent, Michel

1996The Rape of Mali. In Archaeological Ethics, edited by Karen D. Vitelli, pp. 163-177. Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Atwood, Roger

2003Guardians of the Dead. Archaeology 56(1):42-49.

Looting: Subsistence Digging – W Apr 21

Matsuda, David

1998The ethics of archaeology, subsistence digging, and artifact looting in Latin American: Point and muted counterpoint. International Journal of Cultural Property 7: 87-97.

Staley, David P.

1993St. Lawrence Island’s subsistence diggers: A new perspective on human effects on archaeological sites. Journal of Field Archaeology 20:347-355.

Museum Ethics – M Apr 26

Barker, A. W.

2003. Archaeological Ethics: Museums and Collections. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by L. J. Zimmerman, K. D. Vitelli, and J. Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 71-84 Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Shestack, Alan

1999. The Museum and Cultural Property: The Transformation of Institutional Ethics. In The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property, 2nd, edited by P. M. Messenger, pp. 93-101. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Archaeological Collections: Curation and Deaccessioning – WApr 28

Trimble, M. K., and E. A. Marino.

2003. Archaeological Curation: An Ethical Imperative for the Twenty-First Century. In Ethical Issues in Archaeology, edited by L. J. Zimmerman, K. D. Vitelli, and J. Hollowell-Zimmer, pp. 99-112 Alta Mira, Walnut Creek, CA.

Nelson, M. C., and B. Shears.