Overview
Philosophy 334 / Heritage Resources Management 334: Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management examines the ways that ethical issues and moral theories shape heritage practice as well as critical methods for analyzing and evaluating a variety of positions on these issues. These issues and theories are approached through an understanding of moral reasoning as well as the various principles in ethics that have been accepted as framing heritage practice. It also deals with formal ethical guidelines and less formal rules that govern practice. Through this course students will gain an understanding of the reasons and imperatives for ethical behaviour in professional life, and the unique ethical dilemmas that heritage practitioners face in regards to collection, preservation, representation, and exhibition. This course is divided into two parts. Part I, “An Introduction to Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management,” presents conceptual and foundational issues, while Part II, “Ethical Issues in Heritage Resources Management,” discusses ethical issues that are specifically raised in heritage resources practice. Although it is unlikely that all moral and ethical dilemmas can be resolved, it is the intent of this course to offer both the structural background in traditional and modern philosophies of ethics and morals, and a variety of approaches to some key questions or problems.
PHIL 334 is a required course in the Heritage Resources Management program, but welcomes all students.
Outline
Part I: An Introduction to Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management
- Unit 1: What is a Profession?
- Unit 2: Heritage Resources Management and Ethical Codes
- Unit 3: Moral and Ethical Principles for Heritage Resources Management: Foundations of Ethical Practice
- Unit 4: Institutional versus Personal Ethics: Policies, Procedures, and Virtue Ethics
- Unit 5: Legal, Cultural, and Ethical Responsibility: Cultural and Intellectual Property
Part II: Ethical Issues in Heritage Resources Management
- Unit 6: Standards of Ethics in Conservation and Heritage Management
- Unit 7: Cultural Relativism: Appropriation, Human Remains, and Indigenous “Others”
- Unit 8: Feminist Ethics and Heritage Resources Management
- Unit 9: Censorship and Heritage Ethics
- Unit 10: Conflict of Interest, Looting, and Repatriation
- Unit 11: Stewardship, Heritage Discourse, and Justice
Evaluation
Your final grade in Heritage Resource Management 334/Philosophy 334: Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management will be based on your marks from the two assignments and the final examination. To receive credit for this course, you must achieve a minimum of 50% on each assignment and a grade of 50% on the final examination, achieving a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent). The chart below summarizes course activities and the credit weight associated with each assignment.
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: Critical Essay | 30% |
| Assignment 2: Case Study | 35% |
| Final Examination | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
The final examination for this course must be taken online with an AU-approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators who can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.