October 19, 2006
Draft Ethics for Public History
By Robert Townsend
Members of the National Council of Public History, and anyone interested in the development of public history, will be interested in a new draft Code of Ethics and Professional Standards.
The proposal tries to address the complex and often multi-faceted characteristics of public history and its many workplaces by focusing on four areas of responsibility—to the public (more specifically, the “public interest”), to clients and employers, to the profession and colleagues, and finally, a personal for ethical behavior. Each area of responsibility is framed by a short definition of its terms and application, and a specific list of principles.
The NCPH’s Ethics and Professional Standards Committee is inviting comments to ncph@iupui.org by December 15, 2006, before the proposal goes before the Board of Directors next spring.
