Merriman: we need to think beyond ethics as a code
Ethics committee convenor calls for process-based approach to ethics
Museums need to think beyond ethics as a code and start thinking about ethics as a process, Nick Merriman, director of Manchester Museum and the convenor of the MA ethics committee, told delegates at the Museums Association’s conference.
“This is about looking at the changing nature of ethics,” Merriman said. “Ethics aren’t about something written down in a book to get an answer.”
He called for a process-based approach to ethics that is shaped by economic, social and technological contexts and factors.
David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool, said: “My concern is about the ethics of not doing things. There is so much museums don’t talk about – and my view is that is unethical.”
One subject that divided the panel was the issue of ethical sponsorship.
Janet Marstine, programme director of art museum and gallery studies at the University of Leicester, said most museums make decisions about funding based on risk-assessment not ethics.
Chris Megone, professor and director of interdisciplinary applied ethics at the University of Leeds, added: “All of us are bad some of the time… untainted money doesn’t exists.
Maurice Davies, head of policy at the MA, said the ethics code states that ethical sponsorship is about meeting the values of an organisation.
Other issues discussed included whether its ethical for museums to use unpaid interns; whether museum studies courses are unethical when there aren’t enough jobs for graduates; and whether its unethical to engage in outreach activities without the genuine intention of engaging people.
“This is about looking at the changing nature of ethics,” Merriman said. “Ethics aren’t about something written down in a book to get an answer.”
He called for a process-based approach to ethics that is shaped by economic, social and technological contexts and factors.
David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool, said: “My concern is about the ethics of not doing things. There is so much museums don’t talk about – and my view is that is unethical.”
One subject that divided the panel was the issue of ethical sponsorship.
Janet Marstine, programme director of art museum and gallery studies at the University of Leicester, said most museums make decisions about funding based on risk-assessment not ethics.
Chris Megone, professor and director of interdisciplinary applied ethics at the University of Leeds, added: “All of us are bad some of the time… untainted money doesn’t exists.
Maurice Davies, head of policy at the MA, said the ethics code states that ethical sponsorship is about meeting the values of an organisation.
Other issues discussed included whether its ethical for museums to use unpaid interns; whether museum studies courses are unethical when there aren’t enough jobs for graduates; and whether its unethical to engage in outreach activities without the genuine intention of engaging people.