Skip main navigation

What do we mean by ‘ethics’

Tbc

So what exactly are we speaking about when we say ’ethics’? We are speaking about the moral principles which will govern behaviour and/or when conducting a particular activity.

They are often systemised and captured in what is called a code of ethics for an institution, or the ethical guidelines or principles. A written and public document, it allows for dialogue, transparency and accountability between institutions, stakeholders and the communities it serves. The International Council of Museums has designed and written a code of ethics, wherein we can find very specific references to the relationships between museums, audiences and the communities they serve.

We will explore those in a moment. Ethical leadership is the kind of behaviour, approaches and institutional culture which is nurtured to support inclusive practices within the culture of the museum. While ethics always implies a right and wrong, it is important to remember that understanding the local and national contexts is vital for their application.

This article is from the free online

Creating Meaningful and Inclusive Museum Practices

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now