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Research Note: Critique of NEH Code of Ethics
Abstract
Critique of NEH Code of Ethics William Oandasan What follows is a Code of Ethics for research adopted recently by the National Endowment for the Humanities as a model and principle for awarding research grants relevant to Native American fields of cultural study, as well as the fields of other indigenous peoples. The Code of Ethics is based on the Indian Religious Freedom Act (Public Law 95-561, 1978), the National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 96-515 and its 1980 amendments), and other pertinent federal laws. The Code, for Native Americans, is the first to be so culturally encompassing. The logical, clear and concise presentation of the Code will stimulate improved relations and productive understanding between the scholars and the Native American tribes and people, given the understanding that no party has an inalienable right to "knowledge" possessed by the indigenous peoples or otherwise. The Code will expand the channels of communication between the scholars and the tribal governments and their memberships, as well as invite more participation from the tribes and their members in research involving their lives and communities. Under the Code Native Americans will be informed of the purpose of any cultural project or research involving them; and any results of a research or project, which will be released for public presentation, must first be submitted for approval by a representative body of the tribal political and traditionalist communities. The individual Native American participants and subjects of any research will be protected for providing informational materials and the materials are retained by the tribal communities; the confidentiality, and preferences for methods of recording data, of the tribal subjects and participants will be respected; and proper acknowledgements and suitable compensation will be reserved for the tribal members-if they choose. The Code will, hopefully, dispose of misunderstandings regarding what rights the tribes and their members can expect when working with scholars and what responsibilities the scholars have to the tribes and their communities.
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