SOCIETY FOR POST-MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY CONFERENCE CODE OF CONDUCT
The Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology [SPMA] is committed to providing a safe environment built on mutual respect at its conferences. SPMA promotes a harassment-free conference environment for everyone, regardless of sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, ethnicity, career stage, or religion (or lack thereof).
SPMA will not tolerate harassment in any form at any of its events. Harassment includes, but is not restricted to, offensive comments or behaviour, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, whether related to sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, ethnicity, career stage, religion (or lack thereof), or other factors.
Outside of research presentations that include considerations of sexuality or sexual representations in the past, sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks, workshops, social events, social media, and other online media. SPMA will not tolerate inappropriate physical contact or unwelcome sexual attention directed towards conference attendees.
Persons asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.
Any person who feels they have been, or are being, harassed should contact a member of SPMA Council to report the incident. Where harassment is reported, the SPMA officers will meet within 48 hours (digitally or in-person) to decide on whether to impose a sanction; if an officer made a report or is the subject of a report, they will be excluded from that meeting. If SPMA imposes a sanction, possible actions might include – but are not limited to – a warning or reprimand, exclusion from society events and activities, immediate removal of – or exclusion from – society membership, and/or an accompanying report to the relevant authorities.
If the subject of a report or the individual(s) making the original report wish to appeal the outcome of the meeting of SPMA officers, the Ordinary Members of the SPMA Council (excluding anyone who made a report, is a subject of a report, or who is appealing sanctions stemming from a report) will meet within 48 hours to consider that appeal.