Code of Conduct

Adopted at General Meeting of the Society, June 18, 2022, and amended July 16 2024

I. Preamble

Since its formal establishment in 1974, the History of Economics Society has committed itself to encouraging interest, fostering scholarship, and promoting discussion among scholars and professionals in the field of the history of economics and related disciplines. Promoting the study and development of the history of economics requires a culture in which all professional activities, including research, education, advice, and communication more generally, are undertaken collegially, ethically, and with integrity. The Society expects its members to adhere to the high professional standards that this requires and to encourage others associated with the study of the history of economics to do the same. The Society also sets these standards for itself, and hence the code of conduct applies to all involved as members or associated with the Society or the Journal of the History of Economic Thought through events or other activities in person or online.

II. Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Standards

A. Research should be conducted and presented with honesty, care, and transparency, in compliance with legal requirements, acknowledging limits of expertise and giving due credit to the contributions of others. The provision of advice and other communications should also adhere to these standards. Students at all levels should be treated fairly and with respect. Any real or perceived conflicts of interest should be disclosed in all activities.

B. The History of Economics Society seeks a professional environment where equal opportunity and fair treatment apply regardless of characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, age, disability, political or religious views, status, affiliations or relationships. Discourse in all forums should be conducted with civility and respect, with each idea or contribution considered on its merits. We acknowledge that racist and sexist images or textual passages are part of the past of economics. As historians, we take responsibility for contextualizing such materials.

C. Under no circumstances will bullying or harassment of any kind be tolerated. Harassment includes offensive verbal comments, deliberate intimidation, stalking, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, inappropriate physical contact, or unwelcome sexual attention.

III. Reporting

A. If an individual or group of individuals believes that they have experienced or observed any violation of this policy at a Society meeting or event or in its journal, the person or group should consult the Ombudsperson appointed by the Society. The Ombudsperson shall listen to the grievance, describe the policy and procedures, outline issues of privacy and confidentiality, and discuss possible courses of action regarding the filing or non-filing of a formal complaint. The Ombudsperson shall make all reasonable efforts to maintain in strict confidence the identity of individuals reporting an incident and the person or persons implicated in an incident. The Ombudsperson shall prepare for the Executive Committee annually an aggregate, anonymized summary of all such reported incidents. Although anyone may seek advice from the Ombudsperson, in the case of harassment only the individual or individuals alleging that they have been harassed may file a formal complaint to the Respectful Behavior Committee.

B. Any real or perceived conflict of interest should be disclosed upon the reception of the complaint. If any member of the Respectful Behavior Committee has a personal or professional interest that could potentially influence their judgment or decision-making, they must declare it and recuse themselves from any involvement with the review or investigation of the complaint. The President of the Society will appoint the necessary replacement members. These members will participate only in the specific complaint under review.

C. If an individual elects to file a formal complaint, that person must describe the incident in a nonconfidential written statement delivered to the Respectful Behavior Committee preferably immediately following the incident. The Respectful Behavior Committee will generally not investigate conduct occurring more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date of the report unless it determines that the reasons for the delay in reporting are justified.

D. The Respectful Behavior Committee will provide an anonymized version to the accused party or parties within 20 calendar days. The accused party may elect to file a written response with the Respectful Behavior Committee within sixty (60) calendar days of receipt of the initial written complaint.

E. The Chair of the Respectful Behavior Committee shall first consult with the complainant to ascertain whether they would be open to meeting with the accused party or parties and the members of the Respectful Behavior Committee. This consultation aims to explore the possibility of a mutually acceptable solution. Through this dialogue, the Chair will facilitate a discussion to determine if a resolution acceptable to both parties can be found.

F. If the complainant is not willing to participate in this meeting or if no mutually acceptable resolution can be found, the Respectful Behavior Review Committee shall decide if the incident constituted a violation under the terms of this Policy. To this end, the Respectful Behavior Committee can gather the necessary information by interviewing witnesses and by reviewing any pertinent documents to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the incident. If the Respectful Behavior Committee determines the incident constituted a violation, it shall furnish a report of the incident, its findings, and a recommended sanction, if any, to the Secretary of the Society within sixty (60) calendar days of receiving the accused party’s response, and no later than 120 days after receiving the initial complaint if the accused party(s) did not respond.

IV. Sanctions

A. The Executive Committee shall then consider the case and, if at all possible, come to a final decision within sixty (60) calendar days of receiving the report from the Respectful Behavior Committee. If any member of the Executive Committee has a personal or professional interest that could potentially influence their judgment or decision-making, they must declare it and recuse themselves from any involvement with the review or investigation of the complaint. The President of the Society will appoint replacement members if necessary, and if the President recuses themselves, the Past President shall assume the responsibilities of the President. These members will participate only in the specific complaint under review.

B. If a majority of the voting and nonvoting Executive Committee concurs with the recommendations of the Respectful Behavior Committee, the Society’s Executive Committee shall issue a written reprimand including any sanctions banning the individual from future meetings and/or revoking the individual’s membership, which may be permanent or temporary. The Society’s Secretary will report the outcome to all parties involved.

C. The severity of the violation will influence the sanction recommended by the Respectful Behavior Committee or imposed by the Executive Committee. Additionally, considerations include the context of the conduct and its connection to the Society’s core activities, whether the alleged conduct predates the adoption of the Code of Conduct, whether it caused significant professional or personal harm to a complainant, and whether it harmed the reputation of the Society or its members’ scholarly and professional activities. The level of cooperation from the individual facing potential sanctions will also be considered, alongside any other factors deemed appropriate and relevant by the Respectful Behavior Committee or the Executive Committee.

V. Confidentiality

A. All officers of the Society and members of the Respectful Behavior Review Committee will observe strict confidentiality when handling reports of potential discrimination, harassment, or any behavior that may be deemed disrespectful. This ensures that all information, discussions, and identities related to investigations or complaints remain confidential, safeguarding the privacy and reputations of involved parties. Disclosure of such information is limited to instances mandated by law or necessary for the equitable resolution of the matter.

B. During the review of a Complaint, all parties and witnesses are encouraged to maintain confidentiality to ensure the integrity of the investigation. However, it should be noted that anonymity for parties and witnesses cannot be guaranteed despite these confidentiality measures.

Contact the Society Ombudsperson: ombudshes@historyofeconomics.org
Contact the Society’s Secretary: secretary@historyofeconomics.org