ASA reminds everyone: ASA meetings are convened for the purposes of professional development and scholarly educational interchange in the spirit of free inquiry and free expression. Harassment of meeting participants or other misconduct at meetings undermines the principle of equity at the heart of these professional fora and is inconsistent with the principles of free inquiry and free expression. Consequently, harassment is considered by ASA to be a serious form of professional misconduct. The following Code of Conduct outlines expectations for all those who attend or participate in ASA meetings. It reminds ASA meeting participants that all professional academic ethics and norms apply as standards of behavior and interaction at these meetings.
Purpose. ASA is committed to providing a safe and welcoming conference environment for all participants, free from harassment based on age, race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, religion, language, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, health conditions, socioeconomic status, marital status, domestic status, or parental status (hereafter, simply harassment). “Participant” in this policy refers to anyone present at ASA meetings, including staff, contractors, vendors, exhibitors, venue staff, ASA members, and all other attendees.
Expected Behavior. All participants at ASA meetings are expected to abide by this Code of Conduct in all meeting venues, both in-person and virtual, including ancillary events as well as official and unofficial social gatherings. Read a message from the ASA Executive Committee emphasizing the importance of preserving academic freedom and maintaining professional conduct for the success of the Annual Meeting here: https://www.asanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Executive-Committee-AM-Message-V4.pdf
Follow the norms of professional respect that are necessary to promote the conditions for free academic interchange.
If you witness potential harm to a meeting participant, be proactive in helping to mitigate or avoid that harm.
At in-person events, alert venue security personnel or law enforcement if you see a situation in which someone might be in imminent physical danger. For online meetings, alert ASA personnel or law enforcement, if appropriate.
Unacceptable Behavior. Harassment of any participant is unethical behavior under the American Sociological Association Code of Ethics. Harassment may consist of a single intense and severe act or of multiple persistent or pervasive acts which are demeaning, abusive, or offensive, or create a hostile professional or workplace environment. Harassment may include sexual solicitation, physical advance, or verbal or non-verbal conduct that is sexual in nature; it may also include threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; circulation of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual or group; epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping based on group identity. Examples of other unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, disruptive or threatening behavior, violence of any kind, or failure to follow ASA policies or the meeting venue’s policies.
Participants are encouraged to immediately report instances of harassment or other misconduct to Executive Director, Heather Washington at
[email protected], (614) 795-0858 or to the Director of Meeting Services, Michelle Randall, at
[email protected]. Reports will be treated as confidential. Violations of this policy, or for any other reason in the sole discretion of ASA, may lead to removal from the meeting and other actions taken, depending on the specifics of the misconduct. Read the American Sociological Association Code of Ethics in its entirety here: https://www.asanet.org/about/ethics/.