Articles and book chapters on the ethics of heritage conservation

Open Access Searchable Databases

Getty AATA Database:

https://aata.getty.edu/primo-explore/search?vid=AATA

ICCROM database

https://biblio.iccrom.org/

Thematic Journal Issues

ICOMOS Scientific Journal
Ethics, principles and methodology

1995, issue 2

Open access online

Conservation Ethics Today

Protection of Cultural Heritage

2019, issue 8

Open access online

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

The ethics and aesthetics of adaptive heritage reuse in Europe

Guest‑edited by Federica Fava

2024, Volume 14, Issue 1

Open access online

Articles and Book Chapters

  • Adewoyin, Y., Mokwenye, E.M. & Ugwu, N.V. (2021). Environmental ethics, religious taboos and the Osun-Osogbo grove, Nigeria. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. , 11(4), pp. 516–527.
  • Alatalu, R.  (2010) Dignity of the heritage and the heritage communities. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. 11(2), pp. 146–154.
  • Allen, G. (2021). Textual healing: ethical conservation of looted manuscripts and ‘The Gospel of Judas’. Journal of the Institute of Conservation. 44(3), pp. 210–221.
  • Arnóth, A (2019).The ethical problems of architectural reconstruction – Hungarian case studies. Protection of Cultural Heritage 8 : 1-8; DOI: 10.35784/odk.  Online
  • Archibald, D (2020). Indigenous Cultural Heritage: Developing New Approaches and Best Practices for World Heritage Based on Indigenous Perspectives and Values. Protection of Cultural Heritage 9 : 1-13; DOI: 10.35784/odk.2084; online  
  • Ashley‑Smith, J.  (1982). The ethics of conservation. The Conservator, 6(1), 1–5.
  • Ashley-Smith, J. (2017). A role for bespoke codes of ethics. In ICOM-CC 18th Triennial Conference Preprints, Copenhagen, 4–8 September 2017, ed. J. Bridgland, art. 1901. Paris: International Council of Museums. Online
  • Ashley-Smith, J (2018). The ethics of doing nothing. Journal of the Institute of Conservation 41(1) 6-15. Online
  • Avrami, E. (2009). Heritage, Values, and Sustainability. In: Richmond, A. & Bracker, A. (Eds): Conservation: Principles, Dilemmas and Uncomfortable Truths. Oxford: Routledge; pp. 177–83.
  • Baatz, W (2019). On principles and objectivity. Protection of Cultural Heritage ; 8 : 9-14; online
  • Blackman, Christabel (2011). Cleaning the Dirt off Money in Conservation: Ethics and Economics.  e-Conservation Magazine, (20), 7–11.  (note: link malfunctions)
  • Bos, M.; Claeys, D.; Stiernon, D.; Vandenbroucke, D (2025). Objectivising Heritage Assessment with Values: Criteria-Based Grid and Constructivist Approach. Heritage, 8, 116. Online
  • Bradi, B. (2023). Preserving Healing: Understanding Historic Preserving Healing: Understanding Historic Preservation Through the Lens of Restorative Preservation Through the Lens of Restorative Justice in Portland, Oregon Justice in Portland, Oregon. PDXScholar / University Honors Theses. Paper 1294. https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.1325. Online
  • Burke, S (2002). Developing An Ethical Commitment Statement For Conservation Practitioners. ICOMOS 13th General Assembly: Strategies for the World’s Cultural Heritage – Preservation in a Globalised World – Principles, Practices, Perspectives, pp 72-74. Online
  • Burman, P (1995). A Question of Ethics. In C. Communications (ed.) The Conservation and Repair of Ecclesiastical Buildings, London: Cathedral Communications. Online.
  • Castro Sánchez, Álvaro & González Gutiérrez, Carmen (2021). Ethics in the management and conservation of cultural heritage: examples from Córdoba. International Journal of Tourism, Business and Territory, 5(2), 116–130.
  • Chiweshe, M.K. (2019). Ethics in the context of Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding . Online
  • Chirkova, N. & Yankovska, D. (2021). The Ethics of Conserving Modern Art. Baltic Journal of Art History 21: 93-103. https://doi.org/10.12697/BJAH.2021.21.05 Online
  • Clarke, N., & Kuipers, M. C. (2023). Acknowledging the Dignity of Architectural Heritage: Adding a Fourth Virtue to the Vitruvian Triad. Athens Journal of Architecture, 9(3), 257-280. https://doi.org/10.30958/aja.9-31. online
  • Coleman, N.T. & Wight, H.E. (2021). External values and support for ethical decision-making in conservation. Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 44(3), 158–169.
  • De Clercq  C & De Roy, J. (2019). The conservation of architectural statuary in accordance with the ethical requirements for sculpture and architecture. Protection of Cultural Heritage; 8 : 103-112
  • Domicelj, Joan / Marshall, Duncan (1994). Diversity, place and the ethics of conservation. ICOMOS Scientific Journal p. 28-33. Online
  • Domínguez, M.J.G. (2025). Del respeto al cuidado en la estética de la conservación (From respect to care in conservation aesthetics).  Isegoria  (72), 1559. Online.
  • Düchs, M (2013). Principles for Architectural Ethics  The International Journal of Design in Society,  Vol. 6, Iss. 2,  (2013): 1-9. DOI:10.18848/2325-1328/CGP/v06i02/38499. Online
  • Engel, D. & Phillips, J. (2019). Applying conservation ethics to the examination and treatment of software- and computer-based art. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation. 58(3), 180–195.
  • Fava, F. (2024). Ethics and aesthetics of adaptive heritage reuse in Europe: an introduction to what happens to territories when heritage is touched. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. , 14(1), pp. 1–14 [part of thematic journal issue; see above]
  • Gaczoł  A.  (2015),  Pomiędzy  zasadą  Primum  non  nocere  a  ideą  integracji  dziedzictwa  „przeszłość  w  przyszłości”  Pierro  Gazzoli.  Polityka  kształtowania  zasad  niezbędnej  ingerencji  konserwatorskiej /   Between the primum non nocere principle and the concept of heritage integration. ‘The past in the Piero Gazzola  policy  of  establishing  the  principles  of  necessary  conservation interventions [bi-lingual publication]    Wiadomości  Konserwatorskie  / Journal of Heritage Conservation 43: 85-97. online
  • Gemanà ML (2021) Ethics, use, and inclusion in managing archaeological built heritage: the relationship between experts and visitors/users. In: Smith C (ed) Encyclopedia of global archaeology. Springer Nature.
  • Harding, S (1999). Value, Obligation and Cultural Heritage. 31 Ariz St. L.J. 291. Online.
  • Henderson, J. (2020). Beyond lifetimes: who do we exclude when we keep things for the future? Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 43(3): 195-212.
  • Hodder, I. (2010). Cultural Heritage Rights: From Ownership and Descent to Justice and Well-being. Anthropological Quarterly 83 (4): 861–882. Doi:10.1353/anq.2010.0025.
  • Holtorf, C. & Bolin, A. (2014). Heritage futures: A conversation. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development.  DOI: 10.1108/JCHMSD-09-2021-0156. Online.
  • Ireland, T (2018). Heritage Ethics. In: Encyclopedia of Archaeological Sciences. López Varela, S. L. (ed.). Wiley-Blackwell, p. 1-5.
  • Ireland, T (2014). ‘I dwell in Possibility’ – ethical futures for heritage and archaeology. Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa. 49 (2):  237-244.
  • Kalman H & Létourneau MR (2020).  Ethics and Human Rights. In: Heritage Planning. Kalman H & Létourneau MR: Principles and Process (2nd ed). Chapter 5, Routledge,
  • Kirchmair, L (2020). A 100 Years Institutionalized Cultural Heritage Protection. From the institutionalized international coopération intellectuelle to the human right to cultural heritage.   Revista de Direito Internacional, Brasília, v. 17, n. 3, p. 94-108. doi: 10.5102/rdi.v17i3.6952. Online,.
  • Kirchmair, L (2020). Shifting the Focus from an International Towards a more Regional Cultural Heritage Protection in the Middle East and North Africa. Verfassung und Recht in Übersee / Law and Politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Vol. 53, No. 3 (2020), pp. 267-285
  • Labadi, S (2007). Representations of the Nation and Cultural Diversity in Discourses  on World Heritage. Journal of Social Archaeology 7:147-170.
  • Lamarque, P.V. (2016), Reflections on the Ethics and Aesthetics of Restoration and Conservation. British Journal of Aesthetics 56(3). DOI:10.1093/aesthj/ayw041
  • Lamarque, P.V. (2019) The Values of Ruins and Depictions of Ruins.  Philosophical Perspectives on Ruins, Monuments, and Memorials. Bicknell, J., Judkins, J. & Korsmeyer, C. (eds.). Routledge, p. 83-94
  • Lamarque, P.V. (2009) Artistic Value. In: Shand, J. (ed.). Central Issues of Philosophy. Wiley-Blackwell
  • Lamarque, P.V. (2006) Cognitive Values in the Arts: Marking the Boundaries. In: Contemporary Debates in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art. Kieran, M. (ed.). Wiley-Blackwell, p. 127-139
  • Lamarque, P.V. (1998). Aesthetic Value, Experience, and Indiscernibles. Nordisk estetisk tidskrift. 17, p. 61-78.
  • Lelekov, L.A. (1987). Professional ethics in restoration. In: ICOM Committee for Conservation 8th Triennial Meeting Sydney Australia 6-11 September 1987. Online
  • Lorusso, S. & Colizzi, L.(2020). Interdisciplinarity, Ethics And Territorial Planning. Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage, 20: 33–40.
  • Łukaszewicz, J.W. (2019):  Ethics and Basic Principles of Restoring Historical Stone Monuments. Protection of cultural heritage 8: 175-183. Online
  • Marincola, M (2011). To err is human: understanding and sharing mistakes in conservation practice;. In: ICOM Committee for Conservation 16th Triennial Meeting Lisbon Portugal 19-23 September 2011. Online
  • Matthes, Erich Hatala, “The Ethics of Cultural Heritage”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2024 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.). Online
  • Meskell, L. & Van Damme, L.S.M. (2007) “Heritage Ethics and Descendent Communities.” In C. Colwell-Chanthaphonh and T. J. Ferguson, eds. The Collaborative Continuum: Archaeological Engagements with Descendent Communities, 131-150. Thousand Oaks: Altamira Press.
  • Meskell, Lynn (2009). Cosmopolitan Heritage Ethics. In:  Meskell, L (ed): Cosmopolitan Archaeologies, 1-27. Durham: Duke University Press.
  • Meskell, Lynn (2010). Human Rights and Heritage Ethics. Anthropological Quarterly, 83 (4), 839–59.
  • Mulholland, R. & Durkin, R. (2024). Pleasing the Wrathful Deities: Ethical Approaches to the Care of Tibetan Skull Drums. Studies in Conservation , 69(sup1), pp. 256–262. Online
  • Muñoz-Viñas, S. (2025). The End of Conservation?  Studies in Conservation, 70(4), pp. 267–279.
  • Niglio, O. (2020). Por un proceso significante del Patrimonio Cultural. Entre Cultura y Etica. DIALOGHI MEDITERRANEI. v. 44/July. Online
    • Italian version: L’ospite inquietante: verso una risignificazione del Patrimonio Culturale. EDA Esempi di architettura  20/04/2020 Online
  • Oliveri, V.A., Porter, G., Davies, C. & James, P. (2024). The Juukan Gorge destruction: a case study in stakeholder-driven and shared values approach to cultural heritage protection. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development 14(6), pp. 919–933.
  • Pallot-Frossard, I (2004). What is the real impact of new technogies on conservation methodology and deontology? Examples in France.  “Proceedings of the 10th International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone; vol. 2”.  p. 763-776. Online
  • Pansoni, S., Tiribelli, S., Paolanti, M.,Di Stefano, F., Frontoni, E., Malinverni, E.S., Giovanola, B. (2023). Artificial intelligence and cultural heritage: Design and assessment of an ethical framework.  International Archives of the Photogrammetry Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ISPRS Archives, 48(M-2-2023), pp. 1149–1155. Online.
  • Piqué P & Jean G (2019).  Ethical challenges in the conservation of the wall paintings of Chapel 11 at the Sacro Monte di Varallo. Protection of Cultural Heritage; 8 : 255-268.
  • Popova, L.I. (1990). Problems of ethics in Russian (19th century) and soviet restoration based on national painting materials. In: ICOM Committee for Conservation 9th Triennial Meeting Dresden German Democratic Republic 26-31 August 1990. Online
  • Pusalkar, S.M. (2022). Need of Ethical Guidelines in Community-Based Conservation Consultations of Living Religious Heritage: An Indian Perspective. In: Caballero, G.V.A. (Ed). Regenerating Cultural Religious Heritage Intercultural Dialogue on Places of Religion and Rituals, pp. 81–95.
  • Putz, A (2019). Unité de doctrine – contingency of practice? Towards a re-reading of twentieth century principles of building heritage conservation. Protection of Cultural Heritage  8 : 269-280; online
  • Rotroff, S.I. (2001). Archaeologists on conservation: How codes of archaeological ethics and professional standards treat conservation. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 40(2), 137–146.
  • Samuels, K.L. (2008). Value and Significance in Archaeology.” Archaeological  Dialogues 15:71-97. online
  • Schädler-Saub, U (2019). Conservation ethics today: are our conservation-restoration theories and practice ready for the twenty-first century? Introductory notes to some central issues. Protection of cultural heritage; 8 : 291-300; DOI: 10.35784/odk.1099; Online
  • Sease, C. (1998). Codes of ethics for conservation. International Journal of Cultural Property, 7(1), 98–115.
  • Shalaginova, I. (2008). Ethical principles of heritage presentation for world heritage sites. ICOMOS 16th General Assembly and International Scientific Symposium, Quebec, Canada.  Online
  • Schmidt, P.R. (1995). A Human Right to a Cultural Heritage: African Expressions and Configurations.  East African Journal of Peace and Human Rights 2:41-52.
  • Schmidt, P.R. (1996). “The Human Right to a Cultural Heritage: African Applications.” In Peter R. Schmidt and Roderick Mclntosh (eds.): Plundering Africa’s Past, 18-28. Bloomington: University of Indiana Press.
  • Stable, C., Maitland, M., de Bellaigue, D., Bryan, B. & Murray, M. (2021). Rediscovering Ancient Egypt: consideration of the legacy, ethics and aesthetics of previously restored Egyptian artefacts. Journal of the Institute of Conservation 44(2):134–152.
  • Sweetnam, E. & Henderson, J. (2022). Disruptive Conservation: Challenging Conservation Orthodoxy. Studies in Conservation, 67(1-2), pp. 63–71. Online.
  • Świdrak, M (2017).  How young can a monument be? The normative premises of stating the “validity” of immovable monuments. [in polish].  Protection of Cultural Heritage, 3 : 87-94 Online
  • Szmelter, I. (2022). Etyka w ochronie i konserwacji dziedzictwa sztuk wizualnych. (Ethical considerations in the protection and conservation of the visual arts). Ochrona Zabytkow , 75(2), pp. 7–37. Online .
  • Szmygin B., (2010). Formal Analysis of Doctrinal Texts in Heritage Protection, [in:] M. S. Falser, W. Lipp,  A. Tomaszewski (eds.) Conservation and Preservation : Interactions between Theory and Practice: In Memoriam Alois Riegl (1858-1905). Firenze: Edizioni Polistampa, 2010, pp. 97–106.
  • van Knippenberg, K. & Boonstra, B. (2024). Mitigating tensions between ethics and aesthetics through community-led adaptive heritage reuse: the case of post-industrial Praga, Warsaw. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development , 14(1), pp. 33–48 [part of thematic journal issue; see above]
  • Van de Vall, R. (2009). Towards a Theory and Ethics for the Conservation of Contemporary Art. Art D’Aujourd’Hui— Patrimoine de Demain, Conservation et Restauration des Oeuvres Contemporaines, 13es journées d’études de la SFIIC (Paris: Institut National du Patrimoine, pp. 51–6.
  • Jørgen Wadum, J. & Noble, P. (1999). Is there an ethical problem after the twenty-third treatment of Rembrandt’s anatomy lesson of dr. Nicolaes Tulp? In: ICOM Committee for Conservation 12th Triennial Meeting Lyon 29 August – 3 September 1999. Online
  • Wain, A. (2011). Values and Significance in Conservation Practice. AICCM National Conference, 1–11. Online
  • Walter, N. (2014). From values to narrative: a new foundation for the conservation of historic buildings, International Journal of Heritage Studies, 20:6, 634-650, DOI: 10.1080/13527258.2013.828649
  • Walter, N. (2020). The narrative approach to living heritage  Protection of cultural heritage 10: 126-138. 10.35784/odk.2443
  • Walter, N. (2021). Conservation Practice and the Future of Doctrinal Texts.  Protection of cultural heritage 12, 97-111. Online
  • Warren, J (1994).  Ethics and aesthetics in conservation.ICOMOS Scientific Journal, p. 15-19. Online
  • Wei, W. (2022). Authenticity and Originality, Objectivity and Subjectivity in Conservation Decision-making–or is it Just a Matter of Taste? Studies in Conservation. 67(1-2), pp. 15–20.
  • Wharton, G. (2018). Bespoke ethics and moral casuistry in the conservation of contemporary art. Journal of the Institute of Conservation. 41(1), pp. 58–70. Online.
  • Zhang, L. R. (2022). Towards a Better Approach: A Critical Analysis of Heritage Preservation Practices. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 10, 43-54. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2022.105005. Online