1. Preamble
As a community of scholars, the members of the Grateful Dead Studies Association support the mission of the Association. Members participate in the scholarly discourse about the band, its music, its contexts, and its impact, and we support this enterprise, personally and collectively, through the work of the Association. As scholars, we understand that no discipline has a monopoly on the study of the Grateful Dead phenomenon, and we affirm that this interdisciplinarity is a hallmark and strength of the Association. The Association also understands that significant scholarship on the Grateful Dead has come from writers and thinkers outside of the academy. The openness of the discourse is one of its most compelling and positive traits, perennially renewing it and making it attractive and relevant to new voices, conversations, and constituencies. The range of scholarly perspectives, broad participation, and wide readership that characterizes Grateful Dead studies are sources of strength but also require clear standards to guide members of the Association and to protect the integrity of the group’s work.
2. Values of the Association
As a professional academic organization, the Grateful Dead Studies Association adheres to the broad ideals that guide all scholarly inquiry and discourse, and we uphold the norms that govern professional scholarly behavior. The Association also affirms its commitment to the values that guide the group and its work:
- We promote and support the study of the Grateful Dead and their work in all of its contexts;
- We model interdisciplinary discourse, valuing all disciplines and respecting the perspectives afforded by training in diverse fields;
- We model best practices governing scholarly discourse communities, valuing respect, comity, collegiality, and courtesy as the secure foundation for constructive, rigorous debate and critical dialogue.
3. Activities Affirming Association Values
Association members have supported each other and the group in many ways. The Association affirms its support for these efforts, including but not limited to:
- Actively assisting research by Association members and other scholars, sharing insights, research materials, and published and unpublished research and other sources;
- Helping scholars and the public unfamiliar with the discourse of Grateful Dead studies to understand and appreciate the Association and its work;
- Acting as mentors for young scholars and as guides for those new to the discourse;
- Serving as peer reviewers for publications and as readers for research in progress;
- Serving as outside references for professional employment, advancement, membership, honors, and awards;
- Assisting group members with professional opportunities.
4. Activities Violating Association Values
The Association condemns antisocial and unprofessional behavior, and particularly deplores discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religious belief, or sexual orientation. Recognizing that differences in scholarly approach and opinion will always occur, the Association rejects behavior that:
- Fails to adhere to the accepted norms and standards for scholarly research, communication, and publication;
- Defames, slanders, or makes ad hominem attacks on group members;
- Denigrates established, respected scholarly fields, disciplines, or theoretical orientations and/or perspectives;
- Damages the group’s standing in the broader academic community and especially in the conference setting that hosts the group’s meetings;
- Misrepresents participation in the Association, especially behavior that misrepresents such participation as conferring approval for or acceptance of work.