Last updated August 6, 2024

The mission of the International Musicological Society (IMS) is to connect every musicologist to the world community of musicology by embracing the study of music in all its diversity and advancing musicological research across the globe in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. As a society, the IMS is fundamentally about people who form relationships around common interests. Those relationships develop through and are strengthened by our congresses, meetings, programs, and communication channels, including those held or maintained by Regional Associations or Study Groups.

All members and participants are expected to act in accordance with the principles outlined in this document in all IMS-related interactions, whether in-person or virtual, written, or oral. Our society is most meaningful when all members and participants in IMS-related interactions feel at ease to engage with one another, embracing the whole of our global presence. This means that we take responsibility for acting with respect, integrity, and understanding toward others, no matter their career status, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, language, national origin, sexual orientation, socioeconomic position, education, political beliefs, or other group identification.

1 Responsibility

We recognize that creating and maintaining a respectful environment is a shared responsibility that requires effort and care. All members should be cognizant of their responsibility to act with academic integrity and uphold the principles outlined in this document, especially in situations where power relations are asymmetrical.

2 Respect

The IMS is strongly committed to providing a space where research can be shared, ideas exchanged, and knowledge developed within an environment of mutual human respect. By cultivating a shared notion of professional respect, we together create the conditions necessary for open exchange and equitable consideration. Harmful, inappropriate, or unprofessional behavior—including but not limited to harassment and intimidation—injures our work and our bonds as a society.

3 Integrity

Integrity demands attending to the well-being of the whole and being cognizant of how one’s behavior affects that whole, both personally and professionally. Inappropriate research behaviors like misrepresentation (fabrication or falsification of data and inappropriate image manipulation), plagiarism, duplicate and redundant publications (text recycling of the author’s own work), copyright infringement, or unethically obtaining data undermine the principles of scholarship at the heart of our activities.

4 Understanding

The IMS is a world community that embraces the study of music in all its diversity. We are ourselves diverse, in our ways of being, our histories, our modes of communication, and our training. We therefore strive to understand one another as fully as possible in order to amplify our shared scholarly values and advance the work of our field. Working toward mutual understanding means cultivating the spirit of inquiry and the virtue of patience. It also means being willing to reach outside of our own comfort zones in order to grasp the contributions of others. Open conversations and questions contribute to understanding; shutting people down or closing off communication does not.

Should behavior that contravenes the principles outlined in this document be experienced or observed during IMS-related activities, events, or communications (both in-person and electronic), members are urged to act in accordance with the General Complaints Procedure (see below).

General Complains Procedure

1 Guidelines for Use

Because guidelines cannot cover every circumstance or eventuality and are unlikely to be on hand when urgently needed, the IMS’s policy with respect to handling breaches of this Code of Ethics is that those experiencing or observing such a breach should apply their own judgment in responding. Individuals who respond to such situations in good faith and using their best judgment will not be penalized or in any way disadvantaged for doing so.

2 Responding to Unethical Behavior

If your best judgment signals that behavior you have experienced or witnessed might be misaligned with this Code of Ethics, please consider taking one of the following suggested courses of immediate action, provided that any action is safe, advisable, and appropriate to the situation:

• Ensuring the physical and psychological safety and wellbeing of oneself and others. This may include leaving or removing an individual from a situation; escalating to or seeking assistance from colleagues, supervisors, or organizers; taking appropriate action to diffuse conflict or tension; or in some cases escalating a situation to relevant authorities.
• Intervening within the bounds of one’s confidence and authority to prevent or stop inappropriate behavior if it is or could be negatively impacting others. For example, an organizer, committee chair, or senior staff member who witnesses an event participant, worker, or committee member interacting with others in a way that is rude, confrontational, disrespectful, or belittling should attempt to intervene politely and respectfully to diffuse the situation. This may involve politely challenging inappropriate behavior, calling a break in proceedings, changing a topic of conversation or discussion, or intervening to divert one or more individuals away from a situation.
• Respectfully challenging individuals who are observed to be breaching this code, within the bounds of one’s confidence and authority. If inappropriate behavior or breaches of this Code of Ethics are observed in a situation that does not involve confrontation and/or does not appear to present a risk to the physical or emotional wellbeing of others, those who are confident in doing so should consider approaching the individual concerned in a polite and respectful way to draw their attention to the fact that the behavior is inappropriate and may be breaching the IMS’s Code of Ethics.
• Documenting (in writing) observed or experienced breaches to the extent possible, and reporting through the IMS’s reporting procedures, detailed below.

3 Reporting Procedures

Individuals experiencing or observing inappropriate behavior or breaches of the IMS Code of Ethics are encouraged to document their observations and report such behavior or breaches, even if the breach appeared relatively minor or was not experienced in a negative or distressing manner.

• Members should provide a written report of breaches of the Code of Ethics to the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary General. Members may make a report about the conduct of the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary General to one of the other Bureau members.
• Individuals who are in contract with the IMS should report breaches of the Code of Ethics to the President. If the report concerns the President, or if they are not comfortable reporting to that individual for any other reason, the report should be made to a Vice President or the Secretary General.
• Participants in events or activities of the IMS, an IMS Study Group, or an IMS Regional Association should where possible report breaches of the Code of Ethics to the chair of the event or activity, who will then communicate it to the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary General as appropriate. If the report concerns the chair, or if the participant is not comfortable reporting to that individual for any other reason, a report should be made to the Secretary General.

On receipt of a report of a breach of the Code of Ethics, the President, a Vice President, or the Secretary General, as appropriate, will be notified in confidence, even if the individual making the report has requested that no action be taken. The President or the Secretary General, in consultation with a Vice President, as appropriate, will then determine a suitable course of action.

4 Resolution Procedures

The President or the Secretary General, in consultation with a Vice President, may determine not to take any further steps to resolve complaints where it appears the complaint has not been made in good faith.

Unless there are compelling reasons otherwise, the subject of the report should be notified that a report has been made—with the identity of the reporter kept confidential —and should be given the opportunity to respond to the report and to participate in a transparent resolution process.

No individual will be involved in the conduct of an investigation or the determination of disciplinary action in response to an alleged breach in which they are a named party.

Where any member with an identified role within the business of the IMS is subject to an allegation, the Bureau may elect to temporarily suspend their duties and name another member to fulfill certain or all of their duties. Any such arrangement may continue until such a time as the investigation and any ensuing disciplinary action is concluded.

Options for resolution are as follows:

4.1 Informal Resolution
Where possible, reports of alleged breaches of the Code of Ethics should be resolved informally and confidentially through any or all of the following:

• discussion between a relevant member of the governing bodies and the individual(s) concerned;
• facilitated conciliation and mediation either by an un-involved member of the governing bodies or a professional mediator, as appropriate;
• agreed resolution, such as a formal apology, commitment to change behavior, or withdrawal from an event or activity, as appropriate.

4.2 Formal Investigation
Where informal resolution is insufficient to resolve a matter, where allegations are disputed, or where the alleged or observed breach of the Code of Ethics is deemed by the majority of members of the Bureau to be sufficiently serious, formal investigation procedures may be instigated.

Such investigations may be conducted in different ways depending on the circumstances and nature of the alleged breach. Alleged breaches will be investigated by the Bureau, which may establish an ad hoc subcommittee and/or engage an independent investigator to undertake any detailed investigation required.

When formal investigations are deemed necessary, the Bureau will aim to commence the investigation as soon as possible after the incident has occurred. The Bureau also aims to conduct investigations in a fair and transparent manner that protects the identity and reputation of those involved, so far as is reasonable and possible, while the investigation is underway.

Those responsible for conducting formal investigations will provide a written assessment in a timely fashion, including recommendations for action. In general, the subject(s) of the investigation, and in some cases the reporting individual(s), will be given an opportunity to review the report and to provide a response that will be considered alongside the report by the Bureau.

The Bureau may, at their discretion and without prejudice, stand down a contracted person, or request that an individual refrain from participation in certain or all events or activities of the IMS, IMS Study Groups, or IMS Regional Associations while an investigation is underway.

The outcome of a resolution procedure will be communicated in writing to all those involved.

5 Disciplinary Action

If a finding is made that the Code of Ethics has been breached, disciplinary action may be taken. The disciplinary action will be determined by the Bureau and will be communicated to the subject of the disciplinary action in writing.

Disciplinary action could include: a written warning; expulsion from the membership; suspension or exclusion from a particular IMS event or activity, or from all future events and activities; the termination of a contract for contracted individuals.

6 Appeals Procedure

Both the reporting parties and the subjects of formal investigations of breaches of this Code of Ethics may appeal the outcome of an investigation, including the decision to undertake informal resolution and/or disciplinary action. Instructions on how to appeal a decision will be provided upon notification of the conclusion of any investigation.

Appeals against decisions made by the Bureau will be assessed by the President and the Vice Presidents who will consult with the Directorium and/or Secretary General as appropriate.

Action may include:

• declining the appeal;
• reviewing all or part of a decision;
• reopening an investigation with the same or different investigator(s);
• presenting the information and decision-making process for review to a committee of the Directorium or an independent reviewer; or
• ceasing further investigation or action.

Appellants will be notified of the outcome of their appeal in writing. Once an appeal is concluded, the issue is considered resolved.

No part of this Code of Ethics prevents or limits the legal right of any individual to take any action through legal means including making an external complaint to the competent authorities.