Creative compliance, neutralization techniques, and palaeontological ethics

Abstract

This paper uses the sociological and criminological concepts of creative compliance and techniques of neutralization to consider reactions to ongoing ethical issues within the paleontological community. Using the ethical and legal issues concerning the study of fossil-bearing amber from Myanmar, and drawing upon interviews from palaeontologists conducted by the TRANSFORM project, this paper argues that palaeontological research has a strong social component which should not only be reflected in the ethical approval and oversight of palaeontological projects, but also reflected in the teaching of palaeontology at university level.