The IVSA is committed to open and free intellectual discourse surrounding the visual representation of society and culture with due respect for the rights, dignity, and diversity of the human beings, organizations and communities thus represented. We uphold the standards of free speech and self-expression and academic freedom in the pursuit of knowledge through the variety of activities that are central to the work of our organization and membership.

The IVSA, through its publications, activities, and programs, supports the theoretical and methodological advancement of visual sociology as a way of examining and understanding the social and cultural world. We are committed to the development of a body of scholarship and knowledge that maximizes the potential contributions of the study of visual images and the visual representation of society. We are equally committed to scholarship and knowledge that contributes to the public good. We share with other professional organizations a social responsibility to strive to eliminate bias in professional activities, and we do not tolerate any forms of discrimination based on age; gender; race; ethnicity; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; disability; health conditions; or marital, domestic, or parental status.