Greek Hazing Research Paper

A common myth is that hazing is a “reality” in Frats and sororities. We've all seen it in movies and we've all heard stories from our friends. Hazing can be defined as people or individuals who are forced to do something that is psychologically, physically, or emotionally harmful or damaging (Merriam Webster). Greek organizations all over the world have taken steps in developing human rights policies and strict “anti-hazing” policies to get rid of hazing in all forms from all campuses and fraternities. In the 1980s the movie “Animal House”, became a hit. The movie’s “mocking” of the wild side of fraternity life: binge drinking, hazing, sexual harassment, wild parties, drug use, and poor living conditions, became the American public’s view of Greek life. Many television movies and shows depict the ‘crazy side,’ of Greek life and choose to show its negative side. In doing so, many movies and shows do forget to showcase the beneficial side of joining a Sorority or fraternity and show its positive

The memoir “The College Hazing That Changed My Life” written by Thomas Rogers, is about a freshman in college who experience hazing in a rowing team until they received an eye-opening revelation. Hazing is a major problem throughout the world, a tradition that embarrasses or shame a group of fresh participant to a particular group. A tradition that can be “traced back to the Europe in the Middle Ages where it was known as pennalism” (History – StopHazing). In the first paragraph, it states an important fact about the author that is a repetitious word throughout the memoir, it states that he is a homoerotic male during the time of the hazing. The memoir describes how spiteful and futile hazing is, and it’s often only used to target freshman with superiority.

Reitman acquires information that in 2010, a first year student by the name of Andrew Lohse, pledged to a fraternity called Sigma Alpha Epsilon which disclosed the traditions of Greek hazing. The article elaborately describes the acts of hazing new pledges must face. “One brother recalls the night some of the pledges were served a scramble of vomit and eggs, known as a ‘vomlet’” (356). Lohse unveiled all of the hazing events that he had been involved with for nearly two years, until it had become clear that

In February 2017, Tim Piazza died as a result of hazing within his fraternity. In the article “Death at a Penn State Fraternity”, Caitlin Flanagan summarizes the death and events beforehand that made the death occur. She also gives insight as to other occurrences in other fraternities along with at Penn State. Throughout the article, Flanagan seems to rely on life being valuable and that life should not be cut short for social reasons within one’s control. Caitlin Flanagan provides meaningful commentary to help others realize the dangers affiliated with hazing and other “social norms”.

When you are a part of Greek life you are popular. In professional sports, with men sports the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major Baseball League etc., there is a history of hazing to accept new rookies into the league. Even though, the organization have dangerous activities, but ignore outrageous events they may have to endure to become part of the organization. Hazing is classified into three types subtle, violent, and harassment. Subtle hazing is mainly deception, or not having to do the same thing other new members had to do. These falls under “reasonable hazing” to others, but to me it is not. With subtle hazing when a pledge is lining up you could call a guy run a lap but referring to him as a girl. Mainly, required greeting of members in a specific manner when seen on campus. With harassment hazing is causes stress, a relative degree of discomfort, physically or emotionally, to the new members

The binge drinking and partying of fraternities and sororities is now under the concern of the chapter locally and nationally. Every year there is a national hazing awareness week that every fraternity and sorority on every campus in America participates in. The only way to fix the problem is the educate people about the problem. To outweigh the heavy expense on a member’s pocket is the ability to apply for scholarships within a fraternity or sorority nationally. A Greek organization offers aid when needed and if cannot solely help look for other outlets for financial aid for a member. Organizations focus on education and give endless resources to members within the house and on campus. Members of Greek organizations have so much potential to become well-rounded individuals and being in these organizations helps them shape these potentials to achieve the most success as

Hazing as we know it today is most commonly to initiate members into a fraternity, sorority, or club of some sort. Hazing’s roots go into Ancient Greece when Plato first observed the occurrence and wrote about it in one of his works. The first sign of the term “hazing” appeared in the 16th century, when veteran soldiers would harass new sailors whenever the weather would create a haze. The integration of hazing in American society occurred in the 19th century after the Civil War. Before the war, university fraternities were a place to exchange ideas which most students did not find too engaging. After the war, the meaning of university fraternities had evolved to strengthen bonds with one another. The war put not optimal events and situations, which made soldiers strengthen bonds between one another. Fraternities would often replicate the traumatic events that occurred during the war to strengthen bonds between the recruits and the organization. The fraternities would base hazing rituals on stories their fathers or grandfathers who had participated in the war. Three hazing related deaths occurred in the

Students are getting sexually assaulted and even dying because the federal government does not track hazing incidents. The Piazza family wants Penn State University to take more steps that include providing students a way to report such incidences anonymously in real time. University leaders describe the challenge of reforming fraternity culture as a balancing act. Schools have taken steps to limit alcohol and mandate anti-hazing workshops, but these tragedies continue to occur with alarming regularity

In the United States, fraternities and sororities have been using hazing rituals as part of their pledging processes. Death, injury, and suspensions have all been a result of this action. Greek life has been one of the most influential subjects in multiple universities today. Typically we see the positives of Greek Organizations in media and from universities, but the negative outcomes are typically left behind the curtain. In most cases, organizations have their houses on campus. The controversy comes from these organizations getting away with the harmful actions and universities not taking action. Are these rituals ethical or not?

To some fraternity and sorority chapters hazing may be a way of group bonding and teaching respect, it is not indispensable. Hazing has been going on for quite amount of time, and banning organization who haze will make other chapters want to inflict pain and humiliation to their own pledges. Not only does is lead to a physical and mental breakdown path, but it also weakens the students and strips them of their power. Studies have shown that there are in fact fraternity and sorority chapters who believe that hazing is unnecessary, degrading and view it as juvenile, do not haze their members and perform true Greek rituals. Those chapters reported to become popular on campuses and did not see a loss in member loyalty and respect (Lowery). Fraternity

Summary: Matthew Haag’s New York Times article, “10 Additional Penn State Students Charged in Hazing Death of Pledge” begins with the discovery that members of the fraternity Beta Theta Pi deleted footage of the incident. This sudden realization by the F.B.I. led to the accusation of 10 additional suspects within the fraternity. The deleted footage revealed Mr. Piazza was “given at least 18 alcoholic drinks over 82 minutes at the Feb. 2 fraternity party.” The new video later showed him repeatedly falling down the stairs ultimately cracking his skull and busting his spleen from the continuous falls. So far charges have been presented upon all twelve of the involved.

Though some members in a fraternity or sorority may be against what is happening to these individuals, the codes of secrecy and brotherhood/sisterhood are so strong that they fear to break them and come forward to report these acts (Ruffins 18). Lydia Bradley, a strong advocate of anti-hazing laws and national speaker for

Hazing in universities across the nation has become an increasingly dangerous ritual that is seemingly becoming more difficult to put an end to due to its development into an “underground” activity. Though a regular activity in the seventies, hazing, a possible dangerous act of initiation to a group, has now become an activity that is banned in thirty-nine states (Wagner 16). However, this ritual has not been stopped or become less severe. In fact it is becoming more dangerous. Since it has been banned, with many colleges imposing their own penalties against those participating in it, many fraternities and sororities have pursued this activity in an underground fashion. Since these groups have gone underground, some victims of these

Especially in universities, hazing is a common ritual and initiation process for fraternities that does more harm than good. Both physical and psychological damage is done to not only the victim, but the family of the victim as well. Unfortunately, universities cover up hazing incidents in order to protect their reputation as well as the students involved. Although all, but 6 states have anti-hazing laws, this is not enough to stop fraternities to cease participation and involvement. Since this has become such a tradition across the nation, it is likely it will always remain, regardless of the actions taken to prevent it. People who support hazing in fraternities will claim that hazing creates a form of brotherhood and unity. Even though this could be a positive outlook, it is certainly meaningless comparing to the lives lost and individuals

Not only does it give the information to the member, it at times shows them how it is done. This can be very influential to incoming members who see fraternities as social leaders and may not question their behavior. Along with these dynamics of group behavior, there are significant attitudes present in the fraternity environment that breeds sexual violence.