Inside Zation and Within a Particular Cultural Con- Tional Settings, I Generally Find There Is Wide- Text
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The purpose of the North American Interfraternal Foundation shall be to promote and support Notes leadership, educational and research initiatives that advance the North www.nif-inc.net Spring 2004 American college fraternal experience. Hazed and Confused: Transforming Hazing Cultures by Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D. Hazing is a social issue that is under- what’s sional organizations. Hazing is a complex studied, under-discussed, and its power is all social problem that is shaped by power too often under-estimated. When I am asked dynamics operating in a group and/or organi- to speak with groups about hazing in educa- inside zation and within a particular cultural con- tional settings, I generally find there is wide- text. spread lack of awareness and common misun- RESEARCH SUMMARY derstandings about what is meant by the term AND PROGRESS TO Hazing activities are generally considered to “hazing,” why hazing is a problem, and what DATE: EXAMINING AND be: physically abusive, hazardous, and/or can be done to change it. In order to begin a TRANSFORMING sexually violating. The specific behaviors or change-making process, we need to identify CAMPUS HAZING activities within these categories vary widely CULTURES the problem and understand some of the among participants, groups and settings. complexities associated with it. While alcohol use is common in many types of hazing, other examples of typical hazing WHO IS ELIZABETH Hazing Defined practices include: personal servitude; sleep ALLAN? “Hazing” refers to any activity expected of deprivation and restrictions on personal someone joining a group (or to maintain full hygiene; yelling, swearing and insulting new status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or members/rookies; being forced to wear NIF ANNOUNCES 2003 risks emotional and/or physical harm, regard- embarrassing or humiliating attire in public; SCHOLARSHIP AND less of the person’s willingness to participate. FELLOWSHIP consumption of vile substances or smearing of In years past, hazing practices were typically RECIPIENTS such on one’s skin; brandings; physical beat- considered harm- ings; binge drinking and drinking games; sex- less pranks or ual simulation and sexual assault. comical antics associated with What’s Your Opinion? Why is Hazing a Problem? young men in col- Hazing can involve seemingly harmless activ- lege fraternities. At the 2003 Annual Meeting of the NIF ities, but such activities often set the stage for Today we know more risky and potentially dangerous behav- Board of Directors, a new vision statement that hazing iors. The risk level of hazing can quickly was drafted, but we’d like your opinion before extends far beyond escalate and take participants by surprise. college fraternities making it final. If you have any thoughts, Alcohol, uneven distribution of power among and is experienced suggestions or opinions to share, please con- the group/peer pressure and groupthink are by boys/men and some of the factors that can impair judgment tact us! girls/women in and contribute to increasing the danger level school groups, of hazing. Vision Statement Draft—The NIF is a catalyst university organi- zations, athletic for inspiring collaboration that results in a vital Hazing can be harmful on a number of teams, the mili- levels and is often related to the following interfraternal community. tary, and other social and profes- HAZING, see page 2 thinking about change-making. I usually postsecondary education, however, is Hazing, cont’d from page 1 suggest the following sequential stages pervasive and moves well beyond athlet- as a guide for thinking about change- ic and fraternal environments, affecting detrimental outcomes: making. students of diverse identities and experi- ences. While we know hazing incidents • Physical harm and death Help others to: have been reported in marching bands, • Emotional harm • Notice hazing. theatre groups, ski clubs, freshman • Student attrition • Interpret hazing as a problem. camps, orientation groups, residence liv- • Breeding of mistrust among group • Recognize a responsibility to change ing units, and other social and academic members it. clubs, no studies have yet collected data • Cultivation of a school/campus cul- • Acquire the skills needed to take to document the nature and prevalence ture of abuse action. of hazing among all types of student • Bad press for individuals, organiza- • Take action! groups on college campuses. Without tion and school/campus or commu- this data, many are likely to view hazing nity According to this model, the most as a problem for Greek-letter organiza- • Lawsuits and liability effective way to educate about hazing is tions and athletic teams only. Directing to begin by drawing attention to hazing hazing education at these groups alone In some cases, determining the risk and helping others interpret hazing as a may jeopardize the health and safety of level of hazing is fairly straightfor- problem. Campus and school officials, many who are subject to hazing in other ward—as in the case of forced alcohol and student leaders, can do this by pub- types of student groups. consumption. In other cases however, licizing hazing policies (or establishing many point to the so called “grey policies when they don’t exist); provid- Research is also needed to help establish areas” where it seems more complicat- ing information to students’ parents, “best practices” in relation to hazing ed to predict whether or not a particu- staff, faculty and community members interventions. Scholars are now consid- lar activity might be interpreted as about how to identify hazing and where ering how hazing is shaped by many hazing. While some activities may to report it; providing assurances of sup- social and institutional forces rather seem innocuous to one person, they port for those who do report being than understanding it as solely a prob- may be considered humiliating, hazed, establishing consequences for lem rooted in personality traits or other degrading and harmful to another. It is those who participate in hazing; and individual characteristics. Research is often difficult for students to judge most importantly, developing incentives important because it will help us to clar- when they are crossing the line from for the implementation of non-hazing ify the causes of hazing, identify envi- harmless to harmful. For instance, it is group initiations and activities. ronmental and socio-economic factors, becoming increasingly common for and create new strategies for eradicating women’s groups to involve sexual sim- The Role of Research harmful hazing activities. ulation in hazing rituals. While some Scholarly attention to hazing has also suggest such an activity is just “a joke”; focused largely on the impact of hazing Hazing is a complex social problem others consider it degrading, insulting within athletics and Greek life. The with no “easy answers.” Those of us who and even threatening—especially for most extensive empirical data regarding have worked with groups to transform a many young women who have experi- hazing practices were generated from hazing culture know there are many enced the threat of sexual harassment, the Alfred University/NCAA study on challenges to making meaningful stalking and/or assault. Students need college athletes (1999), which found change. However, we must not forget guidance in helping them understand that over 76% of all athletes at more that every individual has an important that hazing isn’t simply about the than 1,000 National Collegiate Athletic role to play in helping to solve the prob- activity (though this is one factor), it’s Association schools experienced some lem of hazing. Each individual action also about the process—the ways in form of sports-related hazing during can make a difference. Together, we can which power and control are exercised 1998-99. Other accounts of hazing have continue to build awareness and develop among group members and how new been provided by author/journalist effective intervention and prevention members or rookies are made to feel Hank Nuwer (1990, 1999, 2000), and a strategies to eliminate harmful hazing. about their place in the group. number of thesis and dis- sertation studies have Help others to: Making Change focused on hazing in Eradicating hazing can seem like an the context of Greek Notice hazing. overwhelming undertaking, but it’s life (Holmes, 1999; important to remember that every Lowery, 1998; Shaw, Interpret hazing as a problem. individual can play an important role 1992) and athletics Recognize a responsibility to change it. in making positive change. I usually ( Johnson, 2000). suggest the following steps (adapted Acquire the skills needed to take action. The hazing problem in from Berkowitz 1994) as a guide for Take action! 2 who is Research Summary and Progress to Date: Elizabeth Allan? Examining and Transforming Campus Hazing Cultures Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D. by Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D., Principal Investigator is an Assistant The NIF began a partnership with climates and to inform best practices for Professor of Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D.in 2002, provid- hazing prevention and intervention. Higher ing funding for grant research for her Educational research study “Examining and Research Goals Leadership Transforming Campus Hazing Cultures. • This study aims to generate breadth of graduate pro- knowledge and promote more in-depth grams at the Overview of the Project understanding about hazing in postsec- Elizabeth J. Allan, University of Once thought of as simply aberrant