Evaluative Analysis of Hazing

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Evaluative Analysis of Hazing Hazing is defined as “the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group” (“hazing”). Initiation and the act of hazing are usually mistaken. Initiation is defined as “a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society” (“initiation”). The difference between the two is the intention of the activity taken place. Hazing occurs often when pledging for Greek sororities and fraternities. The first American fraternity was founded in the late eighteenth century. This began as a group of students forming a social club amongst one another. The first sorority (which includes females instead of males) was founded in 1851. Fraternities and sororities name themselves with two to three Greek letters which represent their motto and purpose of their organization. By the 1890’s the Greek letter societies had chapter-owned houses on and near by the campus. In order to keep the houses full current members would initiate a recruiting process to gain more members. “Hazing began in Europe during the middle ages” (“Luibrand”). There,” hazing was imposed on men entering into universities so they could feel hardship before receiving the benefits of education” (“Luibrand”). Hazing made its way to America in the 1850’s. Here it began as household jobs for the new members but in later generations it transformed to physical and psychological abuse (“Shaw”). Hazing is now commonly associated with the pledging process of Greek letter organizations. There have been a number of extreme hazing incidents where the activity taken place has resulted in death. The most recent incident of hazing occurred at Florida A&M University. A 26 year old drum major, Robert Champion died in a hazing ritual. The student was beaten on a bus and died from “hemorrhagic

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