2. Initiation and induction
A ritualised process
01
Involving the
joining of a cultural
sub-group or tribe
02
Often associated
with hazing
03
3. What is it?
• The ceremonial or ritualised process of bringing an
individual or group into a pre-existing group or
community
• A rite of passage
• Transition from being an ‘outsider’ to an
‘insider’
5. Often linked to
specific practices…
• Circumcision
• Body piercing
• Tattooing
• Scarring
Andrews H. and Leopold, T. (2013). Events and the Social Sciences. Abingdon: Routledge, p41.
6. Embodiment
• The way we use our bodies and senses in everyday life
• Often associated with Bourdieu and habitus
• Mannerisms and body language
• Body modification
• Dress, fashion and costume
7. Tribes
• Membership of a cultural sub-group
• Represented through embodiment
• Consistent distinctiveness
• Identity
• Commitment
• Autonomy
Wenge, T. (2003). Constructing 'Neo-Tribal' Identities through Dress: Modern Primitives and Body
Modification, in: Muggleton, D. Weinzierl, R. The Post-Subcultures Reader. Berg: Oxford, UK. pp.119-132.
11. Hazing
• Normally associated with:
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Strenuous physical activity
• Sexual acts
• Deviant or violent behaviour
• Masculinity and misogyny
• A ritualistic enshrining of leadership positions
Anderson, E. McCormack, M. and Lee, H. (2012). Male Team Sport Hazing Initiations in a Culture of Decreasing
Homohysteria. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27(4), pp.427-448.
12. Where do we find it?
• University and college communities
• Sororities and fraternities
• Fresher’s
• Sports teams
• Military groups
13. Hazing in US Colleges
• The fraternity/sorority tradition dates back to the 1820s
• Have become a popular and influential part of US college life
• New members (“pledges”) go through a process of “rushing” to
be selected to join
• Often are the source and control of alcohol consumption
• 70 student deaths attributed to hazing since 2000
• Nov 2017: 26 members of Beta Theta Pi face charges
ranging from hazing to involuntary manslaughter
following death of Penn State student Tim Piazza
• April 2017: Student charged with smearing peanut butter
in the face of a student with a deadly nut allergy
Nuwer, F. (2018). Hazing: Destroying young lives. Indiana: Indiana University Press
14. What does it do?
• Solidifies social bonds
• Develops ‘communitas’
• Makes the promise of power to the ‘survivors’
• Brings outsiders inside
• Promotes uniformity and conformity
EROC Australia (2018). The Red Zone Report: An investigation into sexual violence and hazing in
Australian university residential colleges. End Rape on Campus Australia.
15. But, it also…
• Normalises the destruction of personal property
and space
• Develops homogeneous moral standards
• Erases personal identity (to be replaced with a
socially constructed identity of the new group)
• Enhances the social status of senior individuals
EROC Australia (2018). The Red Zone Report: An investigation into sexual violence and hazing in
Australian university residential colleges. End Rape on Campus Australia.
16. Why does it persist?
• Perverse sense of justice
• “visit the sins of the fathers upon the children”
• To eliminate would divest prior suffering of its meaning
• Would no longer be a rite of passage
• Implied or explicit endorsement from authority figures
• ‘it did me no harm’ mentality
EROC Australia (2018). The Red Zone Report: An investigation into sexual violence and hazing in Australian
university residential colleges. End Rape on Campus Australia.
17. Is there an
alternative?
• Activities that engender teamwork and a shared
experience
• Eg. Rock climbing, canoe tripping
• Facilitated a greater sense of cohesion
• Fostered deeper interpersonal relationships
• Developed stronger communication skills
Johnson, J. and Chin, J.W. (2016). Seeking new glory (d)haze: A qualitative examination of
adventure-based, team orientation rituals as an alternative to traditional sport hazing for
athletes and coaches. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 11(3), pp.327-341.
18. Summary
• Hazing is NOT a requirement of initiation
• However it does fulfil important
ritualistic elements of forming social
groups (but there are other, better ways
that can also do this)
• Initiation and induction ceremonies are key
to helping form collective identities
• Embodiment considers how we use our
bodies to signify membership of a group or
tribe (also applies to identify in general)
