Foster, Kevin M. 2008. "BLACK GREEKS AND UNDERGROUND PLEDGING: PUBLIC DEBATES AND COMMUNAL CONCERNS." Transforming Anthropology 16(1):3-19
Black Greek organizations have had a major impact on the lives of black college students since their implementation in the early 1900’s. Despite the broad impact and long history, there have been very few studies regarding them. This article is split into three sections. Part one discusses the preliminary material and methodology, part two provides a history of black fraternal organizations, and part three talks about hazing among these groups. Hazing itself is a form of collective behavior in which members partake in hazing the new members simply because that’s what was done to them and everyone around them is doing it.
Part one:
The subjectivity of this research started with a focus on the black student community on predominantly white college campuses and later focused primarily on black Greek life. The methods used in collecting data include ethnographic fieldwork on a campus that included 8 active black Greek communities in any given semester. The fluctuation between the numbers occurs due to suspensions or cancelation due to violation of university policies, most for hazing violation. The campus population includes around 1,200 back students in an undergraduate program consisting of 35,000 students. The research for this study include participant observation within the black student community, open ended interviews with faculty and students, and the collection and use of date by the Dean of student’s office.
Part two: A history of racial service and relevance
Black Greek organizations, also known as Black Greek Letter Organization bean in the early twentieth century. Many of these starting organization still exist today, and more have been developed over the last 100 years. These organizations have served many purposes over the years. “Contemporary scholars document the civic mindedness of the organizations, their tangible promotion of racial uplift and mutual support, and their inherent resistance to the racism that rules the day.” (4) The original BLGO’s provided a sort of template for the organizations today in their ritual activities and overall sense of purpose and belonging. These organization, at least the ones listed by the article, include Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, and Sigma Gamma Rho.
Part three: Pledging versus Hazing
Pledging is considered a ritual process for bringing in new members of a fraternity or sorority. It is typically the turning point between being a non-member and becoming a member. Officially it does not exist among the black Greek letter organization, however it is still very much an active part of the organizations. The article even says that “Accordingly, BGLO-affiliated scholars Park and Brown note with concern that “stepping and pledging” are what BLGOs are primarily known for today.” (5) Pledging consists of a period of time within which an initiate goes through symbolic and informative activities. This period is more important to members. “From the standpoint of an adherent, however, it is a process in a sense that is even more profound. For the member of a pledging organization, there is a distinct line between members and non-members- a line that in multiple ways is continually (re)created and conceived as being difficult to cross. The pledge process enacts a dramatic identity transformation…” (5) Pledgeship takes place in three stages-separation, liminality, and reincorporation. During the separation stage pledges are constantly reminded of the line separating them and members. During the liminality stage, they are put to the test, this is often where the most hazing occurs. Then finally the reincorporation stage in which they are welcomed into the organization. The whole point of the liminality stage is to humble the pledges and for them to prove their worth. However, there is a fine line between humbling and humiliating that is often crossed. According to the university used in the study hazing is defined as, :any activity, required implicitly or explicitly as a condition of initiation or continued membership in an organization that may negatively impact the physical or psychological well-being of the individual and may cause damage to others, or to public or private property”(7) Activities associated with hazing by this university include, “participating in drinking contest; being deprived of sleep; being kidnapped or transported and abandoned; acting as a personal servant; destroying or stealing property; being tied up, taped, or confined; engaging in or simulating sexual acts; being hit, kicked, or physically assaulted in some form; and making body alterations, such as branding, tattooing or piercing.”(7) Although now illegal, hazing of pledges continues to go on underground and is very difficult to stop or prove, due to the extreme secrecy and the sense of ritual and history that goes with it.
Drout, C.E and C.L Corsoro.2003. “Attitudes Toward Fraternity Hazing Among Fraternity Members, Sorority Members, and Non-Greek Students.” Social Behavior and Personality, 31(6):535-543.
This article looks at the behaviors and attitudes towards hazing not only from fraternity and sorority member, but from normal students who do not participate in Greek activities. The study used 231 students, 112 Greeks and 119 independents at a moderate size state university in the Eastern United States with a moderate Greek presence.
Initiation rituals are a pretty normal aspect of not only Greek but other group orientated organizations. These acts are seen as an exaggeration of subgroup norms and are often ceremonial things passed down from the very beginning of the organization. Sometimes parts of these acts are considered hazing, which has been officially banned by all national Greek organizations. Despite this ban, hazing activities still occur and are frequently brought to public attention through news media when the activities result in a death. During the examination of college students attitudes toward Greek rituals and alcohol use, it is key to differentiate between those involved in Greek life and independent college students. There is a lot of evidence showing varying attitudes towards pledging and hazing. “According to Cokley and colleagues, members of Greek organization displayed more positive beliefs about the purpose of pledging and more positive perception of Greek organizations than did nonmembers.” (536)
College itself is an environment directly linked with increased alcohol use. While colleges are taking extensive measures to prevent alcohol abuse and identify high risk students, it is still a growing issue, especially within Greek organization and particularly within fraternities. “According to Workman, five themes may be identified that are related to self-perceptions of fraternity drinking and being drunk. These include drunkenness as entertainment, risk taking, physical exploration, sexual entrapment, and contextual behavior.” (536) Alcohol use is a widespread activity on campuses, however Greek organizations that are seen as more popular when they are also associated with high alcohol consumption. Greeks also may rely more on peer relationships and have a higher level of social orientation then non-Greeks do, making them more likely to be peer pressured into consuming large amounts of alcohol. Where they live also plays a factor in the amount of alcohol consumed and why. Those who live in fraternity houses instead of on-campus housing have been found to have higher risk for alcohol abuse. This occurrence is hypothesized to take place because of the increased opportunity to drink and the greater tolerance for intoxication.
Discussion:
“The differential response to victimization that was voluntary and that was forced is not at all surprising. Weiner (1995) states, “an assignment of responsibility required that there be a controllable cause of negative events.” (541) The study found that in the voluntary cases, pledges have less responsibility attributed to them for the outcome since they do not have control over the alcohol overdoes. Both Greek and non-Greek students attributed similar levels of responsibility to the perpetrators of the hazing incident, which was unexpected. Even those involved in Greek life did not view the authority the chapter president has as excusing his responsibility for the hazing incidents involving alcohol overdoses. There were also differential responses from sorority and fraternity members to the victimization they experienced by their compatriots, however sorority members are more likely to view the Greek organization as a more significant factor in hazing incidents. “Sorority members and independents viewed commitment to initiation and obligations to the Greek organization as more significant causal factors in bringing about the tragedy that has unfolded.” (541) Fraternity members on the other hand were more compelled to defend hazing practices, despite recognizing that this commitment to hazing and obligation the Greek organizations had a greater causal role in alcohol overdosing, they also ignore any impact of an authority role in the fraternity. It was also found that those in Greek organizations have beliefs about pledging more similar to each other than to those not involved in Greek life. However, there was no comparison done on the attitudes specifically addressing hazing with sorority and fraternity members.
As far as authoritarian personalities go, Greek organizations were found to be more similar than independents in their authoritarian scores. This shows a common characteristic which brings together those involved in Greek organization, where attention is paid more to authority and hierarchy.