Finnigan 1
Kathryn Finnigan
FYS 101L-109
Professor Loh
7 December 2018
Final Paper
Being a part of a group is how many individuals try to fit in with those around them.
However, should one be forced to do something they do not want to do, in order to fit in? If one
is forced into doing an activity, they do not wish to partake in, chances are they are being hazed.
Hazing is defined by Webster’s dictionary as, the practice of playing unpleasant tricks on
someone or forcing one to do unpleasant things. Hazing can be found in a wide variety of areas,
including one’s work or clubs, but is most infamously linked to Greek life as well as sports
teams. When a social organization, relies too heavily on hazing in order to instill a sense of
belonging, they are actually instilling power to those that are hazing, and the hazing process in
itself. Hazing is seen as a form of social acceptance within a group, but in practicing hazing the
group creates a greater internal divide.
Hazing has been around since 387 B.C., although back then it was called pennalism.
(Klinger) Back then it had a similar meaning, to what we believe hazing to be in today’s society.
Pennalism or hazing continued throughout medieval times, as a way of separating the upper class
from the lower. At that point in time, it was a form of amusement for the residents of the upper
class. At the beginning of the nineteenth-century hazing was brought into the spotlight more
when social fraternities (which are similar to fraternities today) began to play practical jokes of
their fellow brothers. The practice of hazing became a problem at the beginning of the twentieth
Finnigan 2
century when hazing-related deaths became common. Hazing eventually died down at the
beginning of World War One and was not noticed by the public until after World War Two. It
was not until the Vietnam War, that hazing declined. After the war was over, hazing began to
rise, and the new weapon of choice was alcohol. From this point, movies began to appear that
reflected these hazing practices, especially on college campuses. This is accentually what
society’s view of Hazing is today. Although hazing has been seen throughout history, in today’s
society it is especially prevalent on college campuses.
One of the main goals, many leaders try to instill in their teammates, brothers, or pears is
a sense of unity among the group. Unity is key when one wants to rally a group together in order
to face a common goal and to instill a sense of belonging. According to a study conducted in a
