The initiation rites of the American confraternities between humiliations and cruelty: here’s what Hazing is

In the United States, theEntry into a university confraternity It is a question of social belonging or academic opportunities but provides for an initiatory, often dark path, which can be transformed into a real proof of physical and psychological resistance. The so -called “Hazing Rituals“or initiation ritesrepresent a tradition rooted in the system of fraternity And Sororities American, but often tire into real acts of humiliation, violence And abuse.

The rites of the Confraternities: a system of power and belonging

The University Confraternities – born between the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century – they have their roots in a elitist and male modelinspired by the logic of European secret companies. Initially founded as a club of debate and student associations devoted to leadership and merit, over time they have turned into time powerful social networkscapable of offering academic support, work opportunities and access to influential circles of the US economic, political and cultural power.

Today, there are hundreds of fraternity (male) e Sororities (female) active in all the main American campus, especially in private universities and large public universities of the South and the Midwest. Belonging to one of these confraternities, for many students, represents not only a status symbolbut also one form of investment for the future. However, this belonging is not automatic. Before being accepted as actual members, students face a “Playing” periodor a test phase in which they are testing on several levels: obedience, loyalty, ability to bear the pressure of the group.

The transition from please actually or sister is sanctioned by one or more initiation rites. It is ritualized practices that vary from one organization to another, but that they are always wrapped in an aura of secrecy. Only those who participate directly know the details, and break the silence more meaning to be expelled or threatened. They are often justified as “tradition“or”Brotherhood test“And, in theory, they should serve to create a strong sense of cohesion, belonging and collective identity. In practice, many of these rites degenerate in forms of humiliation, physical and psychological abusein which the authority of the elderly members turns into abuse of power. The system is by its nature hierarchical: the new arrivals must submit to the wishes of the veterans, often without any possibility of reply. The problem is that this system, however violent, is perceived by many as a “badly necessary“To be admitted to one network of privileges.

Because counteracting hazing rituals is difficult

Contrast theHazing (i.e. the practice of the initiation ritual) proves to be extremely difficult, despite the efforts of some university administrations. In many situations, the fear of damaging the Reputation of the Universityor of Losing the support of the Alumni (former students, often generous donors), leads to an ambiguous or reticent management of the cases of abuse. Even when violations are denounced, punishments are often mild or delayed: temporary suspensions, symbolic sanctions, internal reforms without real effectiveness.

In recent years, the public pressure has grown: family members of the victims, students and organizations against Hazing have launched awareness campaigns and promoted the adoption of more severe laws. Some American states, such as Florida, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana, have introduced regulations that qualify theHazing as criminal offenseaggravated in case of serious damage or death. These laws provide for prison penalties, heavy economic penalties and direct responsibilities for organizations that tolerate or promoting these practices.

Confraternitis initiation rites: a cultural question

Ultimately, the initiation rites of the American confraternities highlight one power dynamics that feeds on secrecy, toxic masculinity And ritual distorted. If for many young people they represent an obligatory step towards social inclusion, for others they turn into a deep trauma or, in the worst cases, in a fatal experience. The phenomenon of confraternities and their initiation rites has often been told also by cinema and from the televisionsometimes in a satirical key, sometimes dramatic. Movies like Animal House (1978) have painted a goliardic version of life in the confraternities, while more recent works such as Goat (2016), taken from Brad Land’s Memoir, they raw the psychological and physical violence suffered by the “pleeds” raw.

Next to the fiction, there is no shortage of real cases who have shaken American public opinion: the death of Timothy square In 2017 at Penn State University, after a night of violent Hazing and delay in rescue, and Qualla di Max Gruver to Louisiana University, deceased by forced alcohol poisoning. Change the rules is not enough: one is needed cultural transformation that puts the dignity of people and the safety of university environments to the center, until then, the rites of the confraternities will continue to swing between tradition and cruelty.