Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Hazing is an ancient, universal practice. In past and modern societies, the need to join a group \nis an aspect of our humanity. The process of joining a group frequently includes the need to be \nhazed in order to legitimate full membership. This study uses the theoretical frameworks of \nMichel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu’s perspectives of social order, Henri Tajfel and John Turner’s \ntheory of social identity, and Albert Bandura’s theory of moral disengagement to look at \nindividuals joining groups. In particular, the study has sought to ascertain why those who haze \nare motivated to act. A grounded theory has been developed through interviewing young adults, \nwho while in positions of leadership as Grade 12 learners in Gauteng schools, planned hazing \nactivities. The grounded theory shows that hazing while enacted by an individual is not solely \ndriven by that person, but rather hazing is a means of cultural reproduction. The mechanism \nthrough which hazing occurs focuses on achieving a sense of belonging, conforming to a given \nculture and consenting to hazing. The hazer is motivated to pass on aspects of the school’s \nculture, namely school traditions, hierarchical structures, means and standards of discipline, \nand showing appropriate respect to others. The hazer believes that this can be achieved as those \nbeing hazed will comply if they can avoid being humiliated. The developed theory is grounded \nand was verified through interviewing stakeholders in the school community who had \nextensive knowledge of the school culture and of Grade 12 learners.
Author: Carolyn Ann Huysamer
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3046175278