"Article evaluation -- [Human Rights]"

  • Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you? I do think the article does a good job at staying relevant and on topic. I also did not find any distractions when reading.
  • Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position? This article did a pretty good job at keeping it all factual without much bias .
  • Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented? From what I see all viewpoints are from a factual standpoint and are not bias.
  • Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article? most of the citations worked except for one I tried. The bad citation only took me to a blank page but other than that citations are good.
  •  Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?  The references used in this article all checked out as reliable to me. The information came from books and websites. The sources are pretty neutral.
  • Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added? They have done a great job at keeping this page pretty up to date .
  •  Check out the Talk page of the article. What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic? The talk page is honestly just like they ones they talked about in the trainiing. People were polite and eager to help.
  • How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects? This article was rated as a former feature article candidate and is also part of numerous wiki projects.
  • How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class? They seem to go into much more detain than we are in class.

Hazing

The topic I chose to add on to for the human rights Wikipedia project is Hazing. Hazing is defined as "subjecting  (freshmen, newcomers, etc.) to abusive or humiliating tricks and ridicule."[1] I plan to add to this article and look at the sociological aspect of hazing. When I went on the page I saw that the hazing article did mention sociology but only briefly. I also saw that sociology was put under the topic of psychology even though to two are fields of their own. I plan to show the difference and make the sociological view a sub-topic of its own just as psychology is in this article. I want to show the impact that hazing has on the group as a whole and how it changes things in society.

The reason that I picked hazing is because it is something that has been over looked by many people. Some forms of hazing can be just fun and not hurt people while other forms can violate many peoples human rights . Hazing can be life threatening and can damage people in many ways. After reading some articles I have learned a lot about the horrible things that have come from the act of hazing. Some acts of hazing violate peoples human rights by abusing them and degrading them and not giving them the dignity that all humans deserve to have.I also want to look more into why people will subject themselves to these harsh acts just to be accepted into a particular group. This is an important topic to look into and add onto because hazing is something that can impact people of all ages. the group I would say it impacts the most is the youth and young adults. This is an important group because at this age many people are just trying to have a sense of belonging and make a name for themselves and this can make them much more likely and willing to under go hazing. I plan to look at news articles about hazing and the different acts that have been done. In my contribution I want to show that hazing is something that can really have a lasting impact on people. I plan to take the sociological studies I find on this topic and use them to strengthen this article.

Bibliography

  • .Haag, Matthew. "Possible Hazing Suspected in L.S.U. Student’s Death." The New York Times. September 14, 2017. Accessed September 28, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/14/us/lsu-fraternity-hazing-death.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FHazing&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection.
  • "Hazing.cornell.edu a revealing look at hidden rites." Research & Theory. Accessed September 28, 2017. https://hazing.cornell.edu/issues/research.cfm.
  • Lamothe, Dan. "Military hazing is often horrifying — and the Pentagon has no idea how often it happens." The Washington Post. February 12, 2016. Accessed September 28, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/02/12/military-hazing-is-often-horrifying-and-the-pentagon-has-no-idea-how-often-it-happens/?utm_term=.3d48041cf2f8.
  • News, ABC. "Hazing Hits High Schools." ABC News. August 28, 1970. Accessed September 28, 2017. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=95999.
  • "The Effects of Hazing on Student Self-Esteem: Study of Hazing Practices in Greek Organizations in a State College." The Effects of Hazing on Student Self-Esteem: Study of Hazing Practices in Greek Organizations in a State College - Ramapo Journal of Law & Society. Accessed September 28, 2017. https://www.ramapo.edu/law-journal/thesis/effects-hazing-student-self-esteem-study-hazing-practices-greek-organizations-state-college/.
  • Hamilton, R., Scott, D., LaChapelle, D., & O'Sullivan, L. (2016). Applying social cognitive theory to predict hazing perpetration in university athletics. Journal of Sport Behavior, 39(3), 255-277. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1810012542?accountid=40599
  • Waldron, J. J., & Kowalski, C. L. (2009). Crossing the line: Rites of passage, team aspects, and ambiguity of hazing. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80(2), 291-302. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/218506910?accountid=40599

Outline for my contribution

  • The article I am adding to is an existing article on hazing.
  • The information that is already on the page is the meaning of the term hazing, the methods of hazing there are, examples of hazing that have happened, a scope of areas it has happened in, the psychology that goes with having and controversy surround the issue of hazing.
  • I plan to add a look at hazing from a sociological standpoint do to the lack of one there. When I read this article I saw that sociology was only referenced and put in the same category as psychology even though they are two different studies. I think It is important to look at hazing from a sociological standpoint because we need to find out why groups of people haze and what impact it has on society as a whole. Hazing is about the individual joining a group so a sociology look would benefit this page. Sociology is the study of the group so instead of looking at one person the group itself will be what we are trying to find out about. I plan to mention what sociology is and reference the sociology page so people can go there if they do not really know what it is. I want to talk about why a group might haze and what impact it has. I want to also look at and show why people are willing to go so far and talk about how the group is a very impact part of socialization. I want to show that people will go far to be part of the in group and be accepted in society.

Academic Article Outline Citation: Johnson Jay, author. 2011. “Through the Liminal: A Comparative Analysis of Communitas and Rites of Passage in Sport Hazing and Initiations.” Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers Canadiens de Sociologie, no. 3:199. http://ezproxy.xula.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.canajsocicahican.36.3.199&site=eds-live.

Through the Liminal: A Comparative Analysis of Communitas and Rites of Passage in Sport Hazing and Initiations

This article is about how Hazing happens in Canada and the United States. This article mainly focuses on sports hazing why it happens and the impact it has on those in the group. The article is split up in to ten sections

1.     The Landscape of Hazing in Canada and the United States: In this opening part of the article Canada and the United States are talked about and the hazing that goes on in these areas. The United States has more rules that have to do with hazing than Canada because of hazing being more prevalent in the United States. The number of reported hazing has increased in Canada which is why it is also part of this article. The type of hazing focused on in this article is sports hazing in these two locations. It is important to mention that male and female hazing differ in nature. Male hazing is more commonly physical and violent while female hazing is more psychological. There is still a lack of information when it comes to female hazing. Hazing is a way to show new members the power dynamics of the group they are joining.

2.     Rites of Passage:  Hazing is used as a rite of passage into the group and has 3 phases that people go through before being fully part of the group. A large part of rite of passage is the change of identity. In some way all cultures have rites of passage that help distinguish people in the society. The first phase of this process is the separation phase. In this phase people get rid of their old identity as they get ready to become part of this new group. For someone to fully embrace their new identity they must get rid of the old one they have. Usually a person who is going through this process gets a different name as they are being re-socialized the new name gives them a new identity and basically says their old name is not who they are anymore. This can for some be damaging or seen as dehumanization depending on what the person’s new name is. The second phase is the hazing phase. This phase is used to break down who you were so it is easier to mold the new identity into you. As you are hazed the ideals and the structure of the new group are instilled into you. This can be physical and mental. The hazing phase is also meant to show the power the older members of the group have and that you as a new comer are helpless. This part is also used to weed out those who are not willing to go through the hazing it takes to join the group. The third and final phase is the final acceptance stage where the person is full let into the group. This allows them to identify with the group and be a member. This phase is usually marked with some kind of celebration for this rite of passage.

3.     The Three Phases of Cultural (and Sport) Rites:  Sports teams are not as common to partake in types of scarification like other organizations that have hazing. More visible forms of hazing are common are used to see if those trying to joining are really serious about joining and willing to withstand the pain that goes the initiation.

4.     Ritual and Belonging in Sport-identity: The sociologist Durkheim was one of the first to make a model to show the importance of rituals in society and its structure. His study shows that the point of rituals in society is to form bonds and give people a sense of belonging in society. Athletes say that they have a need to form this bond and go through the phases like hazing to bond the team in a fast and efficient way. A sense of belonging and a team bond is not always what happens during the hazing process. During the process the new comers are really at an in between stage unsure if this is what they want to do. The members who are already part of the group are having changing ideas about the team also. Those members who were new and now have become veterans might still be holding grudges about the hazing they went through and use this time to take out there feeling on the new incoming members. This can be a problematic thing to happen especially when it comes to teams who need to be bonded well to perform well. When it comes to sports teams and rituals they are different from other cultural rituals because of the way sports teams function. Since initiation and bonding for sports teams more commonly in the school setting the initiation starts at beginning of the school year before the season. These bonds must be made quickly because sports team members are never the same very long so there is a small window the team has to bond the members. Hazing is used to make this bond faster.

5.     Communitas and Sport: The initiation ceremony for sports teams is good and bad when it comes to the identity of its members. The bond is made to strengthen the team but because of hazing this bond can weaken its members and make some feel less important than others. It is shown that other bonding technics other than hazing have been shown to make the team dynamics much stronger.

6.     Method: Qualitative research was done to see how teams interact and the impact that the hazing in rituals has on the teams over all bond. A large amount of teams members were screened and talked to about their experiences on the team and how they felt about the rituals they went through. At this orientation men’s and women’s teams were focused on when it comes to their initiations.

7.     Results: After the study was done it was noted that a large amount of the team’s members felt that the rituals were needed when it came to sports teams. A large amount of people realized that the rituals were not all pleasant and nice but these hard tasks that the members go through together are what really make them stronger as a unit. Some believe that the hazing is needed to humble and put the rookies in their place before they can really be part of the team. It is shown that even coaches believe in the idea of hazing to get the team to bond and connect as one unit. Certain people believed without the hazing to keep the rookies in place they would get carried away and start slacking on their duties. It is clear that many believe it is needed to have some kind of way to be introduced and acquainted with the team and hazing has been the main answer. In some areas a sports team is a large part of the culture so many people will know about the hazing but go with it so that the team can do good. In a way many just believe that the end justifies the means in the case of hazing.

8.     Hazing and Communitas: Hazing while meant to bond the team can also lead to mistrust and grudges among the group.  While people believe hazing can form communitas it does the very opposite most of the time. A communitas is unstructured community in which people are equal. Hazing sets up a power dynamic that does not agree with this idea. 9.     Orientation as a Replacement for Traditional Hazing; after learning about the experiences from many different people the idea came to have a regular orientation and team building to help bond the team instead of using hazing. This orientation really did put everyone on the same level and made it easier for the team to really get to willingly know each other. This was done using certain activities like rock climbing. The orientation formed bonds through regular means instead of high stress situations like hazing. It was easy for the team members to really be able to know each other and feel like a team instead of the power dynamic.

10.  Conclusion: Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging into a group but hazing makes this very hard. It is important for groups to understand the problematic parts of hazing that weakens the group instead of strengthening it. If groups want members to want to join they will have to get rid of the old ways.  

My Contribution Outline I will be adding to the page about hazing. I will be putting in more about hazing from sociological standpoint. It says in the content sociology but I was the one who put that there so there is not anything there.

Contents

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Above is the existing information that is already in the article before I add my part. I noticed that they just put sociology in as a part of psychology even though it is a study of its own. The main point I will be looking at is the way hazing has to do with the group in society. I will be giving a small summary of what sociology is but will link that page if people feel it is needed. I will use the academic article that I have to show what the studies show. I will also talk about the power dynamic in the group and how hazing has an impact on group bonding. I will also talk about the resolution that was talked about In the article I read.

Source I will be using Johnson Jay, author. “Through the Liminal: A Comparative Analysis of Communitas and Rites of Passage in Sport Hazing and Initiations.” Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers Canadiens de Sociologie, no. 3 (2011): 199. http://ezproxy.xula.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.canajsocicahican.36.3.199&site=eds-live.

Outline                             

  I.           Introduction:  

A.    Brief summary of sociology with link to page   

B.     Durkheim and his view on groups                          

  II.           Body I.  

A.     Summary of sports team study

B.      3 phases of initiation into a group

C.     Problematic impact of hazing on the group and members                       

   III.           Conclusion:  

A.    Results of the study done on the sports teams

B.     Possible solution to hazing as found in study

  1. ^ "the definition of hazing". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2017-09-28.

Draft for the Contribution  

Psychology and Sociology are not the same. While Psychology is more of a mirco study Sociology is a macro study. When looking at group behaviors like the ones that go on during hazing both of these studies can be looked at for better understanding of what is going on. When looking at hazing from a sociological standpoint the focus is more on how the group itself runs instead of just the individual in that group. Hazing[1] is ritualistic and a rite of passage into a new group. The famous sociologist Emile Durkheim states that group interaction is very important in society[2]. When entering a group there are three phases that a person has to go through before they are completely accepted into the group. The first phase is separation. This phase is when old ideas when the new recruits have to shed their old identity so they will be able to take on the new one. This is re-socialization a thing that happens to people when they are put into different settings. The second phase is the hazing stage. Hazing is used to weed out the weaker people not willing to commit to the group. This stage is also used to instill power dynamics and the ideas of the group into the new recruits[3]. This is important for groups like sports teams who need to bond quickly so they are able to be a more coherent team. Hazing is seen as a fast way to bond the group and put the rookies in their place. Studies showed that many of the team members may not totally agree with the hazing but do it because they value tradition. Many people also still haze because they feel like it’s the fastest way to bond. By making team members go through similar situations they are bonded by experience. The third phase is the final one which is the acceptance. This third phase is the most important one to many people because it is when they are finally part of the group after going through the other phases. People go through the hazing so they can eventually be a part of the group and gain the perks that come with the title. Hazing can have positive and negative impacts on those who have gone through the process. Hazing for some people causes them to mistrust the group and hold grudges towards other members. Those who have been hazed can also internalize the abuse they endured and then take it out on those who are rookies after them. This causes many people to be much more violent and take their anger out on the new rookies which has led to the death of many individuals.[3] Other options can be done other than hazing like team building exercises which are not as dangerous for the members of the group. With certain hazing situations a large amount of people are aware of the hazing but turn a blind eye towards it because of tradition.[4] Tradition is something that is valued in most in societies and are seen as something that everyone carries on and goes through. This ideology is a main reason why many hazing incidents go unmentioned because traditions is valued.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Newman, David (2016). Sociology exploring the architecture of everyday life. United Kingdom: SAGE Publication. pp. 13–15. ISBN 9781506305448.
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Jay. ""Through the Liminal: A Comparative Analysis of Communitas and Rites of Passage in Sport Hazing and Initiations."". ebscohost.com.
  4. ^ "The whole town turning a blind eye to the public hazing of high school freshman in Dazed and Confused. TFM". Total Frat Move. Retrieved 2017-11-30.