When it comes to researching topics and trying to organize thoughts in to making more sense, a very popular tool to use is the Scientific Method. The Method is very closely associated with the subject of Sociology because well-known contributors and theorists of this field have been using it since the first study of social behavior first came about, somewhere around the 17th century. Although there are six general steps to the Method, I will be focusing on the first three, and applying them to a topic that has captured my interest for many years: College Greek Life Pledging/Unrecognized Fraternities and Sororities.
The first step in the Scientific Method is, “Ask a question.” In relation to my chosen topic, my question is, “What makes student pledges want to go through “Hell Week” knowing what they know and personally experiencing the horrors, and what do the school boards actually do about these “unrecognized” houses?” The second step of the process is, “Research existing sources.” Some
…show more content…
Hazing has always been a part of any college group initiation, but these fraternities and sororities take that word to a whole different level. And the biggest upset about this whole private world is the level of attention it gets from the college school boards. They give warnings on their school websites about “unrecognized” houses, and how if a student chooses to pledge to one, they are doing so at their own risk. This is a smart way of the school protecting itself, basically by saying that they are not responsible for said student since “unrecs” do not follow the guidelines and rules that were created for fraternities and sororities. Which is understandable because it is the student’s choice and responsibility. But to me, that just says, “well they don’t want to listen to us, so it is none of our concern at this
Since 1843 there has over 200 cited college hazing deaths. Fraternities are responsible for the overwhelming majority of those deaths. That is not to say that sororities
So what allows a campus fraternity to fall under the category of a social institution? Social institutions are commonly conceived as the necessary focuses of a social organization, which is common to most of society and usually deals with the problems and procedures of structured social life. General characteristics of a social institution involve regulated patterns of behavior that are specific, continuous, and organized. The patterns become the regulated norm, and are carried on from generation to generation, allowing the social institution to continue on through the years. Fraternities were first developed back in the late seventeen hundreds and continued to expand over the past couple of hundred years. Today there are about sixty different fraternities all over the United States, represented by different letters of the Greek Alphabet, with several chapters and various schools. Fraternities is a ‘member only’ social institution that is just for guys, (women have similar institution called sororities). Every fraternity has a board of members that they personally e...
In this paper will be talking about the three sociological perspectives as it pertains to the fraternities and sororities in today’s world. I have chosen this topic because it can be easily understood in all three perspectives.
Additionally, analyzing the overall structure of the Greek System will allow me to understand why students feel inclined to become a member of these organizations, while others don’t. In order to comprehend this student subculture, however, it is imperative to define what the Greek System really is and what core values they are based on. The Greek System, composed of different fraternity and sorority communities, are organizations that focus on academic, social, and professional support.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Greek organizations, such as, fraternities and sororities have been a part of the college experience for centuries. We pride ourselves in brotherly and sisterly love, academic success, and helping others. There are countless stereotypes and myths that surround the “Greek life” name. Just some myths include: all Greeks haze their members, they only care about physical looks not personalities, and they go to college just to party and get drunk. Kappa Delta Sorority upholds none of these stereotypes. We have a strong no haze policy. Hazing is defined as an activity or situation that can cause emotional, mental, or physical discomfort. If a member is caught hazing or if a new member is caught allowing herself to be hazed, there will be major consequences, such as, national probation or deferral of initiation. Kappa Delta also does not look at physical appearance as the only quality for possible new members. We look at personality and qualifications that can benefit our sorority; instead of having a group of women that are pretty and popular, we like to have women with strong morals, work ethic, and have the willingness to love each and every member of Kappa Delta. Kappa Delta Sorority is like no other fraternity or sorority on campus; we do not waste our time with partying and drinking. We pride ourselves in our historical background, philanthropies, and our values. I know Kappa Delta is the best sorority not only on MTSU campus but in the whole country.
"Some have argued that fraternities are places where rape is likely to occur on college campuses and that the students most likely to accept rape mouths and be more sexually aggressive are more likely to live in fraternities and sororities, consume higher doses of alcohol and drugs, and place higher value on social life at college." according to the article "Fraternities and Collegiate Rape Culture: Why Are Some Fraternities More Dangerous places for Women?" written by A. Ayres Boswell and Joan Z. Spade. The article ...
Greek organizations are debatably the most undervalued and misconceived aspect of college campuses. Most people don’t see the benefits that fraternities and sororities bring to college campuses and their communities. Some see these organizations as large beneficial clubs and others see them as potential problems. Many of the allegations put forth by individuals that discredit the benefits and good deeds done by Greek organizations are weak justifications for their removal from college campuses. Greek organizations provide campus communities with academically responsible students, philanthropic activities and increase community involvement.
This source in its entirety was good insight about how Greek Life’s main focus is not to party but to better yourself like many of today's leaders. The article is an attractive read for students who are skeptical about the purpose of joining these groups. After coming across a positive article about Greek Life, I wanted to switch perspectives and research the negative aspects of joining fraternities and sororities. So I typed into Google just that, “what are the negative aspects of fraternities and sororities”. I came across numerous sources that did not really give me a solid base of research.
Greek Life, or the presence of fraternities and sororities, exists in many colleges and universities. According to Michael Grandillo in an Encyclopedia article, “there are more than 5,500 chapters on 800 campuses throughout the United States and Canada.” Although Greek Life is so common, participation in such organizations can be a controversial topic, particularly when critics suggest that hazing can be detrimental to students' health and college careers. For those who do not know much about Greek Life, or the process that one goes through to become affiliated with this system, there is first a week called “rush week,” where fraternities and sororities host parties in attempt to cajole students into joining their organizations. If members of a fraternity or sorority like a particular student, they will vote to give that student a “bid,” which gives that student the opportunity to pledge their organization. If the student accepts the bid, his pledge process will begin, which generally lasts between six to ten weeks. Assuming the student sticks it through, he will be admitted into organization and will be rewarded with the benefits of membership for the remainder of his life. Despite the fact that some Greek organizations engage in intense hazing practices that may result in reduced grades for pledges, it is beneficial for students to participate in Greek Life because organizations force students to create strong bonds among one another while learning important lessons, they prepare students for their future careers, and they provide students with great networking opportunities.
The first step of this scientific method is to ask yourself the question of what it is you want to know. This would be, “What is the fastest way to cool a 6 packs of beer?” The second step of scientific method is background research. Adam tells us that he found this myth on the discovery channel, where it stated that in Vietnam people would bury a 6 pack in sand, pour gasoline on top, and set fire to it,
A major part of every college campus is the Greek system. Although, many times it goes unnoticed there is major segregation among the fraternities and sororities in the south. Why is such an important issue often overlooked? We need to be more aware of segregation because in many cases it causes conflict. What if an African American wanted to join a traditionally white fraternity or sorority or vise versa? The chances of him/her getting in are pretty slim. In fact, it would be most likely that they would not. The walls of race and the barriers from so-called ?traditions? in the Greek system should be broken in order to diversify the organizations and lead to the changes necessary to end segregation and discrimination for good.
Kimbrough, Walter M. Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities. Cranbury: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2003. Print.
Gibbons, Michael. "The Idea Of Fraternity Revisited." Perspectives On Political Science 35.4 (2006): 205-209. Academic Search Elite. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
More than half of college students are involved in some form of campus hazing, 73% of students participating in social fraternities and sororities have experienced at least one hazing behavior, and since 1970, there has been at least one hazing-related college death each year. Hazing is defined as humiliating and sometimes dangerous initiation rituals, especially as imposed on college students seeking membership to a fraternity or sorority. Hazing is a serious crime with serious consequences for both the perpetrator and the victim. 46% of students in high school and college believe that the most important component of hazing is to keep the code of silence which is what leads to injuries and death. There are many fraternities throughout the United States such as Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, etc. that are still active to this day even with their lists of allegations and crimes caused from
When one hears the word "hazing," the typically first impression is that of a fraternity member with a paddle in one hand, beer in another and a young "pledge" bent over being struck by the wooden paddle. This is defiantly a case of classic hazing, however many other forms have been created and made public in the recent past. Other fields such as military, sorority, high school and athletic teams have begun to come under the same scrutiny fraternities have been for years.