fascinatinghorror

A Brief History of Hazing (Part One)

Added 2022-11-01 11:16:00 +0000 UTC

This is a video I've been wanting to make ever since I read about the KDND Hold Your Wee for a Wii accident, which included a reference to a hazing death. Here are some of my notes from the video.

The Hazing Deaths Database

During the video I show the US Hazing Deaths Database, maintained by Hank Nuwer (an author who has written several books on the history of hazing). It's an unofficial resource... which is not hugely surprising.

Most universities aren't proud of having had hazing accidents on their campus, and so sometimes don't include them in their history. And even when they do, there are often a lot of rumours and misinformation surrounding any hazing death.

If you have a browse through the database, you'll see that - even though hazing is banned at most universities - hazing deaths still happen on a semi-regular basis to this day.

What is hazing?

Hazing is actually surprisingly difficult to pin down. Here, for example, is the definition that HazingPrevention.org uses:

"Hazing is harassment, abuse, or humiliation as a way of initiating a person into a group."

But does that cover every example of hazing? I found myself wondering about it as I was making the video. For example, in Mortimer Leggett's case the hazing walk he was taken on was rather companionable, with lots of laughter and goofing around according to some accounts. Does that fit the definition of hazing?

It's interesting to try and come up with a definition that suits all circumstances. Suggestions welcome!