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Consider the Issues


There many issues to consider when learning about hazing, from the definition of hazing contained in policies and laws to the range of behaviors that form the continuum of hazing. Images of hazing provide graphic evidence of the reality of these practices. Arguments for and against hazing include perceived costs and benefits to individuals who are hazed, those who do the hazing, and the organizations to which they belong. A particularly dangerous mix is alcohol and hazing, a combination that has accounted for numerous deaths nationwide. There has been relatively little research and theory development about hazing, though interest among academicians has grown as hazing in the news has increased in recent years. Resources and references on hazing include organizations that work to reduce hazing and studies that have explored the prevalence and form of these hidden practices.