Invictus: Hazing and the Future of Black Greek-letter Organizations

In 2015, are we finally ready to have an informed discussion about hazing and work toward real solutions that will ensure BGLOs' long-term viability?

 

In a few months, I'll (gsp28@cornell.edu) publish a book on hazing within Black Greek-letter organizations. The book, Invictus: Hazing and the Future of Black Greek-letter Organizations, is intended to spark an informed, national dialogue and move toward real solutions vis-a-vis hazing within our groups. The book consists of my five years of research into one volume for those interested in working toward a solution. I will be blunt; what I write in this book is a bitter pill to swallow. It is largely empirical and a lot of legal analysis. Please see the table of contents attached. 

 

Section One: The history and evolution of rites of passage processes from around the world, a socio-cultural analysis of ritual, and BGLO hazing incidents found in the media and court cases from 1960-2014. 

Section Two: The evolution of criminal law and civil liability with regard to hazing--how individual perpetrators, chapters, fraternities/sororities, universities, and university leadership are implicated and sanctioned for hazing. 

Section Three: The individual, organizational, and cultural factors that motivate individuals to haze. 

Section Four: The factors that motivate an individual to allow him- or herself to be hazed, whether an individual can consent to hazing, and how such information can be used as evidence in litigation. 

Conclusion: The extent to which litigation, Millenials' mentality, and the insurance industry, may lead to bankruptcy.

 

At this point, the book is running about 500 pages and soft-bound. Copies will only be sold via pre-order. I plan to ship books sometime in February 2015. Until Saturday, 1/3/15, you can order the book for $33.00 here or a 4-pak for $125.00 here. Thereafter, $5.00 shipping and handling will be added to each individual book and $10.00 to 4-paks. 

 

Cordially, 

Gregory S. Parks, J.D., Ph.D.
gsp28@cornell.edu

Assistant Professor of Law

Wake Forest University School of Law

INVICTUS
HAZING AND THE FUTURE OF BLACK GREEK-LETTER ORGANIZATIONS
Table of Contents
Introduction
Preface
Section I
The History & Evolution of Rites of Passage, Pledging, and Hazing
1. Of Rites and Rituals: The History of Hazing and Pledging
2. Hazing, Pledging, and BGLO Culture: 1900s – 1980s
3. The Beat Goes On: Hazing and BGLOs, The 1990s
4. Bring the Beat Back: Hazing and BGLOs, The 2000s
5. The Beat Continues: Hazing and BGLOs, 2010 – 2014
Section II
Legal Implications and Strategies
6. Hazing Litigation: Criminal and Civil Sanctions
7. Arbitration as a Response to the Litigation Dilemma
Section III
Understanding the Hazer: Legal and Social Scientific Perspectives
8. Organizational Deviance: The Role and Validity of Beliefs
9. Criminal Deviance: Personality, Drives, and Risk Awareness
10. Making Sense of the Violence: The Intersection of Race and Gender
11. Hazing and Organizational Culture
Section IV
Understanding the Hazing "Victim": Legal and Social Scientific Perspectives
12. Hazing Victimization: A Question of Personality Factors
13. Hazing Victim Consent?: A Psycho-legal Analysis
14. Hazing Victim Consent: An Evidentiary Basis
Conclusion: Is the End Near?