“Male Bonding and Inter-Male Conflict in United States Fraternities” was written as my graduate thesis at Oregon State University. My aim was to discuss various aspects of male bonding with fraternity members and to inquire why incidents of rape and violent hazing sometimes occur.
Naturally, my research took off in many surprising directions that I had never anticipated (secret initiation rituals, racial barriers on membership and attempts to overcome them, highly covert “fraternities” that powerfully manipulated school courts and newspapers for decades, violence against rival fraternities, conflicts with feminist organizations, and interviews at fraternity houses were a rape had recently taken place).
As a result, this graduate research has experienced minor cult status and it was consistently checked out of the university library for years afterward. Most surviving copies eventually vanished and this book was thought to be permanently lost. Luckily, an electronic copy has just been made available for exclusive use on this website.
This introduction outlines the general principles and theories guiding this research. It asks what is the relationship between male bonding and inter-male conflicts? What role do fraternity rituals play in developing these bonds and conflicts?(more…)
Male Bonding can create a sense of support and solidarity. This bond may encourage new fraternity members to remain in school and improve their grades; however, the bond can also lead to violent hazing, sexual assault, and alcohol-related accidents. How can we encourage positive bonding while discouraging the more negative outcomes? (more…)
What are the conditions that bring men together in groups? Is this interaction positive or negative? This section explains why I have tried to answer such questions.(more…)
This introduction to Chapter Two briefly discusses how I prepared for this study about male bonding in advance and why I chose to apply ethnographic methods. (more…)
This brief section looks at some of the politics that complicated my research. On one hand, fraternity members sometimes discussed the secret rituals that are considered sacred by their fraternity. On the other hand, the women studies program at Oregon State University held specific (and sometimes inaccurate) ideas about the nature of male bonding at US fraternities. I had to walk a tightrope between the two.(more…)
Chapter Three’s introduction highlights some theories about male bonding. It also explores that rate of male-to-male homicide and other violent crimes. The fact is that men have the highest rate of victimization, and men are also most likely to perpetuate violent crime. Why is this the case? (more…)
Most feminists view fraternities as a bastion of patriarchy, in which male power and dominance is ultimately preserved. Male bonding inside these institutes creates a “rapist culture”, while reinforcing traditional ideas about masculinity. This section details the basic feminist principles about male bonding. (more…)
This section explores male bonding as it was perceived by German Nationalists prior to World War II. As Adolf Hitler and the Nazi sized power, specific forms of male bonding were promoted as a matter of patriotism. Their beliefs about the nature of masculinity are presented here. (more…)
Male Bonding can be a vague and stereotypical term. How can we fairly paint a group of male Jazz musicians harmoniously playing a song together with the same brush that describes gang rapists? How is one type of male bond a constructive act while another form leads to violence? This section looks at social bond theory, self-control theory, and some ideas offered by criminologists. (more…)
Chapter Five is heavily comprised of quotations made by fraternity members during formal interviews. In this introduction, I point out that my results could be interpreted in a number of different ways. Each theory could be stretched to fit the quotations of fraternity participants.(more…)
This section turns my research over to fraternity members. I ask them to explain their own definition about what male bonding is. Their answers may surprise you. (more…)
It is not easy to fit 50-100 men in a single household and to expect them to all get along. In this section, fraternity members talk about the conflicts that take place inside their house and the rules and regulation that they can use to resolve them. (more…)
Fraternity pledges are transformed into full-fledged members after a lengthy process of rituals. Initiation ceremonies can get out of hand and sometimes this involves hazing. The truth is that fraternity rituals continue long after the initiation process is over, and resentment can linger due to harsh activities while “rushing”. In this section, fraternity member speak about their initiation ceremony and what their fraternity’s rituals mean to them.(more…)
Fraternity rituals can be a double edged sword. On one hand, they bring people together and encourage support. On the other hand, the same set of rituals can set one group of men against another group of men at the same fraternity house. These rituals are part of an on-going process. This section looks at some of the side-rituals that are not necessarily connected to formal initiation. (more…)
One way to solidify the unity at a fraternity house is to create a rivalry with an opposing fraternity. Whatever internal problems exist, member can monetarily bond when there is a conflict with a shared enemy. Fraternity rivalry can be humorous and playful, but it can also lead to violent brawling as well. In this section, fraternity members speak about rivalry. I also ask them about the possibilities of bonding with a rival on a shared philanthropy project. Their response was quite surprising. (more…)
Chapter Six brings my research to its conclusion. This section briefly mentions my conclusions about male bonding. I view male bonding and inter-male conflict as part of the same process. The conflicts create a temporary sense of unity, but the rituals used also contain the seeds for future problems. (more…)
This section looks at ways that fraternities could break the perpetual cycle of conflict. It explores how rituals are passed from one generation to the next for the sake of tradition, but the power of their fraternal bonds is not necessarily linked to their rituals. How can they promote more constructive bonds in the future?(more…)
Why does a destructive act happen at one fraternity while not at another? How does male bonding differ between a model fraternity and one where violent hazing takes place? What is the nature of female bonding at sororities and how does the dynamic of power and hierarchy play out inside these female-run households? How are the rituals at sororities different than at fraternities? More research needs to be done to answer these questions. (more…)