Training in Violence: An Essay on Military Hazing - Professor Joanna Bourke

TL;DR

Hazing in the military is justified based on psychological needs, group ties, and as a rite of passage, but its true justification lies in the reproduction and preservation of the military institution itself.

Transcript

hello and welcome I'm really amazed that so many people came out in this weather I mean I almost didn't come out in this weather so thank you very much for for turning up what I want to talk about today is one aspect of military sort of socialization in to violence and I want to start with a poem actually it was published in 1975 by Dennis Coates u... Read More

Key Insights

• ✊ Hazing practices in the military have endured due to their symbolic power and the belief that they serve important psychological and group bonding purposes.
• 👥 Hazing is justified by its ability to meet individual needs, foster group cohesion, and serve as a rite of passage.
• 🎖️ The primary justification for military hazing, however, lies in institutional dynamics and the reproduction of the military institution itself.
• 🙈 Attempts to regulate or eliminate hazing have been met with resistance, as it is seen as necessary to maintain the distinct warrior culture of elite military units.
• 🍻 Hazing practices have been linked to negative outcomes such as suicide, psychiatric breakdowns, and serious injuries.
• 🎖️ Hazing practices have been deeply ingrained within the military, making it difficult to separate them from legitimate training.
• 👨‍🎨 The belief in the necessity of pain and humiliation in military training echoes throughout history and reflects societal perceptions of martial masculinity.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some common practices involved in military hazing?

Military hazing can include sleep deprivation, extreme exercises, consumption of disgusting fluids and foods, humiliation, forced wearing of women's clothes, and performing sexual and degrading acts. These rituals are designed to humiliate and psychologically break down recruits.

Q: How are hazing practices justified by proponents?

Proponents argue that hazing meets individual psychological needs, fosters strong group ties, and serves as a rite of passage into manhood. They believe that pain and distress are necessary in shaping martial masculinities and creating effective warriors.

Q: Why has it been difficult to eradicate military hazing?

Hazing practices have become institutionalized within the military, with instructors and cadets blurring the line between hazing and legitimate training. Loyalty to the institution and the belief in a separate warrior culture justify and protect hazing practices, making it difficult to eliminate.

Q: How does hazing differ between different groups in the military?

Hazing practices have targeted different groups over time, with minorities experiencing more violent forms of hazing. The required characteristic for hazing is masculinity, and hazing rituals often aim to eliminate femininity and create a particular kind of masculine identity.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker discusses the enduring and symbolic nature of hazing rituals in the military, highlighting their depiction in literature and films.

• Various justifications for military hazing are examined, including meeting individual psychological needs, fostering group cohesion, and as a rite of passage into manhood.

• The speaker argues that the primary justification for military hazing lies in institutional dynamics, with hazing serving to reproduce and preserve the military institution.