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When the Omerta Is Broken: Sociomateriality and the History of Hazing in French Universities

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Materiality and Time

Part of the book series: Technology, Work and Globalization ((TWG))

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Abstract

In the middle of a rainy afternoon, a group of students began recruiting new members to their student organization. Due to this particular organization’s celebrity and positive reputation, numerous candidates apply every year, yet few people actually know what happens behind the closed doors of the recruitment process. Gossip and word of mouth have suggested that new members are hazed, but until now, the omerta1 has been kept. However, on the day following that rainy afternoon, a student went home with cuts on his back, then to the police to file an official complaint against the individual responsible. The scandal began: journalists ranging from French media caught wind of the event and sought interviews with the university’s dean and students.

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Authors
  1. Hélène Lambrix
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Université Paris-Dauphine, France

    Francois-Xavier de Vaujany  & Pierre Laniray  & 

  2. London School of Economics, UK

    Nathalie Mitev

  3. McGill University, Canada

    Emmanuelle Vaast

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© 2014 Hélène Lambrix

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Lambrix, H. (2014). When the Omerta Is Broken: Sociomateriality and the History of Hazing in French Universities. In: de Vaujany, FX., Mitev, N., Laniray, P., Vaast, E. (eds) Materiality and Time. Technology, Work and Globalization. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137432124_8

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