Moving Culturally-Based Sororities and Fraternities Forward: Innovations in Practice (2021): Edited with Dr. Crystal Garcia
Although collegiate sorority and fraternity life has a well-documented history, much of the literature has focused exclusively on historically white organizations; conversely, few texts have explored the unique nature of culturally-based sororities and fraternities, organizations that emerged from FSL’s history of discrimination. Furthermore, many of the journal articles and book chapters on culturally-based sororities and fraternities have highlighted their historical development while less scholarship has centered the voices of members’ experiences within the organizations or the practitioners engaging in innovative work to move these organizations from the margins of FSL communities. This edited book will serve as a step toward filling these gaps. Our book will begin with an overview of pertinent historical and contextual information about culturally-based sororities and fraternities. We will follow the introduction with a chapter overviewing developments in research on culturally-based sororities and fraternities. The remainder of the book will explore innovations in practice moving culturally-based sororities and fraternities forward – in two sections: one section for individual organizations themselves and the other section focusing on issues facing culturally-based sororities and fraternities broadly (e.g., attending to intersecting identities, hazing, and establishing their identities within SFL communities). Each of the book’s “Innovations in Practice: Opportunities and Challenges Facing Organizations” chapters will feature an opening vignette from a member of a culturally-based sorority or fraternity.