What do we know about academic initiation rituals called Praxe? How do students and the society embrace this social phenomenon? Due to recent events, the negative impacts of some dangerous rituals are discussed in the media, but students’ engagement and ways of acting is not the object of scientific studies, particularly through a Vygotskian approach. Social interactions play a main role in it and power issues too. Thus, an in-depth analysis of this cultural phenomenon is essential, in order to clarify its advantages and its dangers. We developed an exploratory research whose main goal was to study the attitudes about these rituals in their multiple dimensions: social, cognitive and affective. The participants were students, other individuals, and organized groups, in favor and against Praxe. The data collecting instruments were interviews, questionnaires, and documents. The results illustrate that different attitudes and practices subsist, as well as a great deal of lack of information.

1. Praxe in Portuguese Universities: Opinions and practices through Vygotskian lenses
pavalerio@gmail.com
Patrícia Valério Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação
Guilhermina Lobato Miranda Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação
gmiranda@ie.ulisboa.pt

3. Why?
• Since December 2013, 10 young people died, associated with praxe rituals
• Praxe has been part of medias’ agenda setting
• Has been changing its frequency through last years:
•From 1-2 weeks a year to the whole school year.
• Has generated a niche economy:
• Festivals
• Beverage Industry
• Special garments and apparel (pins, patches, badges, …)

4. • Rituals can be found in every society and social contexts (Ribeiro, 2011);
• Different cultures use different symbolic systems and have different rituals;
• These phenomena cross the physical boundaries of colleges and happen at the public space (Ferreira & Moutinho, 2007);
• Social interactions play an important role (Vygotsky, 1934/1962);
• Social representations are dynamic (Marková, 2005; Moscovici, 2000);
• PRAXES – issues related to voice (Bakhtin, 1929/1981) and power (Apple, 1995; César, 2013a);
• Dialogical self (Hermans, 2001);
• Life trajectories of participation, particularly in school context (César, 2013a).
Theoretical background

5. Interpretative approach (Denzin,2002)
Exploratory intrinsic case study (Stake, 1995)
Participants
• Higher education students (17/18 - 65-year-olds);
• Opinion leaders, journalists and relevant members from the educational and social community;
• 2 Researchers.
Method
Data Collecting Instruments
• Questionnaires, interviews, informal conversations, and documents.
Procedures
•Data collecting – November and December 2013 (1st Questionnaire); – May 2014 (2nd Questionnaire); – March to May 2014 (Interviews and informal conversations).

6. Socio-demographic characterization
37%
63%
Gender
Masculine
Feminine
27%
54%
12%
4%
3%
Age
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
>34
10%
31%
44%
15%
Participation on Praxe
No
Yes, some activities
Yes, in all activities
Yes, few activities
15%
35%
17%
6%
27%
Who influenced?
Family
Friends
Academic Comunity
Praxe Comission (COPA)
Others

7. Results
197
119
134
135
147
103
1
2
3
4
5
6
Praxe forecasts future power relations
297
173
140
127
35
15
1
2
3
4
5
6
I feel power participating in praxe rituals
30
30
72
164
250
291
1
2
3
4
5
6
Praxe builds a student hierarchy
1-Strongly disagree 2-Disagree Somewhat 3-Disagree 4-Agree 5-Somewhat agree 6-Strongly agree
182
153
139
144
111
107
1
2
3
4
5
6
Praxe it's a power ritual between peers

8. Results
“the fact of having seen praxe through my high-school years, got me curious, I though that could be funny” F(20-24)
“I decided myself to participate but I got encouraged by some friends who already had experienced praxe”. F(15-19)
“It was something that helped my integration in a new context, in my first days, and I found a second family. Praxe its not only integration, its also tradition”. F(20-24)
“I guess that is necessary to integrate new students, yes, but praxe it’s not used for that purpose, or if it is, it´s only for a some”. F(20-24)

9. Results
“Praxe its less more than a obscure way of elder students deal with their frustrations, using power to humiliate others”. M (>34)
“I had two experiences […]I made friends for life, got integrated and learnt a lot and grew up[…]I was humiliated[…]at the end of 1st day, I left with tears on my eyes”. F(20-24)
“I voluntarily stopped praxe in my 3rd year, considering the damages
“In fact, I participated in the first year because I aspired to use the suit, and take part in tradition. However, in my second year, I realized that hierarchical scale was far complex than I thought. I got totally discouraged to proceed. I totally gave up on praxe”. F(20-24)
“My brother had already participated and gave me positive feedback”. M(25-29)

10. “schools are institutions with traditions and political mandates that structure the field of interactions; students come into the schools with their life experiences framed by another major institution, i.e., the family and its own social nesting in the wider (ever more global) society”. (Perret- Clermont, 2009, p. 1)
Final Remarks
“School plays an essential role in the access that students have – or do not have – to equity during their pathways and also regarding their future social and professional lives, that is, in their life trajectories of participation” (César, 2013b, p. 38)