Praxe
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The Portuguese term praxe ([ˈpɾaʃɨ] from the Greek πρᾶξις, praxis) describes the whole of student traditions in universities or, more often, to the initiation rituals freshmen are subjected to in some Portuguese universities. Praxe is replicated by other
The praxe is meant to initiate the freshmen into the University institution and to encourage the loss of social inhibitions.[2][3] Tradition, ritual, humor, joy and parody are some of the main ingredients of Praxe. Older students tend to produce funny situations and jokes with the freshmen; giving a warm welcome to them through initiation rituals.
Praxe usually occurs without the consent of the universities, which means, the students are usually responsible for creating and maintaining the praxe group together, with "Veterans" - the older students - planning the activities, rituals, traditions, gatherings, travels, meals, parties, etc, usually without any type of supervision, or knowledge, from the school board, teachers, and other academic associations.
In most
The president of the
With the spread of higher education institutions throughout Portugal in the last quarter of the twentieth century, the concept of Praxe became different from university to university. Coimbra and Porto claim to maintain the heritage of the real academic traditions, usually in contrast of new practices instituted in younger universities and higher education schools.
An increasingly larger number of institutions organize alternative initiation events for the freshmen based on solidarity activities and community work – it is called "Solidarity Praxis" (Praxe Solidária).[5][6] [failed verification]
History
The roots of the Praxe date back to the 14th century, when practiced by the clergy,[2] which greatly influenced the design of the academic outfit,[7] [failed verification] but it did not attain recognition until the practice spread to Coimbra, first being named the Investidas, in the 16th century, upon the establishment of the university.[2] From Coimbra, the tradition spread into Lisbon and Porto in the 19th century, when those cities gained access to higher education, and students from those same cities transferred closer to home and brought the praxe and its customs with them.[1]
The Praxe is known everywhere in Portugal, being replicated inside higher education institutions of any kind and origin across the entire country. The process repeated itself, as more and more cities across the country had access to higher education, and today the traditions and costumes of the praxe are replicated nationwide,[dead link][8] with each particular university or other higher education institution, having its own specific rituals and practices, and some praxe-related organizations have even attained international reach as well.[8]
The ritual burning of the ribbons of
Academic outfit
Even though Coimbra's academic outfit is the traditional one and considered the symbol of a Portuguese student of higher education, some Portuguese higher education institutions have their typical academic outfit which differs greatly from that born in the ancient University of Coimbra. This is the case, for example, of those worn by the students of the
The academic outfit, in Portuguese "Traje Académico", being composed of a
The outfit, originally created for the students of the University of Coimbra, is a key part of the praxe symbolising equality, respect and humility.[2] It originated from the original outfits monks wore,[7] [failed verification] demonstrating the influence of the clergy on the education, which lasted up until the 18th century, having maintained a very similar appearance to the original up until the 19th, when the more significant changes occurred, such as the shortening of the cassock[7] and, by the end of the century, the definite presence of the long pants.[7] [failed verification]
There are some myths surrounding this outfit, such as the belief that the cloak should not be washed, because it represents the giving up of the memories of the academic life. This one in particular has been since clarified by Conselho de Veteranos of University of Coimbra (the council responsible to protect Praxe Académica) explaining students should actually wash it for hygienic purposes, and since historically students were recommended to look presentable while attending classes. The wearer can ask someone special to tear a little of their cloak, to symbolize that person's importance during the student's academic life.[7] The cloak is also used to show respect to places one is in or a person someone is in the presence of, and the maximum demonstration of academic respect is the laying down of the cloak on the ground for someone to walk on top of.[7][failed verification]
Controversies
Criticism
However, Praxe Académica has been abused by some groups of students, regardless of whether they belong to
The tone of criticism around Praxe, however, may sometimes reach levels of "excessive humour",[9] in response to what happens with excessive Praxe practices.[10]
Judicial proceedings
In the 2000s, the Ministry of Higher Education,
Among the sadistic practices sometimes found in praxe, specific humiliations of the freshmen by older students are the most common, such as by forcing them to perform large numbers of push ups, "kiss the ground", or stand in uncomfortable positions for prolonged amounts of time.
In 2001, Diogo Macedo, a 4th year Architecture student of the Universidade Lusíada of Vila Nova de Famalicão would die from wounds resulting of massive trauma to his spine which the coroner would rule as having been dealt by a blunt object during a praxe event.
Judicial proceedings would come to find that the university was guilty of not supervising such events on campus grounds and award the parents of the deceased student 90,000 euros. Two suspects were arraigned as defendants but in 2004 the case would be closed due to insufficient evidence to proceed any further. [19]
On the night of 15 December 2013, six members of an academic troupe of the private Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias would drown after being caught by a rogue wave on the Meco beach with the sole survivor, João Gouveia, Dux Veteranorum of the praxe of Lusófona University, alleging temporary amnesia regarding the events, over allegations of the students having been caught by the wave while performing a hazing ritual related to praxe and academic tradition. João Gouveia would go on to be judged as to whether he was guilty of reckless endangerment.[20]
On 23 April 2014, during an in praxe course face off between Informatics Engineering students and Medicine students at Gualtar Campus, part of Universidade do Minho, four freshmen of Informatics Engineering climbed a 4 meter wide by one and a half meter tall concrete wall to celebrate their victory. The wall end up collapsing in a few seconds, crushing to death three other Informatics Engineering male students between the ages of 18 and 21, that were standing at the bottom. The veteran students present were accused of homicide by negligence from the Public Ministry, but end up being absolved by the Braga Court.[21]
On the night of 23 September 2015 a female freshman of the
See also
- Bullying
- Deposition (university)
- Higher education in Portugal
- Hazing
- Initiation
- University of Coimbra
- Homecoming
- Orientation week
References
- ^ a b "O Porto e a Praxe". QvidPraxis (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 September 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Henrique Tigo. "Praxe Académica". Portal RegiaoCentro.net. Archived from the original on 7 November 2007.
- ^ a b "O que é a Praxe Académica?". QvidPraxis (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2008.
- ^ a b TVI News report on the assault Archived 17 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ "causas.net". www.causas.net. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ "Rádio Brigantia -". www.brigantia.pt. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Qvid Praxis page on the Traje
- ^ a b Ordem Praxe e Academia (in Portuguese)
- ^ 5meianoite (5Feb2014), "DUX" - José Pedro Vasconcelos - 5 Para a Meia Noite, humour video RTP1-directo, uploaded to YouTube by 5meianoite user
- ^ Andreia Sanches, Catarina Gomes (22Jan2014), Investigação ao acidente do Meco muda de mãos e passa a estar em segredo de justiça (6 died), in journal "Publico.pt", 2014
- ^ "Relação de Évora condena praxes violentas". Archived from the original on 2 October 2013.
- ^ Fernando Basto, Praxe de Santarém vai ser primeiro caso em tribunal, Jornal de Notícias (22 November 2005)
- ^ "Piaget condenado a pagar 40 mil euros a aluna vítima de praxe]". Público. 9 December 2008. Archived from the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ News Article on Praxe Archived 5 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ Another news report on the same assault (in Portuguese)
- ^ SIC news report on the incident[permanent dead link] (in Portuguese)
- ^ Antipodas Anti Praxe Movement Archived 25 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ Code of the Praxe Archived 18 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ "Universidade paga indemnização por morte de aluno em praxe". www.jn.pt. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ "Afogamento dos estudantes do Meco gera muitas perguntas sem resposta". www.tsf.pt. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ "Alunos da Universidade do Minho absolvidos por mortes de colegas". www.cmjornal.pt. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "Ministério Público abriu inquérito a praxe que deixou caloira do Algarve em coma alcoólico - Portugal - DN". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
External links
- Praxe Wiki (in Portuguese)
- "Academia de Submissos", Youtube documentary film (in Portuguese)
- "DUX" - José Pedro Vasconcelos - 5 Para a Meia Noite (in Portuguese)