The Hazing

Infobox Short story
name = The Hazing
title_orig =
translator =
author = Isaac Asimov
country = United States
language = English
series = Homo Sol Trilogy
genre = Science fiction short story
publication_type = Periodical
published_in = "Thrilling Wonder Stories"
publisher = Better Publications
media_type = Print (Magazine, Hardback & Paperback)
pub_date = October 1942
english_pub_date =
preceded_by = The Imaginary
followed_by = "The Hazing" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the October 1942 issue of "Thrilling Wonder Stories" and reprinted in the 1972 collection "The Early Asimov". Discussing the story in "The Early Asimov", the author noted that it is set in the same fictional universe as his earlier stories "Homo Sol" and "The Imaginary", but featured different characters. "The Hazing" was the thirtieth story written by Asimov, and the twenty-eighth to be published. Due to the peculiar workings of the science fiction magazine publishing industry, the story appeared a month before "The Imaginary".

A few years after the people of Homo Sol have joined the Galactic Federation, a group of students from Earth arrive to study at Arcturus University. Shortly thereafter, they are kidnapped as part of a student prank (hazing) and transported by spaceship to a planet inhabited only by primitive people who do not belong to the Federation and are quarantined until they develop hyperspace travel. The Earth people are captured, but by the use of "primitive" psychology, they persuade the natives that they are in fact gods from beyond the stars. When the kidnappers return, they are also captured by the natives, but are rescued by the Earth people.