Collegiate fraternities and sororities can have civic impacts. While some are known for building civic character among members, less is known about many others--partly because research on fraternities and sororities has been developed in separate academic disciplines from research on other civil society organizations (CSOs). In this literature review, the authors synthesize research across traditions, asking: what civic roles might fraternities and sororities play and when have they played them? The authors introduce concepts from the CSO literature and then review historical and contemporary research on fraternities and sororities. The authors conclude with scholarly and practical agendas for scholars, administrators, and leaders.