A raft of horror films remind us of the grip troubled sleep once had on our imaginations.
L’expertise universitaire, l’exigence journalistique
Articles sur Salem witch trials
Ensemble des articles
From ancient Greece to modern-day TikTok witchcraft, the world of witches has been a changing one.
Witch trials relied on a medieval text called the “Malleus Maleficarum” – a book this reference librarian can hold in her hands.
The idea of organized satanic witchcraft was invented in 15th-century Europe by church and state authorities, who at first had a hard time convincing regular folks it was real.
Powerful men often proclaim baseless accusations to be a ‘witch hunt.’ But American witch trials have always targeted a persecuted minority: women.
An antiquated Canadian law against magic and witchcraft is about to be repealed. A close look at its history reveals that it is far less superstitious than it appears.
So often used to condemn women through history, feminism is reclaiming the word ‘witch’ in the 21st century. Some men also want to get in on the act.
It is estimated that thousands of people are killed in witchcraft-related violence around the world each year. How can we tackle this problem today?
Sociologists know what conditions make it more likely a mass delusion will take hold and spread through a group – whether adherence to a fashion fad or belief in a doomsday cult.
Robert Eggers’ indie film The Witch brilliantly chronicles Puritan life in the 1630s. Horror soon ensues as children disappear into the woods and one girl, Thomasina, is accused of witchcraft.
A ‘witch hunt’ is what Trump called investigations into his campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election. An anthropologist explains the connection between witch hunts and social control.
Were evil witches really stealing children in the 17th century?
Les contributeurs les plus fréquents
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Associate professor, Australian National University
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Professor of Renaissance and Magical Literatures, University of Exeter
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Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Lawrence University
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Journalist, University of Virginia
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Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of South Carolina
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Associate Professor of History, University of Saskatchewan
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UQ Research Fellow, The University of Queensland
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Queensland
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Professor of History, Iowa State University
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Adjunct Lecturer, School of English, University of Reading
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Associate Professor of English, UMass Lowell
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Lecturer in Creative Writing and 19th-Century Literature, Aberystwyth University
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Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University
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Adjunct Professor and Reference Librarian, General Theological Seminary
