In the last Census, 33,148 Australians identified with a nature religion, or Paganism. Who are the Pagans – and what do they do and believe?
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Articles on Witchcraft
Displaying 1 - 20 of 35 articles
A raft of horror films remind us of the grip troubled sleep once had on our imaginations.
Critics of superstition have often painted openness to magical interpretations as weakness or moral failing.
From ancient Greece to modern-day TikTok witchcraft, the world of witches has been a changing one.
A teenage domestic servant showed signs of possession, and a miller was accused of witchcraft. Considering records of these events helps clarify what we can and cannot know about the past.
The idea of a ‘witch’ was usually female in Western Europe, but not so in Orthodox Russia – partly because of the period’s rigid social hierarchies.
By casting spells and creating online persona to fool their victims, the Ivorian figure of the “brouteur” reveals the connections between the occult and virtual dimensions.
It’s facile to claim that only the state, or even only elites, were responsible for executing witches – there is a potential witch-hunter in all of us.
Beyond the fairy tales, mythical stories and stereotypes, there are many ways to be a witch.
From devil to potion to miracle drug, chocolate’s arrival in Europe was a wild ride.
Scent and magic have been entwined in our imaginations for centuries – right up to today’s witch-inspired perfumes.
Interest in Wicca and witchcraft appears to be increasing, but what exactly is Wicca in the first place?
Because of their appearance, people with albinism in Tanzania are often socially excluded and frequently (and sometimes violently) discriminated against.
A historian reviews Pablo Agüere’s award-winning Netflix film Akelarre and explains why it is one of the best films around on the early modern witch-hunt.
An artist and self-proclaimed witch, Rosaleen Norton defied cultural norms in Menzies-era Australia. Reviled by the media, she was a powerfully unconventional woman.
For hundreds of years, magicians believed cheese could help them foretell the future or identify a criminal.
The role of witches in society relates directly to the role of women in society. And during times of social upheaval and changes, witches represent access to women’s power.
From village healers to global brands, witches have long cast their spells over commercial transactions.
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.
Top contributors
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Honorary Professor, The University of Queensland
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Postdo, University of Exeter
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Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History, History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University
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Associate Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, the University of Queensland; International Distinguished Fellow, the Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University., The University of Queensland
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Associate professor, Australian National University
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Professor of Anthropology, UCL
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Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician and Public Health Scientist, MidMichigan Health, University of Michigan
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PhD Candidate, School of Humanities and Social Science. Research Officer at Everymind, University of Newcastle
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Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, SARChI in Higher Education and Human Development Research Group, University of the Free State
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Teaching Fellow in Medieval Studies, University of Leeds
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Lecturer in Modern European History, University of Bristol
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Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Lawrence University
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Doctoral student in Anthropology, University of Amsterdam
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PhD Candidate, Justice Studies, Charles Sturt University
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Senior Lecturer in English, Manchester Metropolitan University
