Scent and magic have been entwined in our imaginations for centuries – right up to today’s witch-inspired perfumes.
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Articles on Witchcraft
Displaying 21 - 40 of 45 articles
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.
In medieval England using magic was a bit like drug use today: against the law and seen as immoral, but still widespread across society.
Yet again sexism rears its ugly head in this portrayal, from Arthurian legend, of a much maligned woman.
An antiquated Canadian law against magic and witchcraft is about to be repealed.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.
The new Sabrina joins a host of other witches in pop culture, a witch revival that reflects more radical feminist politics.
The history of why witchcraft was seen as a woman’s work.
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?
Most anthropologists believe that witch labelling has evolved to get people to conform. But new research suggests an alternative explanation.
Nigeria is on the verge of passing a law to criminalise rampant mob lynching. Other countries have tried to do this and failed.
An upcoming UN meeting on witchcraft and human rights in Geneva is set to focus on the rising attacks on Albinos and the trade of body parts in sub-Saharan African.
Independent, powerful feminist role models or a warning to women not to overstep the mark? Witches have been many things over the years.
Top contributors
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Sessional Academic, The University of Queensland
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Honorary Professor, The University of Queensland
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Postdo, University of Exeter
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Professor of English, UMass Lowell
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Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History, History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University
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Professor of History, Iowa State University
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Associate Professor of History, University of Saskatchewan
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Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician and Public Health Scientist, MidMichigan Health, University of Michigan
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Scientific Co-Director and Associate Professor, University of Waterloo
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Excellence for The Elimination of Violence Against Women, Monash University
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Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Exeter
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Lecturer in Criminology, Edith Cowan University
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Doctoral student in Anthropology, University of Amsterdam
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Professor of Anthropology, UCL
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Associate Professor, Human Rights, University of Winnipeg
