Witchcraft

The Politicization of Witchcraft History

Witchcraft and its associated imagery is one of the most powerful, pervasive, and multifaceted symbols in Western culture. That being said, evaluating the complex webs of representations associated with the image of the Witch and Witchcraft is an enormous task. The issues raised by the historical experience and study of Witchcraft further compound the bewildering array of symbols and themes associated with it. Of particular importance in establishing the links between representations and symbols of Witchcraft with the historical phenomena is the intensely Anglocentric domination of Witchcraft studies and literature, not least of which is the broad association of multiple divergent themes, images, ideas, and mythic forms under the category of Witch. This is despite the radically different cultural and historical contexts and localized meanings associated with the diverse network of terms which come together under the English term “Witchcraft”...