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<em>“The richness of ethnographic material and historical and anthropological theory makes</em> Witches and Demons <em>an interesting book not only for those who study the Satanism scare or the African diaspora, but for anyone who wants to know more about the background of accusations of Satanism and witchcraft, be it from their Western or African roots or a combination of both.”</em> <strong>• Reading Religion</strong></p>
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<em>“If you are interested in anthropology, this is a must read, as the general aim is understanding the other.”</em> <strong>• Acta Comparanda</strong></p>
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<em>“This is an extremely interesting set of chapters. Together they create a carefully drawn exercise in comparison as a major methodological tool of anthropology, and its advantages and problems. The book is very clearly written, well argued, and fascinating.”</em> <strong>• Frances Pine</strong>, Department of Anthropology, Goldsmiths, University of London</p>

Devil worship, black magic, and witchcraft have long captivated anthropologists as well as the general public. In this volume, Jean La Fontaine explores the intersection of expert and lay understandings of evil and the cultural forms that evil assumes. The chapters touch on public scares about devil-worship, misconceptions about human sacrifice and the use of body parts in healing practices, and mistaken accusations of children practicing witchcraft. Together, these cases demonstrate that comparison is a powerful method of cultural understanding, but warns of the dangers and mistaken conclusions that untrained ideas about other ways of life can lead to.
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Devil worship, black magic, and witchcraft have long captivated anthropologists as well as the general public. This volume explores the intersection of expert and lay understandings of evil and the cultural forms that evil assumes.
Les mer
Introduction: Understanding the Other Chapter 1. Hidden Enemies: Evil at the end of the Millennium Chapter 2. Concepts of Evil, Witchcraft and the Sexual Abuse of Children in Modern England Chapter 3. Ritual Murder? Chapter 4. Magic and medicine: The Torso in the Thames Chapter 5. Child Witches in London: Tradition and change in religious belief Chapter 6. The morality of childhood Chapter 7. Pastors and witches Chapter 8. London’s witch children Conclusion: Continuities and changes
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781785331527
Publisert
2016-04-01
Utgiver
Vendor
Berghahn Books
Vekt
222 gr
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Aldersnivå
UU, UP, G, 05, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
156

Forfatter

Om bidragsyterne

Jean La Fontaine is a Research Fellow of Inform and Professor Emeritus at the London School of Economics, where she taught for nearly twenty years. She received her PhD from the University of Cambridge and has chaired the Association of Social Anthropologists, and served as President of the Royal Anthropological Institute.