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The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe

by Brian P. Levack

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427859,474 (3.98)None
The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe, now in its fourth edition, is the perfect resource for both students and scholars of the witch-hunts written by one of the leading names in the field. For those starting out in their studies of witch-beliefs and witchcraft trials, Brian Levack provides a concise survey of this complex and fascinating topic, while for more seasoned scholars the scholarship is brought right up to date. This new edition includes the most recent research on children, gender, male witches and demonic possession as well as broadening the exploration of the geographical distribution of witch prosecutions to include recent work on regions, cities and kingdoms enabling students to identify comparisons between countries. Now fully integrated with Brian Levack's The Witchcraft Sourcebook, there are links to the sourcebook throughout the text, pointing students towards key primary sources to aid them in their studies. The two books are drawn together on a new companion website with supplementary materials for those wishing to advance their studies, including an extensive guide to further reading, a chronology of the history of witchcraft and an interactive map to show the geographical spread of witch-hunts and witch trials across Europe and North America. A long-standing favourite with students and lecturers alike, this new edition of The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe will be essential reading for those embarking on or looking to advance their studies of the history of witchcraft… (more)
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general survey of social conditions, changes in theology and in law that permitted the witch hunt. Seems well researched and comprehensive.
  ritaer | Jul 22, 2021 |
The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe by Brian Levack (1995)
  arosoff | Jul 10, 2021 |
A good overview of much-debated subject based mainly on good recent scholarly books, not primary research by Levack. Very sensible about the possibilities. A few doubtful statements --says are one point no witness (aside from interrogated witches) claimed to have eve seen a sabbat, but elsewhere does refer to reports of innocent people stumbling across them. Admits there were people practicing both ritual high magic and low-level maleficia (simple curses and the like) but does not think there was any organized devil-worship. May well be right. Aware that reactions to witchcraft varied from very rational enquires wtout torture or mass executions all te way up ton paranoid wholesale persecutions, but the latter were rare. ( )
  antiquary | Jul 21, 2016 |
This book is detailed and rigorous in its approach and superbly argued. Levack explains the European witch-hunt in clear terms and gives pause for thought as to how popular superstitions, when combined with erroneous intellectual beliefs, a dubious judicial system, religious fundamentalism and economic and social unrest, can lead to the persecution and killing of those members of society who, for whatever reason, are regarded as subversive or simply as different and are therefore treated as scapegoats. ( )
  MargaritaMorris | Oct 16, 2014 |
It's probably not fair to star rate this as it's aimed at an academic audience and I dropped History the first year of college, and my knowledge Middle/Early Modern Europe is limited to what I picked up studying English lit.

The first half of the book is taken up with the causes, intellectual, judicial, social, and religious, of the witch-craze. These sections were excellent and were also a great primer for my afore mentioned loose grasp of European history. Later in the book I found my eyes glazing over a bit especially during the chronology and geography section. But these sections may be the 'meat' of the book as far as the scholars are concerned. Who knows.

All in all a good, if dense, read for those looking for an fairly in depth look at the European witch hunts.
  keyboardcouch | Mar 30, 2013 |
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The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe, now in its fourth edition, is the perfect resource for both students and scholars of the witch-hunts written by one of the leading names in the field. For those starting out in their studies of witch-beliefs and witchcraft trials, Brian Levack provides a concise survey of this complex and fascinating topic, while for more seasoned scholars the scholarship is brought right up to date. This new edition includes the most recent research on children, gender, male witches and demonic possession as well as broadening the exploration of the geographical distribution of witch prosecutions to include recent work on regions, cities and kingdoms enabling students to identify comparisons between countries. Now fully integrated with Brian Levack's The Witchcraft Sourcebook, there are links to the sourcebook throughout the text, pointing students towards key primary sources to aid them in their studies. The two books are drawn together on a new companion website with supplementary materials for those wishing to advance their studies, including an extensive guide to further reading, a chronology of the history of witchcraft and an interactive map to show the geographical spread of witch-hunts and witch trials across Europe and North America. A long-standing favourite with students and lecturers alike, this new edition of The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe will be essential reading for those embarking on or looking to advance their studies of the history of witchcraft

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This famous book focuses on the great age of witch-hunting in Europe (and colonial America) between 1450 and 1750. It examines why the witch-trials took place; how many trials and victims there were, and where; why their incidence was so uneven in Europe; who accused whom; and why witch-hunting eventually petered out. In the process it illuminates the social, economic and political history of early modern Europe, and in particular the position of women within it. For this Second Edition, Brian Levack has revised his text to take account of scholarship since 1987. The notes and references have been greatly expanded, and the entire text reset.

Between 1450 and 1750 thousands of people, most of them women, were accused, prosecuted and executed for the crime of witchcraft. The witch-hunt was not a single event; it comprised thousands of individual prosecutions, each shaped by the religious and social dimensions of the particular area as well as political and legal factors. Brian Levack sorts through the proliferation of theories to provide a coherent introduction to the subject, as well as contributing to the scholarly debate. The book:
Examines why witchcraft prosecutions took place, how many trials and victims there were, and why witch-hunting eventually came to an end.
Explores the beliefs of both educated and illiterate people regarding witchcraft.
Uses regional and local studies to give a more detailed analysis of the chronological and geographical distribution of witch-trials.
Emphasises the legal context of witchcraft prosecutions.
Illuminates the social, economic and political history of early modern Europe, and in particular the position of women within it.
In this fully updated third edition of his exceptional study, Levack incorporates the vast amount of literature that has emerged since the last edition. He substantially extends his consideration of the decline of the witch-hunt and goes further in his exploration of witch-hunting after the trials, especially in contemporary Africa. New illustrations vividly depict beliefs about witchcraft in early modern Europe.
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