Current course offerings

Please Note: Course profiles marked as not available may still be in development.

Course description

This course analyses the concepts of witchcraft and demonology that permeated early modern Western European culture from the late fifteenth century to the early eighteenth century, and which bred fear and anxiety, ultimately resulting in the persecution and execution of some of the most vulnerable members of society. Focusing on case study examples of witchcraft in early modern Europe, the British Isles, and the American colonies from the 1450s to 1700s, this course examines how communities and individuals negotiated the earthly, spiritual and supernatural necessities of life and death. Using a diverse range of innovative social and cultural history approaches, as well as primary source evidence, it explores the period through key early modern themes: religion; heresy and superstition; communities and individuals; class or sorts of people; healing and medicine; violence and upheaval; and gender.

Archived offerings