Witchcraft, Witches, and Violence in Ghana [Paperback]

Witchcraft violence is a feature of many contemporary African societies. In Ghana, belief in witchcraft and the malignant activities of putative witches is prevalent. Purported witches are blamed for all manner of adversities including inexplicable illnesses and untimely deaths. As in other historical periods and other societies, in contemporary Ghana, alleged witches are typically female, elderly, poor, and marginalized. Childhood socialization in homes and schools, exposure to mass media, and other institutional mechanisms ensure that witchcraft beliefs are transmitted across generations and entrenched over time. This book provides a detailed account of Ghanaian witchcraft beliefs and practices and their role in fueling violent attacks on alleged witches by aggrieved individuals and vigilante groups.

List of Figures
Acknowledgments

Introduction:Witchcraft Violence in Comparative Perspective

Chapter 1.Ghana: The Research Setting
Chapter 2.Witchcraft Beliefs in Ghana
Chapter 3.Socialization into Witchcraft Beliefs
Chapter 4.Witchcraft Themes in Popular Ghanaian Music
Chapter 5.Witchcraft Imagery in Akan Proverbs
Chapter 6.Witchcraft Trials in Ghanaian Courts
Chapter 7.Witch Killings
Chapter 8.Non-Lethal Treatment of Alleged Witches
Chapter 9.Gendered Victimization: Patriarchy, Misogyny, and Gynophobia

Conclusion:Curbing Witchcraft-Related Violence in Ghana

Bibliography
Index

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